Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on April 7, 2025 was filed before the mailing date of a first Office action on the merits. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 4-8, 14, and 18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In Claims 4 and 5, line 5, “wherein in” appears to be a typo and should apparently be “wherein”
In Claims 4 and 5, line 11, “comprises amount” appears to be a typo and should apparently be “comprises an amount”
In Claim 6, line 3, “wherein in” appears to be a typo and should apparently be “wherein”
In Claim 7, line 12, “comprises amount” appears to be a typo and should apparently be “comprises an amount”
In Claim 8, line 1, “wherein in” appears to be a typo and should apparently be “wherein”
In Claim 14, line 3, “Wherein switching ng” appears to be a typo and should apparently be “wherein switching”
In Claim 18, the preamble, “A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions, when a processor executes the computer executable instructions, are configured to perform at least:” appears to be a typo and should apparently be “A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions, when the instructions are executed by a processor, cause the one or more processors to:”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 9-12, 14-15, 17-18, and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being unpatentable by Li, CN 113849258 A (hereinafter Li) [English translation via Espacenet attached] [included in IDS].
In regards to Claim 1, Li discloses a method of information display, comprising: playing target media content in a media content playback page, to determine playback information corresponding to the target media content (Li: [n0029], “Step 101: Display the first content in the first content stream in the content stream display interface, wherein the first content is published by the first user”); and in response to the playback information satisfying a predetermined display condition, displaying, in the media content playback page, prompt information associated with a poster corresponding to the target media content (Li: [n0033], “Step 102: When the first preset content switching condition is met”; [n0057], where if the number of content posted by the first user that is associated with the current user in a preset way is greater than or equal to a second preset number threshold, then displaying prompts about the content in the second content stream in the content stream display interface; Fig. 3 and [n0071], “As shown in Figure 3…The first quantity is 6, which means that the total number of videos in the second video stream (second content stream) is 6. The text message "6 updates" can be displayed… there are 6 icons 302 displayed in the form of short lines. Each icon corresponds to a video in the second video stream.”), the prompt information being configured to prompt a first user that the poster posts updated content within a predetermined time interval (Li: [n0041], where the second content stream includes content posted by the first user within the most recent preset historical time period; [n0069]-[n0070], “Step 203: Display information related to the content in the second content stream in the content stream display interface,” where content in the second content stream consists of content published by the first user within the most recent preset historical time period that the current user has not viewed).
Regarding Claim 3, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein in response to the playback information satisfying a predetermined display condition, displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with a poster corresponding to the target media content comprises: determining a page type corresponding to a media content playback page currently displayed (Li: [n0032], where video applications could include a video recommendation page and a friends page); and in response to the playback information satisfying a display condition corresponding to the page type, displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content (Li: [n0032], where the content displayed on the video recommendation page may come from videos posted by any user in the preset applications; the content displayed on the friends page may come from videos posted by users who are friends with the current user).
Regarding Claim 9, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content comprises: displaying the prompt information at an association location corresponding to an identification of the poster in the media content playback page (Li: Fig. 3 and [n0071], where the icon-based prompt message can also be displayed, as shown in the figure, there are 6 icons 302 displayed in the form of short lines. Each icon corresponds to a video in the second video stream; Fig. 5 and [n0089], where the first information 502 can be displayed on the video recommendation page 501. As shown in Figure 5, the first information 502 can be displayed in the interactive control, which may also include an expand icon (the arrow in the figure)).
Regarding Claim 10, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein after displaying the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content in the media content playback page, further comprising: in response to a triggering operation on the prompt information by the first user, switching to an updated content display page (Li: [n0076], where if the user's current input is the first preset switching operation, the user can switch to displaying the second content in the second content stream); and displaying, in the updated content display page, updated content posted by the poster within a predetermined time interval (Li: Fig. 5 and [n0095]-[n0096], “Step 406: Determine the target second information according to the target of the first preset switching operation, and display the target content corresponding to the target second information in the second content stream in the content stream display interface,” where as shown in Figure 5, if a user clicks on a screenshot of video c about a kitten, video c can be selected as the target video, and the video recommendation page will then switch to playing video c in the second video stream).
Regarding Claim 11, Li discloses the method of claim 10, wherein in response to the triggering operation on the prompt information by the first user, switching to the updated content display page comprises: determining an association identification corresponding to the prompt information (Li: [n0090], “Step 404: Upon receiving a trigger operation for the first information, display at least one piece of second information corresponding to the content in the second content stream”); and jumping to the updated content display page corresponding to the association identification based on the association identification (Li: [n0095], “Step 406: Determine the target second information according to the target of the first preset switching operation, and display the target content corresponding to the target second information in the second content stream in the content stream display interface).
Regarding Claim 12, Li discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the updated content comprises updated media content or updated resource content (Li: [n0030], where the content stream can include text, images, audio, and video content, which can be displayed on the content stream display interface).
Regarding Claim 14, Li discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the association identification comprises an update type; Wherein switching ng to the updated content display page corresponding to the association identification based on the association identification comprises: in response to the update type being a media content update type, switching to a first updated content display page based on the association identification, the first updated content display page being configured to display updated media content posted by the poster within a predetermined time interval (Li: [n0095]-[n0096]); and in response to the update type being a resource content update type, switching to a second updated content display page based on the association identification, the second updated content display page being configured to display updated resource content posted by the poster within a predetermined time interval (Li: [n0030], where the content stream display interface can be a page in a preset application…the content stream can include text, images, audio, and video content, which can be displayed on the content stream display interface. Generally, multiple pieces of content can be displayed continuously under user operation).
Regarding Claim 15, Li discloses the method of claim 10, wherein displaying, in the updated content display page, the updated content posted by the poster within the predetermined time interval comprises: displaying, in the updated content display page, an updated content stream corresponding to the updated content posted by the poster within the predetermined time interval (Li: [n0041], where the second content stream includes content posted by the first user within the most recent preset historical time period; [n0069]-[n0070], “Step 203: Display information related to the content in the second content stream in the content stream display interface,” where the content in the second content stream consists of content published by the first user within the most recent preset historical time period).
In regards to Claim 17, Li discloses an electronic device, comprising: at least one processor and a memory; the memory storing computer executable instructions; the at least one processor executing the computer executable instructions stored in the memory, to cause the at least one processor to perform at least (Li: [n0011], where embodiments of this disclosure provide an electronic device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the content display method provided in embodiments of this disclosure): all of the claimed limitations (see rejection of Claim 1).
In regards to Claim 18, Li discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions, when a processor executes the computer executable instructions, are configured to perform at least (Li: [n0126], where embodiments of this disclosure include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowchart…When the computer program is executed by the processing device 701, it performs the functions described above as defined in the method of the embodiments of this disclosure): all of the claimed limitations (see rejection of Claim 1).
Regarding Claim 22, Li discloses the electronic device of claim 17, wherein in response to the playback information satisfying a predetermined display condition, displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with a poster corresponding to the target media content comprises all of the claimed limitations (see rejection of Claim 3).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2, 5, and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Greene et al., US Pub. 10554924 B2 (hereinafter Greene).
In regards to Claim 2, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein determining the playback information corresponding to the target media content comprises: determining at least one of: a playback progress corresponding to the target media content or an association relationship between the poster of the target media content and the first user (Li: [n0045], where satisfying the first preset content switching condition includes: detecting that the first content has finished playing; [n0037]/[n0047], where at least one second piece of content has a preset association with the current user's operation/the number of contents published by the first user that are pre-associated with the current user is greater than or equal to the first preset quantity threshold); and obtaining the playback information based on at least one of: the playback progress corresponding to the target media content or the association relationship between the poster of the target media content and the first user (Li: [n0045], where the advantage of this setup is that after the first content finishes playing, the second content and/or information related to the second content are automatically displayed; n[0037], where the second content is pre-associated with the current user's actions, different users can view different second content streams when they are the current user, thus achieving a more personalized content viewing experience; n[0047], where when the amount of content in the second content stream available for the current user to view reaches a certain value, the display of the second content and/or related information will be automatically triggered. This allows the current user to know the content or related information that can be viewed in a timely manner).
However, Li fails to explicitly disclose determining the playback information corresponding to the target media content comprises: determining loop playback times corresponding to the target media content; and obtaining the playback information based on the loop playback times corresponding to the target media content. Greene from a similar endeavor teaches determining loop playback times corresponding to the target media content (Greene: Col. 8, lines 37-39, where the looping media item 220 may be understood as having an inner loop that specifies a loop count for the media item 144A). Substituting Greene’s loop-counting method for Li’s disclosed method of using association content counting to obtain playback information teaches obtaining the playback information based on the loop playback times corresponding to the target media content. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li’s methods of determining the playback information and obtaining playback information to include Greene’s loop-counting method because it yields the result of an additional threshold-gated prompt.
In regards to Claim 5, Li discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the media content playback page is of a second page type, a media content playback page of the second page type is configured to play media content posted by at least one second user having a predetermined association relationship with the first user (Li: [n0032], where the content displayed on the friends page may come from videos posted by users who are friends with the current user).
However, Li fails to explicitly disclose that the playback information comprises loop playback times corresponding to the target media content; wherein in response to the playback information satisfying the display condition corresponding to the page type, displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content comprises: in response to the loop playback times corresponding to the target media content exceeding a predetermined playback times threshold, displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content; wherein the prompt information comprises amount of updated content posted by the poster within a second predetermined time interval.
Greene from a similar endeavor teaches that the playback information comprises loop playback times corresponding to the target media content (Greene: Col. 8, lines 37-39, where the looping media item 220 may be understood as having an inner loop that specifies a loop count for the media item 144A). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li’s display of prompt information applied to the context of the user-relationship page (Li: [n0056]-[n0057], where the information associated with the second content includes prompt information about the content in the second content stream…displaying prompts about the content in the second content stream in the content stream display interface includes: if the number of content posted by the first user that is associated with the current user in a preset way is greater than or equal to a second preset number threshold, then displaying prompts about the content in the second content stream in the content stream display interface) with Greene’s loop-count trigger because it yields the result of an additional threshold-gated prompt.
In regards to Claim 21, Li discloses the electronic device of claim 17, wherein the combined teaching of Li and Greene comprises all of the claimed limitations (see rejection of Claim 2).
Claim(s) 4 and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Coughlin et al., US Pub. 2019/0356969 A1 (hereinafter Coughlin).
In regards to Claim 4, Li discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the media content playback page is of a first page type, a media content playback page of the first page type is configured to play a recommended media content stream (Li: [n0032], where video applications could include a video recommendation page…the content displayed on the video recommendation page may come from videos posted by any user in the preset applications); and the playback information comprises a playback progress corresponding to the target media content (Li: [n0045], where satisfying the first preset content switching condition includes: detecting that the first content has finished playing. The advantage of this setup is that after the first content finishes playing, the second content and/or information related to the second content are automatically displayed); and wherein the prompt information comprises amount of updated content posted by the poster within a first predetermined time interval (Li: Fig. 3 and [n0071]). However, Li fails to explicitly disclose wherein in response to the playback information satisfying the display condition corresponding to the page type, displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content comprises: in response to the playback progress corresponding to the target media content exceeding a predetermined playback progress threshold, displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content.
Coughlin from a similar endeavor teaches in response to the playback progress corresponding to the target media content exceeding a predetermined playback progress threshold, displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content (Coughlin: [0059], where the media content 113 may include playback progress information indicating points of progress in the media presentation (e.g., timestamps, time codes) that, when reached during playback of the media content 113, cause or indicate to the consumer device 132 to perform one or more operations; [0072], where in response to receiving the communication 208 indicating playback progress to a defined point of progress, the Web server 160 may obtain any social media instances 118 and/or faux Webpages 122 that it determines should be accessible to the content consumer 130, and send those social media instances 118 to the content consumer device 132). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply Coughlin’s playback-progress triggering technique to Li’s recommended media content playback page so that Li’s prompt identifying the amount of recently updated content from the poster is displayed when the playback reaches a predetermined progress point.
In regards to Claim 23, Li discloses the electronic device of claim 22, wherein the combined teaching of Li and Coughlin comprises all of the claimed limitations (see rejection of Claim 4).
Claim(s) 6-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Wang et al., US Pub. 10356135 B2 (hereinafter Wang).
In regards to Claim 6, Li discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the playback information comprises an association relationship between the poster of the target media content and the first user (Li: [n0037]); wherein in response to the playback information satisfying the predetermined display condition, displaying, in the media content playback page the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content (Li: [n0032]). However, Li fails to explicitly disclose that the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content comprises: in response to the association relationship between the poster and the first user being any of at least one predetermined type of target association relationship, displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content.
Wang from a similar endeavor teaches the association relationship between the poster and
the first user being any of at least one predetermined type of target association relationship (Wang: Col. 12, lines 64-67, where a close friends section may include any activity from users connected to the viewing user and designated as close friends or having at least a threshold affinity score). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li’s method of information display to include Wang’s user-set label in order to establish relationship types. This combination yields the result of separating friend/relationship content from unrestricted content.
Regarding Claim 7, the combined teaching of Li and Wang discloses the method of claim 6, wherein in response to the association relationship between the poster and the first user being any of the at least one predetermined type of target association relationship, displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content comprises: in response to the association relationship between the poster and the first user being a predetermined first target association relationship, displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content (Wang: Col. 12, lines 64-66, where a close friends section may include any activity from users connected to the viewing user and designated as close friends; Li: [n0057], where displaying prompts about the content in the second content stream in the content stream display interface includes: if the number of content posted by the first user that is associated with the current user in a preset way is greater than or equal to a second preset number threshold, then displaying prompts about the content in the second content stream in the content stream display interface); wherein the first target association relationship is configured to represent that an accumulated duration of the first user watching media content posted by the poster exceeds a predetermined duration and/or an accumulated number of times of the first user watching media content posted by the poster exceeds a predetermined number of times (Wang: Col. 5, lines 33-36, where if a user has a high affinity score for a particular additional user or object, the social networking system 100 has recognized that the user interacts highly with that additional user or object; Col. 8, lines 54-58, where affinity scores may be computed by the social networking system 100 over time to approximate a user’s affinity for an object, interest, and other users in the social networking system 100 based on the actions performed by the user); wherein the prompt information comprises amount of updated content posted by a poster within a third predetermined time interval, and/or the prompt information comprises a prompt that the poster has updated content within a fourth predetermined time interval (Li: Fig. 3 and [n0071]).
Regarding Claim 8, the combined teaching of Li and Wang discloses the method of claim 6, wherein in response to the association relationship between the poster and the first user being any of the at least one predetermined type of target association relationship, displaying, in the media content playback page, the prompt information associated with the poster corresponding to the target media content comprises: in response to the association relationship between the poster and the first user being a predetermined second target association relationship, displaying a predetermined identification and/or a predetermined animation at an identification of the poster in the media content playback page (Wang: Col. 12, lines 65-66, users connected to the viewing user and designated as close friends; Li: [n0059], where the prompt information includes at least one identifier corresponding to content in the second content stream; wherein the display state of the identifier changes dynamically according to the display state of the identified content); wherein the second target association relationship is configured to represent that the poster is a user for whom the first user sets the predetermined identification or the first user and the poster satisfy a predetermined association relationship with each other (Wang: Col. 8, lines 42-44, where users may generate connections with other users that parallel the users' real-life relationships, such as friends, co-workers, partners; Li: [n0060], where the display state of the identifier of content that has been displayed is different from the display state of the identifier of content that has not been displayed, or the display state of the identifier of the currently displayed content is different from the display state of the icon of the content that has not been displayed).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Kunal et al., US Pub. 8306922 B1 (hereinafter Kunal).
In regards to Claim 13, Li discloses the method of claim 11, but fails to explicitly disclose wherein the association identification comprises a type of the poster; wherein switching to the updated content display page corresponding to the association identification based on the association identification comprises: in response to the type of the poster being a first type, switching to a first updated content display page based on the association identification, the first updated content display page being configured to display updated media content posted by the poster within a predetermined time interval; and in response to the type of the poster being a second type, switching to a second updated content display page based on the association identification, the second updated content display page being configured to display updated resource content posted by the poster within a predetermined time interval.
Kunal from a similar endeavor teaches wherein the association identification comprises a type of the poster (Kunal: Col. 1, lines 19-19, where a user of a social network has a profile page that is customizable by the user); wherein switching to the updated content display page corresponding to the association identification based on the association identification comprises: in response to the type of the poster being a first type, switching to a first updated content display page based on the association identification, the first updated content display page being configured to display updated media content posted by the poster within a predetermined time interval (Kunal: Col. 1, lines 19-20, where a user can post content, such as text, images, and video, to its profile page); and in response to the type of the poster being a second type, switching to a second updated content display page based on the association identification, the second updated content display page being configured to display updated resource content posted by the poster within a predetermined time interval (Kunal: Col. 12, lines 14-18, where the social network graph can be updated by the social network graph linking module 220 with current information (e.g., “real time' data) regarding users and links as they change on the social network; Kunal: Col. 12, lines 55-57, “e.g., a user frequently views status updates that appear from another user designated as a friend on the Social network”). Kunal discloses a social-network user that can post updated content on their profile page, wherein others can access and view. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li in view of Kunal because it allows users to switch to different display pages based on the type of updated content from the posters.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yoshioka, US Pub. 2015/0033253 A1 teaches evaluating a posting status of posted information and based on its estimated value, determining whether or not to switch it for other content
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HANNA CHONG whose telephone number is (571)270-0520. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET.
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/HANNA CHONG/Examiner, Art Unit 2421 /NATHAN J FLYNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2421
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