UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`15/683,038
`
`08/22/2017
`
`Hiroshi YAHATA
`
`P53192
`
`2739
`
`05/03/2018
`7590
`125331
`Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation
`of America c/o Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C.
`1950 Roland Clarke Place
`
`Reston, VIRGINIA 20191
`UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
`
`EXAMINER
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`ZHAO, DAQUAN
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`ART UNIT
`2484
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`05/03/2018
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
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`following e—mail address(es):
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`gbp atent @ gbp atent.com
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`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`

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`Off/09 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/683,038
`Examiner
`DAQUAN ZHAO
`
`Applicant(s)
`YAHATA et al.
`Art Unit
`2484
`
`AIA Status
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
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`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).
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`Status
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`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 8/22/2017.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a)D This action is FINAL.
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`2b)
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`This action is non-final.
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`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.
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`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.
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`Disposition of Claims*
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`5)
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`Claim(s) fl is/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`E] Claim(s)
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`is/are allowed.
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`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
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`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
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`) ) ) )
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`6 7
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`8
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`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabte. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
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`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
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`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
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`11). The drawing(s) filed on 8/22/2017 is/are: a). accepted or b)E] objected to by the Examiner.
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`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).
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`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:
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`a). All
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`b)D Some”
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`C)D None of the:
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`1..
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`Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2.[:]
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`Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
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`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)).
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`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
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`Attachment(s)
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`1)
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`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Datem.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
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`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
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`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20180425
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/683,038
`Art Unit: 2484
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`1.
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined
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`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
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`2.
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`35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
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`Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or
`composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent
`therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
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`Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because claims is directed to a
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`judicial exception (i.e.an abstract) without significantly more.
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`Claims 1-2 are directed to an abstract of “ content recorded on reeerdirig
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`medium, in which are reeerded at ieeet ene videe Stream that is encoded videe
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`intermetieh, and 3 management intermetieh rite indicating attributes reiating te the entire
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`regarding medium, wherein the managemeht iniermation tile ineiiides attribute
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`irtiorrnattert indicating whether er not, fer each oi types {rt dynamic range at itirriirtertee,
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`at ieast ehe or mere pieyiiets tieing a predetermined type ameng the types are
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`ineiuded”, which is similar to “method for recording, transmitting and administering
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`digital images” in TLl Communications LLC V AV Automotive LLC, (Fed Cir. May 17,
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`2016); “encoding and decoding image data” in Recognicorp V. Nintendo (Fed Cir, 2016-
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`1499, 4/28/2017).
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`In step two of the Alice inquiry, we search for an “‘inventive concept’ sufficient to
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`‘transform the nature of the claim into a patent-eligible application?” McFiO, 837 F.3d at
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/683,038
`Art Unit: 2484
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`Page 3
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`1312 (quoting Alice, 134 S. Ct. at 2355). To save a patent at step two, an inventive
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`concept must be evident in the claims. See Alice, 134 S. Ct. at 2357 (“[W]e must
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`examine the elements of the claim to determine whether it contains an ‘inventive
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`concept.”’ (emphasis added)); Synopsys, Inc. v. Mentor Graphics Corp., 839 F.3d 1138,
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`1149 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (“The § 101 inquiry must focus on the language of the Asserted
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`Claims themselves”). For the instant claim, additional element, “the playback device
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`includes a video playback unit that reads out and plays the at least one video stream
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`based on the management information file”, does not transform the nature of the claim
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`into a patent-eligible application. The Examiner takes Official Notice for this well-
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`understood, routine and conventional playback using management information file, such
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`as playing back video using a playlist.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`3.
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that
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`form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
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`(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.
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`4.
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`Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being described by
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`Newton et al (US 2014/0125696).
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`For claim 1, Newton et al teach a playback device that reads out and play
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`content from a recording medium, wherein recorded in the teeerded medium are
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/683,038
`Art Unit: 2484
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`Page 4
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`at ieaet one video Stream that ie eneeded videe intermatien (etg, paragraphs 44~
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`45‘, j, and
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`a management inierrnatien iiie indicating attributes reiatirig tn the entire recerding
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`medium (eg. paragraph 7t), “PiayLiet tile”);
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`wherein the management inierntatien tite ineiudee attribute intermatien indicating
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`whether er net, rer each of types at dynamic: range at iuminanee, at ieaet one er mere
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`piayiiete using a predetermined type ameng the typee are inciuded reg" paragraph 7i),
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`“The HDR vereien indicatieh may be ineiuded in exteneion data ei‘ eg. a PiayLiet iiie
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`and may eentain a Sink to the eerreepending LDR versien”),
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`and wherein the piaybaek device ineiudee a videe piaybaek unit that reads eut
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`and piays the at ieaet ene video stream based en the management iniermatien tiie (erg.
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`paragraph 8t, ahetract, “preeeeser”).
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`Ciaim 2 is rejected fer the same reaeene ea diecueeed in eiaint i abeve.
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`Double Parenting
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`5.
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`The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created
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`doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the
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`unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent
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`and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double
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`patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at
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`least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference
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`claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/683,038
`Art Unit: 2484
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`Page 5
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`been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46
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`USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed.
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`Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum,
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`686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619
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`(CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
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`A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321 (c) or 1.321 (d)
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`may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory
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`double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be
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`commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a
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`result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See
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`MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file
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`provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP §§ 706.02(l)(1) -
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`706.02(l)(3) for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file
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`provisions of the AIA. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR
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`1.321 (b).
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`The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be
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`used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The filing date of the application
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`in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26,
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`PTO/AlA/25, or PTO/AlA/26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may
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`be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets
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`all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For
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`more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to
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`www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-l.jsp.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/683,038
`Art Unit: 2484
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`Page 6
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`Claims 1-2 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being
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`unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent Application No. 15/683,024 (Co-Pending).
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`For claims 1-2 of the instant Applicant, claim 1 of the Co-Pending Application
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`teaches all the limitation of claims 1-2 of the instant Application except a video playback
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`unit that reads out and plays the at least one video stream based on the management
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`information file.
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`It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the
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`effective filing date of the claimed invention to playback the content of the claimed
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`medium since the Co-Pending Application disclose all the management information of
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`the recording medium.
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`Conclusion
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`6.
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`The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
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`applicant's disclosure.
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`Yamamoto et al (US 2016/0100183, paragraph 351)
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to DAQUAN ZHAO whose telephone number is (571)270-
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`1119 or email daquan.zhao1@uspto.gov.
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`lf attempts to reach the examiner by
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`telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tran Thai Q, can be reached on
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`(571)272-7382. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or
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`proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/683,038
`Art Unit: 2484
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`Page 7
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
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`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
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`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
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`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
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`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
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`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
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`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
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`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
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`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571 -272-1 000.
`
`/DAQUAN ZHAO/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2484
`
`