throbber
www.uspto.gov
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and TrademarkOffice
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`16/646,715
`
`03/12/2020
`
`Yuuki OKAMOTO
`
`070469-0966
`
`2135
`
`McDermott Will and Emery LLP
`The McDermott Building
`500 North Capitol Street, N.W.
`Washington, DC 20001
`
`CHIN, RICKY
`
`2424
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`07/03/2023
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`Thetime 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):
`
`mweipdocket@mwe.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Commissioner for Patents
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`Application Number: 16/646,715
`Filing Date: 12 Mar 2020
`Appellant(s): PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENTCoO.,
`
`LTD.
`
`Takashi Saito, Registration No.69,536
`For Appellant
`
`EXAMINER’S ANSWER
`
`This is in response to the appealbrief filed June 8, 2023.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 3
`
`1. Every ground of rejection set forth in the Office action dated February 22, 2023
`
`from which the appeal is taken is being maintained by the examiner exceptfor the
`
`grounds ofrejection (if any) listed under the subheading “WITHDRAWN REJECTIONS.”
`
`New groundsofrejection (if any) are provided underthe subheading “NEW GROUNDS
`
`OF REJECTION.”
`
`2. The following ground(s) of rejection are applicable to the appealed claims.
`
`Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable overStark et
`
`al., US 2006/0253874 in view of Yu, US 2017/0064383, and in further view of Patel
`
`et al., US 2012/0019400.
`
`Regarding claim 1, Stark teaches of a renderer device to be controlled by a
`
`controller device connected to a predetermined communication network (See Fig.3A,
`
`element 350 and [0026]-[0031], [0040], and [0065] which discloses the STB/media
`
`center whichis a renderer device whichis controlled via the computing
`
`system/controller device which is connected through a network communication), the
`
`renderer device comprising:
`
`a memoryunit that stores information used by the controller device (See [0007],
`
`[0019], [0024], and [0026]-[0029] the set-top box having at least a memoryfor at least
`
`epg data and menu options as well as for content receiving/transmitting/recording and
`
`transmitting metadata to the computing device) and to establish a direct connection
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 4
`
`from the controller device to a device to be controlled by the controller device (See
`
`[0028], [0039]-[0043], [0062], [0065], [0069], and [0072] teaches of the CM system
`
`comprising of the GUI and metadata of content/EPG metadata for controlling the
`
`presentation devices in at least selection/displaying/recording/transmitting of content
`
`whereit is clearly disclosed that the presentation devices may be controlled directly
`
`from the GUI of the CM system of element 300/controller device without intermediary
`
`devices. Therefore, information such as EPG data/information and menu
`
`data/information is used for establishing a direct connection from the computing device
`
`to a device to be controlled by the controller device since the menu options and
`
`content/epg data commands are transmitted and communicated without the
`
`intermediary device for controlling the device to be controlled by the controller device
`
`such as the presentation of content to the presentation device directly); and
`
`a detector that detects whether each of monitor devices is connected to the
`
`renderer device via the predetermined communication network (See [0021]-[0022];
`
`[0028]-[0035]; [0040]; [0051]; [0054] [0065]-[0070]; [01 12]-[0119] and figs.2 which
`
`discloses of device searching and device refreshing for finding and detecting the
`
`connected devices within the network. Further, it should be noted that the STB/media
`
`center is connected to the presentation devices/tvs and therefore in order to display
`
`content through the intermediary device of the media center to be displayed on the
`
`monitors, the monitors must befirst detected to know whereto display the content).
`
`Stark is silent with respect to the stored information being that of network
`
`connection information which indicates a connection destination of the controller device
`
`to establish a connection from the controller device to a device to be controlled by the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 5
`
`controller device; an information update unit that updates the connection destination
`
`indicated by the network connection information stored in the memoryunit so that the
`
`connection destination indicates a monitor device among the monitor devices, when the
`
`detector has detected that the monitor device is connected via the predetermined
`
`communication network; and a communication unit that sends the network connection
`
`information indicating the monitor device as the connection destination stored in the
`
`memoryunit to the controller device.
`
`However, in the same field of endeavor, Yu teaches the stored information being
`
`that of network connection information which indicates a connection destination of the
`
`controller device to establish a connection from the controller device to a device to be
`
`controlled by the controller device (See Fig.1; [0051]-[0065]; [0071]-[0072], [0107];
`
`[0120]-[0121]; [0127], and [0133]-[0136] which discloses of storing network connection
`
`information at the hub such as a device being detected and turned on andofvirtual
`
`icon/user interface information to send to remote controller which the remote controller
`
`uses to establish a connection from the controller device to control the desired device);
`
`an information update unit that updates the connection destination indicated by the
`
`network connection information stored in the memory unit so that the connection
`
`destination indicates a monitor device among the monitor devices, when the detector
`
`has detected that the monitor device is connected via the predetermined communication
`
`network; and a communication unit that sends the network connection information
`
`indicating the monitor device as the connection destination stored in the memory unit to
`
`the controller device, (See Fig.1; [0051 ]-[0065]; [0071]-[0072], [0107]; [0120]-[0121];
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 6
`
`[0127], and [0133]-[0136] which discloses of sending updated and most recent network
`
`information of the states of the display/monitor/presentation devices to the remote
`
`controller device based on the most recent and updated stored state information).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Stark to have
`
`incorporated the teachings of Yu for the mere benefit of providing bi-directional
`
`information from the renderer device and controller device as to better provide
`
`synchronization and control functionality.
`
`The combination of Stark and Yuis silent with respect to the network information
`
`used by the controller device to establish a direct connection from the controller device
`
`to a device to be controlled by the controller device and of sending the network
`
`connection information when receiving a request.
`
`However, in the same field of endeavor, Patel teaches of the network information
`
`used by the controller device to establish a direct connection from the controller device
`
`to a device to be controlled by the controller device and of sending the network
`
`connection information when receiving a request (See Fig.3 [0038]-[0039];
`
`[0054];[0064]-[0065]; and [0077]-[0085] which discloses of the network information
`
`being of information that is used for the controller device to establish a direct connection
`
`whichis provided by the hub/second device suchthat the remote controller can control
`
`the other devices/know what other devices exist and know how to communicate with
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 7
`
`them without the hub/second device. Moreover, it is disclosed that the information may
`
`be provided upon request from the remote control to request the information about
`
`target device from the second media device in order to communicate with the target
`
`device).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Stark and Yu to
`
`have incorporated the teachings of Patel for the mere benefit of being able to more
`
`quickly control a device by bypassing the hub/intermediary device to control the devices
`
`directly.
`
`Regarding claim 9, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons
`
`set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`3. Response to Arguments
`
`Page 8
`
`A. Rejection of Claims 1 and 9 Under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Stark et al., US
`
`2006/0253874 in view of Yu, US 2017/0064383, and in further view of Patel etal.,
`
`US 2012/0019400.
`
`i) Appellant argues that the Examiner’s mapping of the claimed features on Stark is
`
`erroneous and the Examiner failed to consider the disclosure of Stark when providing
`
`motivation to have the alleged memory unit of Stark to store the network connection
`
`information. In particular, the Appellant argues that Stark does not teachthe limitation of
`
`“a memoryunit that stores network connection information which indicates a connection
`
`destination of the controller device and is used bythe controller device to establish a
`
`direct connection from the controller device to a device to be controlled by the controller
`
`device” since there is no factual basis that the memoryunit in the STB stores network
`
`connection information which indicates a connection destination of the controller device
`
`to establish a direct connection from the controller device to a device to be controlled by
`
`the controller device.
`
`The Appellants arguments have been noted. However, as indicated in the Office
`
`Action of February 22, 2023 (pages 4-5) and restated above, Stark is merely relied upon
`
`for the teachings of a memoryunit that stores information used by the controller device
`
`and to establish a direct connection from the controller device to a device to be
`
`controlled by the controller device whereas Yu and Patel are relied upon for the network
`
`connection information indicating a connection destination of the controller device to
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 9
`
`establish a direct connection from the controller device to a device to be controlled by
`
`the controller device. With regards to Stark, Stark teaches of the rendering device of a
`
`Set-top box/media center having a memoryunit that stores information (See Fig.3A,
`
`element 350; [0019], and [0026]-[0028] which discloses the STB receiving and
`
`possessing program content data, EPG metadata, metadata information for the content,
`
`and scheduling/availability information which is then transmitted and passed on to the
`
`CM system, whereby the STB possessing a memory unit for at least storage of this
`
`information). This information from the STB is received by the CM system ([See [0019],
`
`and [0026]-[0028] which discloses of the CM system receiving the information from the
`
`STB; Fig.3A element 300 CM system, where in some embodiments, the CM system is a
`
`handheld device/smartphone, [0030]). This information is then used by the controller
`
`device andto establish a direct connection from the controller device to a device
`
`to be controlled by the controller device (See [0019] and [0026]-[0028] which
`
`discloses that the CM system/controller device usesthe information of the EPG
`
`metadata, content metadata, and programming content in order to select content for
`
`presentation, live control of the presentation, schedule recordings of the content, and
`
`direct control of the presentation to the display device/device to be controlled by the
`
`controller device (Fig.3A, elements 370 and 380 which discloses the
`
`presentation/display device(s) to be controlled by the controller device); Moreover,
`
`[0065], and [0072] explicitly states that the CM system/controller device directing of the
`
`presentation of the selected content on the selected content presentation device
`
`maybe directly or via one or more intermediary devices). In other words, Stark
`
`teaches of where stored information at the STB/media center such as EPG
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 10
`
`information/content metadata is used by the CM system/smartphone devicein order to
`
`establish a direct connection from the CM system/smartphone in order to be able to
`
`select content and have the content directly presented on the selected presentation
`
`devices/device to be controlled by the controller device without intermediary devices.
`
`The Examiner acknowledges and agrees with Appellant in that Stark is silent with
`
`respect to the information being network connection information which indicates a
`
`connection destination of the controller device and is used bythe controller device to
`
`establish a direct connection from the controller device to a device to be controlled by
`
`the controller as the Examiner indicated in the Office Action of February 22, 2023
`
`(pages 5-8), also restated above. However, it should be noted that the Examiner had
`
`relied upon the combination of Stark, Yu, and Patel as a combination to meetthe claim
`
`limitation and not solely and individually by Stark. As detailed in the claim rejection, the
`
`Examiner relies on Yu to teach the stored information being that of network connection
`
`information which indicates a connection destination of the controller device to establish
`
`a connection from the controller device to a device to be controlled by the controller
`
`device (See Fig.1, whichillustrates a portable device/remote control 110 AV hub/media
`
`center 112 which is connected to display/entertainment device 114-1; [0057], [0059]-
`
`[0062]; [0121]; [0127], and [0133]-[0136] which discloses of storing in memory, network
`
`connection information at the hub/media center which is sent to the portable electronic
`
`device 110 and indicates a connection destination of at least the type of coupled
`
`entertainment device and/or input connector or port which is electrically connected to
`
`HDMI cable for providing commandsto the entertainment/display device, thereby being
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 11
`
`indicative of a connection destination of the controller device. Further, it is disclosed that
`
`the stored device state/network connection information consists of display device states,
`
`identification of the device, presence information, information of devices being detected
`
`and turned on, and of virtual icon/user interface information to send to the electronic
`
`portable device/remote controller associated with the state of the entertainment/display
`
`device suchthat the portable electronic device/remote controller uses to establish a
`
`connection from the portable electronic device/controller device to control the device to
`
`be controlled by the controlling device with commands suchasplay, fast forward,
`
`reverse, etc.). Stated another way, the Examiner had relied on Yu to teach the
`
`limitations that Stark is silent on, which includes the stored information being that of
`
`network connection information which indicates a connection destination of the
`
`controller device to establish a connection from the controller device to a device to be
`
`controlled by the controller device since Yu teaches of a memory at the AV hub which
`
`stores state information indicative of HDMI port/input connectors/connection destination
`
`of the display/entertainment devices which is sent to the portable device and usedto
`
`establish connection from the portable device issuing commands through the user
`
`interface/icons to control the display/entertainment device through the AV hub.
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Stark to have
`
`incorporated the teachings of Yu for the mere benefit of providing bi-directional
`
`information from the renderer device and controller device as to better provide
`
`synchronization and control functionality as well as to leverage knowledge of the current
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 12
`
`state of entertainment/display devices to improve user experience (See Yu, [0058] and
`
`[0060] improving user experience and providing bi-directional communication).
`
`The Examiner further states in Office Action dated February 22, 2023 (pages 7-8),
`
`that the combination of Stark and Yuis silent with respect to the networkinformation
`
`used by the controller device to establish a direct connection from the controller device
`
`to a device to be controlled by the controller device and of sending the network
`
`connection information when receiving a request.
`
`Thus, the Examiner relied on Patel for the teachings of the network information
`
`used by the controller device to establish a direct connection from the controller device
`
`to a device to be controlled by the controller device and of sending the network
`
`connection information when receiving a request (See Fig.3 and [0081 ]-[0085] which
`
`discloses of the network information being of information that is used for the remote
`
`controller device to establish a direct connection to the target media device whichis
`
`provided by the hub/second device such that the remote controller can control the other
`
`devices/know whatother devices exist and know how to communicate with them without
`
`the hub/second device. Moreover, it is disclosed that the information may be provided
`
`upon request from the remote control to request the information about target device
`
`from the second media device or pushed to the remote control from the second media
`
`device in order to directly communicate with the target device).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 13
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Stark and Yu to
`
`have incorporated the teachings of Patel for the mere benefit of being able to more
`
`quickly control a device by bypassing the hub/intermediary device to control the devices
`
`directly and for providing bi-directional communication in response to a single user
`
`command(See Patel, [0085)).
`
`Hence, Appellants argumentthat Stark does not store network connection
`
`information which indicates a connection destination of the controller device and is used
`
`by the controller device to establish a direct connection from the controller device to a
`
`device to be controlled by the controller device is rendered moot since the Examiner
`
`had relied upon the combination of Stark, Yu, and Patel in order to teach the claim
`
`limitations Appellant argues Stark is silent on.
`
`ii) Appellant further argues that with respectto claim 1, that the Examiner's cited
`
`detector of the claim limitation “a detector that detects whether each of the monitor
`
`devices is connectedto the renderer device via the predetermined communication
`
`network” would not necessarily detect whether each of monitor devices is connected to
`
`the renderer device (CM 330) via the predetermined communication network to which
`
`the controller device is connected and at most would detect a monitor that is connected
`
`to the STB. With regards to Appellants mapping of the argument, it should first be noted
`
`that the STB is the renderer device (See Appeal Brief, page 6 and analysis of claim 1)
`
`and therefore the renderer device should be element 350 of Fig.3A and not CM 330.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 14
`
`Moreover, the Examiner construes the predetermined networkto be that of the
`
`entire network which connects STB/media center 350, presentation devices 370/380,
`
`and computing system 300. The claim does not specifically recite what the
`
`predetermined communication network encompasses. Hence, it does not preclude
`
`Stark (See [0021]-[0022]; [0028]-[0035]; [0040]; [0051]; [0054]; [0065]-[0070); [01 12)-
`
`[0119] and fig.2, refresh devices, device search, and direct content options; 3A,
`
`elements 350 and presentation 370/380) from reading on the detector that detects
`
`whether each presentation device/monitors is connected to the renderer device via the
`
`predetermined communication network to which the controller device is connected since
`
`all of the elements of the STB/media center, presentation devices, and CM system are
`
`all connected throughout the same predetermined communication home network.
`
`Moreover,in order for the CM system/portable remote device to direct content through
`
`the intermediary device of the STB/media center to a presentation device, the STB
`
`would haveto detect the presentation device before being able to display the content to
`
`the presentation device by user commandfrom the CM system/remote portable device,
`
`thereby also meeting the claim limitation of detecting whether each of the monitor
`
`device is connected to the STB bythe predetermined communication network to which
`
`the controller device is connected since the commandoriginates from the controller
`
`device. Furthermore, in addition to Stark teaching the detector, Yu, (See [0054] and
`
`[0060] [0054] and [0060]) and Patel (See [0081 ]-[0085]) also teachesof the remote
`
`control device receiving the status of presentation devices from the intermediary
`
`devices/hubs through a request from the remote controller, thereby also reading on the
`
`detector that detects whether each presentation device/monitors is connected to the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 15
`
`renderer device via the predetermined communication network to which the controller
`
`device is connected.
`
`iii) Appellant further argues that even if Patel disclosed the networkinformation that
`
`there is no motivation or suggestion for one of ordinary skill in the art to store such
`
`information in the STB of Stark. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Stark (See [0049]
`
`which teaches of displaying status of devices; Fig.2A, 235; device search, refresh
`
`devices, direct content) whichillustrates that Stark detects and displays network
`
`information for devices and Stark (See [0019], and [0026]-[0028]) clearly disclosesof
`
`information that is sent from the STB to the controller device. Hence, storage of
`
`additional information in the STB suchas status/information of connected presentation
`
`devices would have at least been obvious for one of ordinaryskill in the art before the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated into the STB of Stark
`
`for the mere benefit of conserving bandwidth and resources of the remote controller
`
`such that the data need not be stored at the remote controller and can be requested
`
`upon demand from the STB/media center/intermediary device (See Patel, [0081] and
`
`[0085] remote control device requests the information).
`
`iv)
`
`Lastly, Appellant argues that Stark is mostly directed to the CM system and that
`
`the STB has no important function in Stark’s invention and therefore would havelikely
`
`stored the alleged network connection information, if any, to the computing system
`
`rather than the STB/media center. Appellant also states that there is no reason for the
`
`STB/media center to include the alleged information update unit and communication
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 16
`
`unit and wouldlikely be included in the computer system instead. The Examiner
`
`respectfully disagrees. Stark’s STB/media center is responsible for receiving information
`
`such as content metadata, programming content, EPG data,etc. that is sent to the CM
`
`system such that the CM system canutilize to select content and schedule recordings
`
`(See Stark, [0019], [0026]-[0028]). Furthermore, The STB/media center of Stark also
`
`presents content to the presentation devices, (See Fig.3A, elements, 350, 370/380
`
`presentation devices) and therefore has a vital importance to the system of Stark.
`
`Moreover, Stark (See [0049] which teaches of displaying status of devices; Fig.2A, 235;
`
`device search, refresh devices, direct content) whichillustrates that Stark detects and
`
`displays network information for devices and Stark (See [0019], and [0026]-[0028])
`
`clearly discloses of information that is sent from the STB to the controller device. Hence,
`
`storage and functionality of additional information in the STB and detecting, updating,
`
`and communicating status/information of connected presentation devices would have at
`
`least been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the
`
`claimed invention to have incorporated into the STB of Stark for the mere benefit of
`
`conserving bandwidth and resources of the remote controller such that the data need
`
`not be stored or the function not need be performed at the remote controller and can be
`
`requested upon demandfrom the STB/media center/intermediary device (See Patel,
`
`[0081] and [0085] remote control device requests the information).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/646,715
`Art Unit: 2424
`
`Page 17
`
`For the above reasons, it is believed that the rejections should be sustained.
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`Ricky Chin
`
`/Ricky Chin/
`
`Primary Examiner, AU 2424
`
`Conferees:
`
`/JEFFEREY F HAROLD/
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2424
`
`/Brian T Pendleton/
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2425
`
`4.
`
`Requirementto pay appeal forwarding fee.
`
`In order to avoid dismissal of the
`
`instant appeal in any application or ex parte reexamination proceeding, 37 CFR 41.45
`
`requires payment of an appeal forwarding fee within the time permitted by 37 CFR
`
`41.45(a), unless appellant had timely paid the feefor filing a brief required by 37 CFR
`
`41.20(b) in effect on March 18, 2013.
`
`

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket