Prior art

USPTO Search for Patent 8112104

A direct search on the USPTO Patent Public Search website for patent number 8112104 would confirm the details already extracted from Google Patents. The USPTO's Patent Public Search tool allows users to search its database of patents and patent application publications. For utility patents with 7 or 8 digits, such as 8112104, the number is entered directly without commas or leading zeros if it's already 7 digits or more.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US Patent 8112104

To identify the most relevant prior art, we examine the "Prior Art Citations" section of US8112104. The patent itself does not explicitly list "most relevant" prior art, but rather includes a list of "Other References" and "Foreign Patent Documents". For the purpose of this analysis, we'll focus on the listed U.S. Patent Documents as direct prior art.

Prior art can anticipate a claim under 35 U.S.C. § 102 if it discloses every element of the claimed invention, either explicitly or inherently. Without a full claim construction and a detailed comparison of each element of US8112104's claims against each prior art reference, a definitive statement of anticipation is not possible. However, a preliminary assessment can be made based on the abstract and general description of the prior art.

Here are the U.S. Patent Documents cited as prior art in US8112104, along with a brief description and potential relevance to the independent claims (Claims 1, 19, and 31):

U.S. Patent Documents:

1. US 6,785,556 B1 (Prior Art Reference 1)

   • Full Citation: US 6,785,556 B1
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: August 31, 2004. Filing: April 1, 2003 (This is the earliest date associated with this patent).
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for providing call management services, including diverting calls and sending messages (e.g., text messages) to callers based on caller identity or status. It focuses on handling incoming calls without direct voice engagement.
   • Potential Anticipated Claims: This reference could potentially anticipate aspects of Claims 1 and 31 relating to responding to incoming communications with text messages, particularly the general concept of diverting a call and sending a text message in response. While US8112104 specifies converting incoming text to audio and reply audio to text, US6,785,556 B1 sets a precedent for automated text responses to voice calls. If the "messaging" aspect of the independent claims is interpreted broadly to include various forms of messages, then US6,785,556 B1 could be relevant.

2. US 6,959,208 B2 (Prior Art Reference 2)

   • Full Citation: US 6,959,208 B2
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: October 25, 2005. Filing: September 1, 2000.
   • Brief Description: This patent generally relates to mobile communication systems and methods for managing communications, potentially involving different modes or types of messages. It might cover aspects of managing message delivery and user interaction with various communication types.
   • Potential Anticipated Claims: This reference's relevance would depend on the specific details of its message management techniques. If it includes mechanisms for converting between audio and text messages or using headsets for such interactions, it could potentially anticipate aspects of Claims 1, 19, and 31. Without a detailed review of its claims and specification, the specific overlap is difficult to pinpoint, but its broad nature in mobile communication management suggests potential relevance.

3. US 7,043,267 B2 (Prior Art Reference 3)

   • Full Citation: US 7,043,267 B2
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: May 9, 2006. Filing: June 25, 2002.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a method and system for enabling a user to respond to an incoming call with a pre-recorded voice message. This is highly relevant to the "audio message" aspects of US8112104.
   • Potential Anticipated Claims: This reference appears highly relevant to the "audio message" portions of Claims 1, 19, and 31, particularly the concept of a user recording and sending an audio message in response to an incoming communication. The specific details of how US7,043,267 B2 handles the conversion to or from text, or its interaction with a wireless headset, would be critical in determining full anticipation. However, the core concept of an audio message response could be anticipated.

4. US 7,116,976 B2 (Prior Art Reference 4)

   • Full Citation: US 7,116,976 B2
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: October 3, 2006. Filing: December 7, 2004.
   • Brief Description: This patent shares a similar title ("Adaptable communication techniques for electronic devices") and inventors (C. Douglass Thomas, Peter P. Tong) with US8112104. It is explicitly listed as a parent application in the cross-reference section of US8112104. This means it covers highly similar subject matter and is a direct lineage patent.
   • Potential Anticipated Claims: As a parent patent with the same inventors and a highly similar title, US7,116,976 B2 is likely to be the most relevant prior art. It very likely anticipates many, if not all, of the independent claims (1, 19, and 31) of US8112104, or at least forms the basis from which the current claims are a slight variation or improvement. It is a continuation/divisional of applications leading back to a provisional filed on December 8, 2003, which is the priority date for US8112104. This implies that the core inventive concept was already disclosed in US7,116,976 B2 or its direct ancestors.

5. US 7,376,434 B2 (Prior Art Reference 5)

   • Full Citation: US 7,376,434 B2
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: May 20, 2008. Filing: August 2, 2006.
   • Brief Description: Similar to US7,116,976 B2, this patent also shares the title "Adaptable communication techniques for electronic devices" and the same inventors, and is listed as a parent application to US8112104.
   • Potential Anticipated Claims: Given its status as a parent application with the same inventors and title, US7,376,434 B2 is also highly likely to be a very relevant piece of prior art, potentially anticipating many or all of the independent claims (1, 19, and 31) in US8112104. It represents another stage in the patent family's development and would have disclosed much of the same core invention.

6. US 7,890,128 B2 (Prior Art Reference 6)

   • Full Citation: US 7,890,128 B2
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication: February 15, 2011. Filing: March 7, 2008.
   • Brief Description: This patent also shares the title "Adaptable communication techniques for electronic devices" and the same inventors, and is listed as a parent application to US8112104.
   • Potential Anticipated Claims: As the most recent parent application with the same inventors and title, US7,890,128 B2 is another highly relevant piece of prior art. It is very likely to anticipate many or all of the independent claims (1, 19, and 31) of US8112104, continuing the progression of the same inventive concepts within the patent family.

Summary of Anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102:

The most relevant prior art for US8112104 appears to be its direct lineage: US7,116,976 B2, US7,376,434 B2, and US7,890,128 B2. These patents share the same title, inventors, and are explicitly described as parent applications, meaning they likely disclose the same or very similar inventive concepts. Therefore, they are highly likely to anticipate the claims of US8112104, particularly under the principle that a later patent in a family builds upon or refines the claims of earlier family members.

The other references (US6,785,556 B1, US6,959,208 B2, US7,043,267 B2) are also relevant for specific elements of the claims, such as automated responses to calls, general message management, and responding with audio messages. However, the comprehensive nature of the parent applications makes them the primary candidates for anticipating the independent claims in their entirety.