Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 19/186,426

SERVER AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SERVER

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Apr 22, 2025
Priority
Jan 07, 2013 — RE 10-2013-0001839 +4 more
Examiner
LE, RONG
Art Unit
2421
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
OA Round
2 (Final)
68%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
1y 10m
Est. Remaining
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 68% — above average
68%
Career Allowance Rate
311 granted / 455 resolved
+10.4% vs TC avg
Strong +30% interview lift
Without
With
+29.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 3m
Avg Prosecution
12 currently pending
Career history
479
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
5.9%
-34.1% vs TC avg
§103
61.7%
+21.7% vs TC avg
§102
12.5%
-27.5% vs TC avg
§112
11.1%
-28.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 455 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions. Miscellaneous Claims pending: 1-20 Claims amended: 1, 3, 11, 13, Claims cancelled: n/a New claims: n/a Double Patenting Applicants filed and approved terminal disclaimers overcomes the double patenting rejection raised; therefore, the Rejection is withdrawn. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 have been fully considered. Regarding applicant’s remarks dated 07/01/2026, regarding “…Jang does not disclose receiving data generated using additional user voice and additional information and displaying the data through a UI…. the cited references do not teach or suggest a controller configured to "based on a second user voice input corresponding to the content being received through the voice input receiver while the content is being output, receive data corresponding to the second user voice input from the server through the communicator; and control the display to output a UI included in an item corresponding to a plurality of pieces of content together with the content that is being output based on the received data, wherein the received data is generated based on the second user voice input and additional information,…” However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in further view of Jang, see detailed action below. Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 11, 2-10, 12-20 have been fully considered and are rejected based on the same reasons as claim(s) 1 above. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: (a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. Claim 1-3, 5, 7-13, 15, 17-20, is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over (US 20130041665) to (Jang) in view of (US 20140188485) to (Kim). Regarding claim(s) 1, 11, Jang teach A display device comprising: a signal receiver configured to receive a broadcasting signal; a communicator, a voice input receiver; a display; and a processor (Fig. 1, 3, #111, P. 38-48, 59-61, 64-65, 95, in FIG. 3, the communication unit includes at least one of a broadcast receiving module 111, broadcast receiving module 111 receives broadcast signals and/or broadcast associated information from an external broadcast management server via a broadcast channel; users transmitting voice commands to the TV electronic device 100 (including processors), with user input unit, communicator, controller, and displaying content signal, while receiving a voice input): based on a first user voice input corresponding to a control of a channel received through the voice input receiver, change a channel, and control the display to output content corresponding to the broadcasting signal of the changed channel received through the signal receiver; (Fig. 1, 2, 4-7, P. 38-48, 59-61, 110-117, when a speaker speaks a voice command "Next Channel", the controller 180 can determine whether the voice command is matched with any one of a plurality of command databases, and apply the voice command "Next Channel" to the first content C1. Accordingly, the controller 180 can change the channel to "CH 14 ESPN" which is a program subsequent to "CH 13 CNN" of FIG. 6.) based on a second user voice input (S2, s3, s4, fig.1-2,) corresponding to the content being received through the voice input receiver while the content is being output, (Fig. 2, 7, P. 110-117, user S1 is commanding “next channel” to first content C1,) receive data corresponding to the second user voice input through the communicator; and control the display to output a UI included in an item corresponding to a plurality of pieces of content together with the content that is being output based on the received data, wherein the received data is generated based on the second user voice input and additional information (Fig. 2, 4-8, 20-23, P. 128-133, 167-176, user S1 can be using voice command to command changing of channel on broadcast on one side of the display, while another user S2 uses another voice command to “enlarge map” or perform other commands on the right side fig 6-8, C21, while both sets of contents are displayed on the same UI, display UI prompts are also used for interactive command affirmation, the concept of the system taught being able to perform those steps, which reads on (received data is generated based on second user voice input and additional information, and receiving data generated using additional user voice and additional information and displaying the data through a UI)). Jang further teach internet module 113 within the communication unit 110 for display 100 (Fig 2-3,). Jan fail to specifically teach server. Kim further teach server. (Fig. 1, P. 7-9, 17, 37-39, 44, 46, 70, display 100 consists of communication unit 110, including internet module 113, which supports internet access with external servers for receive data corresponding to user voice input from a server through communicator) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Jang by having a server as taught by Kim in order to more efficiently use various wireless networks. Regarding (claim(s) 2, 12, Jang in view of Kim teach The display device, the method, the additional information, the content that is being output to the display is broadcast. Jang further teach information about a channel in which content that is being output to display is broadcast. (Fig .11, P. 130, display a user interface for enabling the speaker to select content to which the common command will be applied in the display). Regarding (claim(s) 3, 13, Jang in view of Kim teach The display device, the method, the information about the channel, the server, through the communicator. Jang further teach information about channel is transmitted. (Fig .2, 4-8, 20-23, P. 128-133, 167-176, user S1 is changing channel on broadcast on one side of the display, while other user S2 using voice command to “enlarge map” or perform other commands on the right side C21, C22, while both contents are displayed on the same UI, display UI prompts are also used for interactive command affirmation). Regarding (claim(s) 5, 15, Jang in view of Kim teach The display device, the method, the information about the channel, the server, through the communicator. Jang further teach at least one of titles of the plurality of pieces of content, thumbnails corresponding to the plurality of pieces of content, channels in which the plurality of pieces of content are broadcast, or times on which the plurality of pieces of content are broadcast. (Fig 6-7, P. 114, 116, the channel(s) title that are being broadcast real time on the display as the command are executed). Regarding (claim(s) 7, 17, Jang in view of Kim teach The display device, the method, the content that is being output to the display, the communicator, the signal receiver. Jang further teach content that is received through communicator, not signal receiver, and output to the display. (Fig. 1, 3, P. 39, 44-45, communication unit 110 (including 111, 113) reads on communicator, user input 120 reads on remote control receiver 10, broadcast content received such as CH 13 or maps are from the communication unit 110). Regarding (claim(s) 8, 18, Jang in view of Kim teach The display device, the method, the received data, the additional information, the second user voice input. Jang further teach automatically generated based on additional information together with second user voice input without receiving any further user input. (Fig. 10-11, P. 127, 130, when the user input voice command “turn off”, and the display automatically prompt the question which content item to turn off? that reads on (automatically generated based on additional information together with second user voice input without receiving any further user input))) Regarding (claim(s) 9, 19, Jang in view of Kim teach The display device, the method, the received data, the additional information, the processor, the content, being received while the content is being output. Jang further teach, based on a third user voice input corresponding to a control of a function, receive data corresponding to the third user voice input from the server through the communicator, and perform the function corresponding to the third user voice input based on the received data. (Fig. 1, 2, 4-7, 16, P. 38-48, 59-61, 110-117, P. 128-133, 167-176, different users s1-s4 shown in fig. 1, reads on (third user) using different input devices such as remote controller, mobile device, to do functions such as enlarge maps, or select the content to turn off, amongst other functions shown in the figures). Regarding (claim(s) 10, 20, Jang in view of Kim teach The display device, the method, the received data, the additional information, the voice input receiver. Jang further teach whether data received from the server is generated based on additional information is based on whether a user voice input received through voice input receiver corresponds to the content or corresponds to the control of the function. (Fig. 10-11, P. 127, 130, when the user input voice command “turn off”, and the display automatically prompt the question which content item to turn off?). Claim 4, 14, is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over (US 20130041665) to (Jang) in view of (US 20140188485) to (Kim) in view of (US 20130332965) to (Seyller). Regarding (claim(s) 4, 14, Jang in view of Kim teach The display device, the method, the additional information. Seyller further teach includes information about a current time. (Fig 2, 5, P. 73-74, 80, command can be input using voice controls, and mosaic style display of contents with the current time displayed). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify ang in view of Kim by includes information about a current time as taught by Seyller in order to provide good indicators of user’s interest as content progresses. Claim 6, 16, is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over (US 20130041665) to (Jang) in view of (US 20140188485) to (Kim) in view of (US 20110078742) to (Kang). Regarding (claim(s) 6, 16, Jang in view of Kim teach The display device, the method, the plurality of pieces of content included in the UI, the changed channel. Kang further teach plurality of pieces of content correspond to a plurality of pieces of broadcast content that are broadcast in changed channel within a preset time from a current time. (Fig 5, P. 33, 47 search option for searching for broadcast programs which are re-airings, within a preset time). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Jang in view of Kim by plurality of pieces of content correspond to a plurality of pieces of broadcast content that are broadcast in changed channel within a preset time from a current time as taught by Kang in order to reducing time taken for a viewer to search for a desired broadcast program in a digital broadcasting system. Conclusion 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 RONG LE whose telephone number is (571)270-7637. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (9 am - 6pm). 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, Nathan Flynn can be reached at 5712721915. 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. /RONG LE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2421
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Apr 22, 2025
Application Filed
Apr 03, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jun 17, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary
Jun 17, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Jul 01, 2026
Response Filed
Aug 18, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
68%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+29.5%)
3y 3m (~1y 10m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 455 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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