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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jevons (2011/0060992).
As for claims 1, 11, and 20, Jevons discloses an electronic device comprising:
at least one processor including a processing circuit ([0066]); and
a memory storing a plurality of instructions executable by the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor individually or collectively executes the plurality of instructions to cause the electronic device to ([0066], [0126], [0132]):
control provision of a user interface including a plurality of content items, each corresponding to content access information (The user interface groups objects based on the media streams having a common origin; [0027]-[0032], [0143]);
control a visual effect to be applied collectively to an item group including the plurality of content items to enable the plurality of content items to be collectively selectable, based on pieces of the content access information of the plurality of content items being identical to each other (The user interface is operable to visually identify groups of objects having a common origin; [0029]; “colored border”: [0138]); and
control the visual effect to be applied individually to the plurality of content items, respectively, to enable the plurality of content items to be individually selectable, based on the pieces of the content access information of the plurality of content items being different from each other ([0027]-[0032]).
As for claims 2 and 12, Jevons discloses wherein the electronic device further comprises: a communication interface; wherein the plurality of content items included in the user interface correspond to a plurality of different servers providing same content, respectively, and the at least one processor individually or collectively executes the instructions to cause the electronic device to, in response to a user input corresponding to selection of one of the plurality of content items included in the user interface, control the communication interface to receive content corresponding to a content item based on the user input, from a server corresponding to the content item based on the user input (Various groups of objects have different origin servers; [0065], [0069], [0081], [0083]).
As for claims 3 and 13, Jevons discloses wherein the at least one processor individually or collectively executes the instructions to cause the electronic device to control provision of the user interface in which the plurality of content items are arranged, based on accessibility information for the plurality of different servers, and the accessibility information includes at least one of whether an account of a service provided by each of the plurality of different servers is logged into, whether the service is subscribed to, or a frequency of use of the service ([0032], [0066], [0077], [0143]).
As for claims 4 and 14, Jevons discloses wherein the at least one processor individually or collectively executes the instructions to cause the electronic device to control provision of the user interface in which the plurality of content items are displayed as a single thumbnail image, and the single thumbnail image corresponds to any one of a pre-determined image, an image automatically generated based on artificial intelligence (AI), or an image received from any one of the plurality of different servers ([0069]).
As for claims 5 and 15, Jevons discloses wherein the at least one processor individually or collectively executes the instructions to cause the electronic device to control a communication interface to receive grouping- related information from a server that provides content corresponding to the plurality of content items, and the grouping-related information includes at least one of an arrangement order of the plurality of content items constituting the item group, whether the plurality of content items are displayable independently, or whether the plurality of content items are changeable into a single content item ([0138], [0143]).
As for claims 6 and 16, Jevons discloses wherein the at least one processor individually or collectively executes the instructions to cause the electronic device, in response to a user input corresponding to movement of the visual effect guiding that guiding that a content item is selectable, to control display of the item group, based on at least one of whether the plurality of content items constituting the item group are independently displayable or whether the plurality of content items are changeable into the single content item ([0032], [0138], [0143]).
As for claims 7 and 17, Jevons discloses wherein, based on independent display of the plurality of content items being unsupported and the plurality of content items into a single content item being unchangeable, the at least one processor individually or collectively executes the instructions to cause the electronic device to change the plurality of content items constituting the item group into the single content item, in response to a user input of moving the visual effect from the item group to an adjacent content item ([0076], [0132], [0141]).
As for claims 8 and 18, Jevons discloses wherein, based on independent display of the plurality of content items being unsupported and the plurality of content items into a single thumbnail item being unchangeable, the at least one processor individually or collectively executes the instructions to cause the electronic device to control the item group to disappear or change the plurality of content items into the single content item displayed as a thumbnail image related to the item group, in response to a user input of moving the visual effect from the item group to an adjacent content item ([0076], [0141]).
As for claims 9 and 19, Jevons discloses wherein the at least one processor individually or collectively executes the instructions to cause the electronic device to: control the plurality of content items constituting the item group to overlap each other and be displayed, based on the visual effect being applied to content items other than the item group; and control the plurality of content items constituting the item group to be displayed without overlapping each other, based on the visual effect being applied to one of the plurality of content items constituting the item group ([0076], [0141]).
As for claim 10, Jevons discloses wherein the at least one processor individually or collectively executes the instructions to cause the electronic device to change at least one of an image displaying the plurality of content items or a display of text regarding the item group, in response to a user input of moving the visual effect (“mouse movement, mouse click, key press, mouse wheel scroll”: [0075]).
Relevant Prior Art
Lee (2024/0036705) discloses applying a visual graphic effect to a user interface.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUMAIYA A CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-8567. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-3:00 PM.
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 (571)272-1915. 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.
SUMAIYA A. CHOWDHURY
Examiner
Art Unit 2421
/SUMAIYA A CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2421
Prosecution Insights