Prior art

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 11576046, I will examine the patent's cited references. The USPTO provides resources for patent searching, including access to granted patents and published applications.

Prior Art References for US Patent 11576046:

The patent text itself explicitly lists several related applications that are incorporated by reference, which serve as crucial prior art. These are considered highly relevant as they form the foundational work upon which this patent builds.

1. U.S. Pat. No. 9,027,032

   • Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 9,027,032, issued on May 5, 2015.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Filed on Sep. 11, 2013, published as U.S. Application Publication No. 2015-0026700 on Jan. 22, 2015.
   • Brief Description: This patent is titled "System and Method for Providing Additional Functionality to Existing Software in an Integrated Manner" and is a direct continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/024,027, which this patent also claims benefit from. It describes a system and method for integrating a "function block" into a "superblock application" via an API, allowing for the provision of additional functionalities (e.g., communications, data manipulation) without context switching to another application.
   • Potentially Anticipates: Given that US 11576046 is a continuation of this patent, it is highly likely to anticipate many, if not all, of the independent claims of US 11576046, particularly those related to the core concept of a function block providing integrated functionality to a superblock application without context switching. Specific dependent claims in US 11576046 that describe the various types of functions (e.g., instant messaging, video, email) would also be directly anticipated or rendered obvious by the broader disclosure of US 9,027,032.

2. U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/846,958

   • Full Citation: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/846,958, filed on Jul. 16, 2013, entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONALITY TO EXISTING SOFTWARE IN AN INTEGRATED MANNER."
   • Publication/Filing Date: Filed on Jul. 16, 2013.
   • Brief Description: This provisional application serves as the priority document for the lineage of patents leading to US 11576046. It would have introduced the initial concepts of integrating additional functionality into existing software in an integrated manner.
   • Potentially Anticipates: As the foundational provisional application, it would lay out the fundamental ideas of the function block and superblock concept, integrated functionality, and avoidance of context switching. Therefore, it likely anticipates the broadest claims of US 11576046.

3. U.S. Pat. No. 7,656,870

   • Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 7,656,870, filed on Mar. 15, 2005, and entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PEER-TO-PEER HYBRID COMMUNICATIONS."
   • Publication/Filing Date: Filed on Mar. 15, 2005.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a "system and method for peer-to-peer hybrid communications," and the current patent (US 11576046) explicitly states that its "function block 200 may contain functionality similar to that of an endpoint as described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,656,870". The GUI of the endpoint in US 7,656,870 may be replaced with the API of the function block.
   • Potentially Anticipates: While not directly anticipating the integration aspect of US 11576046, US 7,656,870 would likely anticipate or render obvious the underlying communication functionalities (e.g., peer-to-peer communication, call control, instant messaging, media management) that the function block of US 11576046 provides. Therefore, any claims in US 11576046 that describe the specific communication features offered by the function block would need to demonstrate novelty beyond what is taught in US 7,656,870.

Other cited continuation patents:

The patent US 11576046 is a continuation in a long lineage of applications. Each of these continuation patents would represent prior art to the current patent, specifically for any claims that are identical or substantially similar to claims in the earlier patents in the chain, under the doctrine of obviousness-type double patenting or statutory double patenting, if the claims are not patentably distinct.

• U.S. Pat. No. 10,387,220

  • Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 10,387,220, issued on Aug. 20, 2019.
  • Publication/Filing Date: Filed Aug. 19, 2019 (as U.S. application Ser. No. 16/543,689).
  • Brief Description: Continuation patent in the same family.
  • Potentially Anticipates: Claims of US 11576046 that are identical or not patentably distinct from those in US 10,387,220.

• U.S. Pat. No. 9,578,092

  • Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 9,578,092, issued on Feb. 21, 2017.
  • Publication/Filing Date: Filed Oct. 19, 2016 (as U.S. application Ser. No. 15/297,328).
  • Brief Description: Continuation patent in the same family.
  • Potentially Anticipates: Claims of US 11576046 that are identical or not patentably distinct from those in US 9,578,092.

• U.S. Pat. No. 9,491,233

  • Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 9,491,233, issued on Nov. 8, 2016.
  • Publication/Filing Date: Filed Feb. 22, 2016 (as U.S. application Ser. No. 15/049,891).
  • Brief Description: Continuation patent in the same family.
  • Potentially Anticipates: Claims of US 11576046 that are identical or not patentably distinct from those in US 9,491,233.

• U.S. Pat. No. 9,270,744

  • Full Citation: U.S. Pat. No. 9,270,744, issued on Feb. 23, 2016.
  • Publication/Filing Date: Filed Apr. 20, 2015 (as U.S. application Ser. No. 14/690,619).
  • Brief Description: Continuation patent in the same family.
  • Potentially Anticipates: Claims of US 11576046 that are identical or not patentably distinct from those in US 9,270,744.