DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on June 23, 2025 and April 16, 2026 are being considered by the examiner.
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 § 2146 et seq. 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 filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-6 and 15 of U.S. Patent No. 12342002 in view of Todd Pub. No.: US 20130278828. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because:
Claim 1 of application with additional limitations:
reproducing first content;
displaying the first content and the second content in multi-view via a
plurality of sub-screens of a display of the electronic apparatus.
Instant Application claims 1 and 3
U.S. Patent 12342002 claim 1
Claim 1
A method of operating an electronic
apparatus, the method comprising:
reproducing first content;
identifying that the first content is outputtable in multi-view based on detecting a multi- view identifier from streaming data corresponding to the first content;
receiving streaming data corresponding to second content based on address information obtained from the multi-view identifier; and
displaying the first content and the second content in multi-view via a plurality of sub- screens of a display of the electronic apparatus.
Claim 3
accessing a streaming server using the address information obtained from the multi-view identifier, wherein the receiving the streaming data corresponding to the second content comprises receiving the streaming data corresponding to the second content from the streaming server.
Claim 1
A method of operating an electronic
apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving a request to record first content;
obtaining a multi-view identifier with respect to the first content;
obtaining multi-view information for
outputting the first content in multi-view;
storing the multi-view information together with the first content,
wherein the multi-view information comprises address information for accessing second content via a server, and wherein the obtaining the multi-view information comprises obtaining, from the multi-view identifier, the address information for accessing the second content on the server.
Instant application claims 1 and 3 correspond to patent claim 1.
Instant application claim 1 does not disclose:
reproducing first content;
displaying the first content and the second content in multi-view via a
plurality of sub-screens of a display of the electronic apparatus.
On the other hand, Todd teaches:
reproducing first content (see fig.2 and paragraph [0037]: video
container 40 is showing a particular sporting event);
displaying the first content and the second content in multi-view via a
plurality of sub-screens of a display of the electronic apparatus (see fig.2 and paragraph [0037]: video container 40 is showing a particular sporting event. Other sporting events taking place at the same time are shown in video containers 41, 42 and 43. In some embodiments, alternate camera views of the same sporting event may be shown in the smaller video containers 41, 42, 43, thereby providing multiple viewpoints of the sporting event.).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to modify the U.S. Patent No.12342002 with the teaching as taught by Todd in order to multiplex a plurality of video sources and a plurality of video content into flexible, controllable containers called video containers that are displayed on televisions or other display devices for enhanced entertainment and entertainment possibilities.
Claim 20 of application with additional limitations:
reproducing first content;
displaying the first content and the second content in multi-view via a
plurality of sub-screens of a display of the electronic apparatus.
Instant Application claims 20 and 3
U.S. Patent 12342002 claim 15
Claim 20
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which, when executed by at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the at least one processor to individually or collectively perform a method of operating an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:
reproducing first content;
identifying that the first content is outputtable in multi-view based on detecting a multi- view identifier from streaming data corresponding to the first content;
receiving streaming data corresponding to second content based on address information obtained from the multi-view identifier; and
displaying the first content and the second content in multi-view via a plurality of sub- screens of a display of the electronic apparatus.
Claim 3
accessing a streaming server using the address information obtained from the multi-view identifier, wherein the receiving the streaming data corresponding to the second content comprises receiving the streaming data corresponding to the second content from the streaming server.
Claim 15
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to execute a method of operating an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving a request to record first content;
obtaining a multi-view identifier with respect to the first content; based on the first content being outputtable in multi-view, obtaining multi-view information for outputting the first content in multi-view; storing the multi-view information together with the first content,
wherein the multi-view information comprises address information for accessing second content via a server, and wherein the obtaining the multi-view information comprises obtaining, from the multi-view identifier, the address information for accessing the second content on the server.
Instant application claims 20 and 3 correspond to patent claim 15.
Instant application claim 20 does not disclose:
reproducing first content;
displaying the first content and the second content in multi-view via a
plurality of sub-screens of a display of the electronic apparatus.
On the other hand, Todd teaches:
reproducing first content (see fig.2 and paragraph [0037]: video
container 40 is showing a particular sporting event);
displaying the first content and the second content in multi-view via a
plurality of sub-screens of a display of the electronic apparatus (see fig.2 and paragraph [0037]: video container 40 is showing a particular sporting event. Other sporting events taking place at the same time are shown in video containers 41, 42 and 43. In some embodiments, alternate camera views of the same sporting event may be shown in the smaller video containers 41, 42, 43, thereby providing multiple viewpoints of the sporting event.).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to modify the U.S. Patent No.12342002 with the teaching as taught by Todd in order to multiplex a plurality of video sources and a plurality of video content into flexible, controllable containers called video containers that are displayed on televisions or other display devices for enhanced entertainment and entertainment possibilities.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Todd Pub. No.: US 20130278828 (Hereinafter “Todd”) in view of Stern Pub. No. US 2014/0282734 (Hereinafter “Stern”).
Regarding Claim 1, Todd discloses a method of operating an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:
reproducing first content (see fig.2 and paragraph [0037]);
identifying that the first content is outputtable in multi-view based on detecting a multi-view identifier from streaming data corresponding to the first content (see fig.2 and paragraph [0037]);
displaying the first content and the second content in multi-view via a plurality of sub- screens of a display of the electronic apparatus (see fig.2 and paragraph [0037]).
Todd fails to disclose:
receiving streaming data corresponding to second content based on address information obtained from the multi-view identifier;
In analogous art, Stern discloses:
receiving streaming data corresponding to second content based on address information obtained from the multi-view identifier (see paragraphs [0017] [0085]-[0087]);
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Todd with the
teaching as taught by Stern in order to enable a user to have a more interactive
experience with respect to viewing content available from multiple sources.
Regarding Claim 2, Todd in view of Stern disclose the method as discussed in the rejection of claim 1. Todd further teaches wherein the detecting the multi-view identifier comprises detecting the multi-view identifier from at least one of a header of a transport stream, metadata, a frame of the streaming data corresponding to the first content, or an image generated from the streaming data corresponding to the first content (see paragraph [0037]).
Regarding Claim 3, Todd in view of Stern disclose the method as discussed in the rejection of claim 1. Stern further teaches accessing a streaming server using the address information obtained from the multi-view identifier, wherein the receiving the streaming data corresponding to the second content comprises receiving the streaming data corresponding to the second content from the streaming server (see paragraphs [0017] [0085]-[0087]).
Regarding Claim 4, Todd in view of Stern disclose the method as discussed in the rejection of claim 1. Todd further teaches wherein the receiving the streaming data corresponding to the second content is based on identifying that the first content is outputtable in multi-view (see paragraphs [0044]).
Regarding Claim 5, Todd in view of Stern disclose the method as discussed in the rejection of claim 1. Todd further teaches displaying a user interface for inquiring whether to output the first content in multi-view (see paragraph [0036]).
Regarding Claim 6, Todd in view of Stern disclose the method as discussed in the rejection of claim 5. Todd further teaches wherein the displaying the user interface is based on the detecting the multi-view identifier from the streaming data corresponding to the first content (see paragraph [0037]).
Regarding Claim 7, Todd in view of Stern disclose the method as discussed in the rejection of claim 5. Todd further teaches wherein the receiving the streaming data corresponding to the second content is based on receiving a multi-view output request in response to the displaying of the user interface (see paragraph [0017]).
Regarding Claim 8, Todd in view of Stern disclose the method as discussed in the rejection of claim 5. Todd further teaches wherein the displaying the first content and the second content in multi-view is based on receiving a multi-view output request in response to the displaying of the user interface (see paragraph [0017]).
Regarding Claim 9, Todd in view of Stern disclose the method as discussed in the rejection of claim 1. Stern further teaches wherein the multi-view identifier comprises a timestamp for synchronizing the first content and the second content, and wherein the timestamp comprises at least one of information about a total time to record the first content (see paragraphs [0065], [0094]), information about a time point at which recording of the first content is started, or information about a time point at which the second content is outputtable in multi-view (see paragraph [0065]).
Regarding Claim 10, Todd in view of Stern disclose the method as discussed in the rejection of claim 1. Todd further teaches wherein the second content is related to the first content (see paragraphs [0037] and [0043]).
Regarding Claim 11, Todd in view of Stern discloses an electronic apparatus comprising: a display (Todd (see fig.1 and paragraph [0035]) in view of Stern (see fig.1 and paragraph [0055])); memory storing instructions (Todd (see paragraph [0017]) in view of Stern (see paragraph [0014])); and at least one processor (Todd (paragraph [0017]) in view of Stern (see paragraph [0014])) operatively coupled to the memory and comprising processing circuitry, wherein the at least one processor is configured to individually or collectively execute the instructions to cause the electronic apparatus to perform the method as discussed in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding Claim 12, the claim is being analyzed with respect to the rejection of claim 2.
Regarding Claim 13, the claim is being analyzed with respect to the rejection of claim 3.
Regarding Claim 14, the claim is being analyzed with respect to the rejection of claim 4.
Regarding Claim 15, the claim is being analyzed with respect to the rejection of claim 5.
Regarding Claim 16, the claim is being analyzed with respect to the rejection of claim 6.
Regarding Claim 17, the claim is being analyzed with respect to the rejection of claim 7.
Regarding Claim 18, the claim is being analyzed with respect to the rejection of claim 8.
Regarding Claim 19, the claim is being analyzed with respect to the rejection of claim 9.
Regarding Claim 20, the claim is directed toward embody the method of claim 1 in a “non-transitory computer-readable medium”. It would have been obvious to embody the procedures of Todd in view of Stern discussed with respect to claim 1 in a “non-transitory computer-readable medium” in order that the instructions could be automatically performed by a processor.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Alazar Tilahun whose telephone number is (571)270-5712. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Friday, From 9:00 AM-6:00 PM.
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/ALAZAR TILAHUN/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2424
/A.T/May 30, 2026
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