`
`
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`16/299,440
`
`03/12/2019
`
`Noritaka IGUCHI
`
`2019-0447
`
`7300
`
`11/04/2019
`- 759°
`”5044
`Wenderoth, L1nd & Ponack, L.L.P.
`1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW
`Suite 500
`
`Washington DC 20036
`
`ALCON' FERNANDO
`
`2425
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`11/04/2019
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`
`following e—mail address(es):
`eoa @ wenderoth. com
`kmiller @ wenderothcom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`
`
`0/7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`16/299,440
`Examiner
`FERNAN DO ALCON
`
`Applicant(s)
`IGUCHI et al.
`Art Unit
`2425
`
`AIA (FITF) Status
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 3/12/2019.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
`
`2a)D This action is FINAL.
`
`2b)
`
`This action is non-final.
`
`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`4)[:] Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5)
`Claim(s)
`
`1—10 is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`E] Claim(s)
`
`is/are allowed.
`
`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
`
`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`6 7
`
`8
`
`
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabie. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11). The drawing(s) filed on 3/12/2019 is/are: a). accepted or b)E] objected to by the Examiner.
`
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`a). All
`
`b)D Some**
`
`C)D None of the:
`
`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`3:] Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date_
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20190812
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 16/299,440
`Art Unit: 2425
`
`Page 2
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined
`
`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Double Parenting
`
`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
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 16/299,440
`Art Unit: 2425
`
`Page 3
`
`provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP §§ 706.02(I)(1) -
`
`706.02(I)(3) 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 USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be
`
`used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The filing date of the application
`
`in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26,
`
`PTO/AlA/25, or PTO/AlA/26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may
`
`be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets
`
`all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For
`
`more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to
`
`www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-l.jsp.
`
`Claims 1-10 rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being
`
`unpatentable over claims 1-11 of U.S. Patent No. 10,277,931. Although the claims at
`
`issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the
`
`claims of the present application are anticipated by the corresponding narrower claim
`
`features of the parent application.
`
`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
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 16/299,440
`Art Unit: 2425
`
`Page 4
`
`correction of the statutory basis 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) 1-7 and 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being
`
`anticipated by Kitahara et al. (WO 2013/099101), hereinafter Kitahara. Kitahara et al.
`
`(US 2014/0344884) will be cited and relied upon as the English translation.
`
`Regarding claim 1, 9, and 10, Kitahara discloses a reception method in a
`
`broadcast and broadband cooperation service, the reception method comprising:
`
`A receiver receiving broadcast content transmitted through the broadcast from a
`
`broadcast transmitter (See [0034] information processing apparatus is a receiver for
`
`receiving broadcast, such as ground or satellite waves, AV stream data and see [0040]
`
`for displaying the AV data on a display. See also [0093-0094]);
`
`receiving broadband content transmitted through the broadband from a
`
`broadband transmitter (See [0043-0045] application data acquired from server );
`
`receiving acquisition information transmitted through the broadcast,
`
`the acquisition information being information on acquisition of the broadband content,
`
`the acquisition information being information used to play back the broadband content
`
`while the broadband content is synchronized with the broadcast content (See [0087]
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 16/299,440
`Art Unit: 2425
`
`Page 5
`
`receiver transmits download request for an application to the service organization server
`
`based on the information in the broadcast. See [0100-108] application activated based
`
`on AIT delivered with the AV broadcast content. See [0111] AIT indicates location of
`
`application. See [0112-0119] Application content displaying in cooperation with the
`
`progress of the program, read synchronized.); and
`
`acquiring the broadband content based on the acquisition information (See
`
`[0124] and [0138] calculating time to request application from application server based
`
`on the AIT information and receiving the application).
`
`wherein the acquisition information is information indicating timing relating to start
`
`of the acquisition of the broadband content in order to synchronously playback the
`
`broadband content and the broadcast content (See [0120] calculating a timing of the
`
`transmission of the acquisition request and Fig 14).
`
`Regarding claim 2, Kitahara further discloses he reception method according to
`
`claim 1,wherein the acquisition information is information indicating timing relating to
`
`the acquisition of the broadband content (See [0054-0056] randomized latency
`
`descriptor indicates time range at which access to the application server is distributed.
`
`See [0057] the range and distribution number correspond to first information, which is to
`
`calculate a random timing for each request for acquiring from the server, and application
`
`that can be processed together with broadcast content.).
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 16/299,440
`Art Unit: 2425
`
`Page 6
`
`Regarding claim 2, Kitahara further discloses the reception method of claim 1,
`
`wherein the acquisition information is information indicating timing relating to completion
`
`of the acquisition of the broadband content in order to synchronously playback the
`
`broadband content and the broadcast content (See [0120] randomized latency
`
`descriptor describes an absolute time at which the distribution of the access is ended.
`
`If
`
`an absolute time has elapses).
`
`Regarding claim 3, Kitahara further discloses the method of claim 2, wherein the
`
`acquisition information is information indicating timing relating to start of the playback of
`
`the broadband content in order to synchronously play back the broadband content and
`
`the broadcast content (See [0116-0120] timing information is related to the start of
`
`playback of broadband content. Under the broadest reasonable interpretation the AIT
`
`information is related to a start of playback of broadband content, i.e., tuning/receiving
`
`the broadband stream and extracting AIT.).
`
`Regarding claim 4, Kitahara further discloses the method according to claim 2,
`
`wherein the acquisition information is information providing notification about timing
`
`relating to the acquisition of the broadband content so as to indicate that the broadband
`
`content can be acquired at and after the timing (See [0116-0120] absolute time is
`
`indicative of a times at which the application can be acquired, i.e., times before and
`
`after).
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 16/299,440
`Art Unit: 2425
`
`Page 7
`
`Regarding claim 5, Kitahara further discloses the method according to claim 4
`
`further comprising calculating timing relating to start of the acquisition of the broadband
`
`content based on acquisition information; and starting the acquisition of the broadband
`
`content at the calculated timing (See [0116-0120] and [0121-0122] calculating a time to
`
`request acquisition of application).
`
`Regarding claim 6, Kitahara further discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the
`
`acquisition information is information indicating a state in which the broadband content
`
`can be acquired (See [0096-0099] “autostart” indicated in AIT).
`
`Regarding claim 7, Kitahara further discloses playing back the broadband
`
`content while the broadband content is synchronized with the broadcast content (See
`
`[0042] and Fig 12, displaying the acquired application simultaneously with the broadcast
`
`content).
`
`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 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
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 16/299,440
`Art Unit: 2425
`
`Page 8
`
`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 factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148
`
`USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kitahara
`
`et al. (WO 2013/099101) in view of Kitahara et al. (WO 2013/065274), hereinafter
`
`Kitahara (‘274), Kitahara (US 2014/0201800) relied upon for citation/translation.
`
`Regarding claim 8, Kitahara further discloses the method according to claim 1,
`
`but does not explicitly disclose the broadcast content in the broadcast content and the
`
`broadband content is played back when the broadband content is unsuccessfully
`
`acquired.
`
`Kitahara (‘274) discloses it was known to display the broadcast content when the
`
`broadband content is unsuccessfully acquired (See Fig 7 displaying the broadcast
`
`content and see [0063] failure to acquire the application content results in error
`
`processing).
`
`Prior to the invention being made it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill
`
`in the art to modify the known system of Kitahara with the known methods of Kitahara
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 16/299,440
`Art Unit: 2425
`
`Page 9
`
`(‘274) predictably resulting in the broadcast content in the broadcast content and the
`
`broadband content is played back when the broadband content is unsuccessfully
`
`acquired by applying the court recognized rational of applying a known technique to a
`
`known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results.
`
`The modification would have the benefit of allowing a user to continue to view content
`
`even when an application acquisition fails.
`
`Conclusion
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to FERNANDO ALCON whose telephone number is
`
`(571)270-5668. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 9:00am-
`
`7:00pm.
`
`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.
`
`lf attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, Brian Pendleton can be reached on (571)272-7527. The fax phone number
`
`for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`
`
`Application/Control Number: 16/299,440
`Art Unit: 2425
`
`Page 10
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
`
`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
`
`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
`
`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
`
`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
`
`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
`
`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
`
`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
`
`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571 -272-1 000.
`
`FERNANDO . ALCON
`
`Examiner
`
`Art Unit 2425
`
`/FERNANDO ALCON/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2425
`
`