Prior art

Analysis of Prior Art Cited in U.S. Patent 8,941,708

This analysis details the prior art references cited by the USPTO examiner during the prosecution of U.S. Patent 8,941,708. Each reference is examined for its potential to anticipate the claims of the '708 patent under 35 U.S.C. § 102, which pertains to the novelty of an invention. An invention is not novel if it was already known to the public before the effective filing date of the patent application.

The effective priority date for the '708 patent is July 29, 2011, based on its claim to the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/513,190.

Cited U.S. Patent Documents

The following U.S. patents and patent applications were cited as relevant prior art:

• U.S. Patent No. 7,321,384 B1

  • Full Citation: Wu, et al., "Method and apparatus for using far end camera control (FECC) messages to implement participant and layout selection in a multipoint videoconference," issued January 22, 2008. Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
  • Filing Date: June 3, 2003.
  • Description: This patent describes a system where Far End Camera Control (FECC) messages are used in a multipoint video conference to allow participants to select which other participant's video to view and to choose a screen layout for displaying the video streams. It focuses on the signaling and control mechanisms for layout management.
  • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference discloses the concept of selecting different layouts in a video conference. However, it does not appear to describe the specific user interface claimed in the '708 patent, namely a movable object on a display that a user slides along an axis, with different intervals on that axis corresponding to different layouts. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate the independent claims (1, 10, 16, and 17) of the '708 patent, which all require this specific user interface element.

• U.S. Patent No. 7,634,540 B2

  • Full Citation: Kotani, et al., "Presenter view control system and method," issued December 15, 2009. Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation.
  • Filing Date: October 12, 2006.
  • Description: This patent discloses a system for controlling the display of presentation materials. It describes a user interface that includes a slider bar for navigating through presentation slides or for controlling other aspects of the display.
  • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is relevant as it discloses a slider-based control mechanism. However, it is used in the context of presentation software, not for controlling the layout of multiple video conference streams. The core of the '708 patent's claims is the association of different video layouts with intervals along an axis controlled by a movable object. The '540 patent does not appear to make this specific connection. Thus, it is unlikely to anticipate the claims of the '708 patent.

• U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0316297 A1

  • Full Citation: King, Keith C., "Video Conferencing Device which Performs Multi-way Conferencing," published December 25, 2008.
  • Filing Date: June 22, 2007.
  • Description: This application describes a video conferencing device that can manage multiple video streams. It includes methods for users to select different screen layouts to view the conference participants.
  • Potential Anticipation of Claims: While this reference deals with the selection of video conference layouts, it does not describe the specific slider-based user interface for transitioning between layouts as claimed in the '708 patent. Therefore, it is not likely to anticipate the independent claims of the '708 patent.

• U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0103245 A1

  • Full Citation: Kenoyer, Michael, et al., "Dynamic Adaption of a Continuous Presence Videoconferencing Layout Based on Video Content," published April 29, 2010. Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
  • Filing Date: May 21, 2007.
  • Description: This application discloses a system that dynamically adjusts the layout of a video conference based on the content of the video streams, such as detecting who is speaking. It allows for automated layout changes to improve the viewing experience.
  • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is directed to automated layout changes based on content analysis, rather than direct user control via a movable object on an axis as claimed in the '708 patent. It does not appear to disclose the user interface central to the '708 patent's claims and therefore is unlikely to anticipate them.

• U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0333004 A1

  • Full Citation: Nordrum, Jan, et al., "Method, apparatus and system for modifying a composite video signal," published December 30, 2010. Assignee: Tandberg Telecom AS.
  • Filing Date: June 24, 2009.
  • Description: This application describes a method for modifying a composite video signal in a video conference. It allows a user to select and adjust the layout of the video streams.
  • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is in the same technical field. However, it does not appear to disclose the specific user interface of a movable object on an axis with predefined layout intervals as claimed in the '708 patent. Without this specific user interface element, it is unlikely to anticipate the independent claims.

• U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0115876 A1

  • Full Citation: Khot, Gautam, "Determining a Videoconference Layout Based on Numbers of Participants," published May 19, 2011.
  • Filing Date: November 16, 2009.
  • Description: This application describes a method for automatically selecting a video conference layout based on the number of participants in the conference.
  • Potential Anticipation of Claims: The focus of this reference is on the automatic selection of layouts based on participant count, not on user-controlled layout modification through a specific graphical user interface element as claimed in the '708 patent. Therefore, it is unlikely to anticipate the claims of the '708 patent.

• U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0200661 A1

  • Full Citation: Mock, Wayne E., "Reserved Space in a Videoconference Layout," published August 9, 2012.
  • Filing Date: February 3, 2011.
  • Description: This application, with a filing date close to the '708 patent's priority date, describes video conference layouts that include a reserved space for displaying additional information or controls.
  • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference discusses the composition of video layouts but does not describe a user interface with a movable object on an axis to switch between different layouts. Therefore, it is not likely to anticipate the claims of the '708 patent.

Cited Foreign Patent Documents

The following foreign patent documents were also cited:

• WO 2007/103412 A2

  • Full Citation: Christiansen, Bernd, et al., "System and method for dynamically altering videoconference bit rates and layout based on participant activity," published September 13, 2007. Assignee: Citrix Online, LLC.
  • Priority Date: March 9, 2006.
  • Description: This international application describes a system that dynamically alters video conference layouts and bit rates based on participant activity, such as who is speaking.
  • Potential Anticipation of Claims: Similar to some of the U.S. references, this document focuses on automated layout changes based on participant activity, not on the specific user-controlled slider mechanism claimed in the '708 patent. It is therefore unlikely to anticipate the independent claims.

• EP 1 868 348 A2

  • Full Citation: "Conference layout control and control protocol," published December 19, 2007. Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ).
  • Priority Date: June 16, 2006.
  • Description: This European patent application describes a protocol for controlling the layout of a video conference, allowing endpoints to request specific layouts.
  • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is concerned with the underlying control protocol for layout selection, not the specific user interface for making those selections. It does not appear to disclose the movable object on an axis as claimed in the '708 patent and is thus unlikely to anticipate the claims.

• EP 2 288 104 A1

  • Full Citation: "Flexible decomposition and recomposition of multimedia conferencing streams using real-time control information," published February 23, 2011. Assignee: Avaya Inc.
  • Priority Date: August 19, 2009.
  • Description: This European patent application describes a system for flexibly managing multimedia streams in a conference, including adjusting their composition.
  • Potential Anticipation of Claims: While this reference discusses flexible control over media streams, it does not appear to teach the specific user interface for layout modification that is central to the claims of the '708 patent. Therefore, it is not likely to anticipate the independent claims.

Conclusion on Prior Art

Based on a review of the prior art cited by the USPTO examiner, none of the references appear to fully anticipate the independent claims of U.S. Patent 8,941,708. While the cited art generally relates to the control and modification of video conference layouts, a key element of the '708 patent's claims is the specific user interface: a movable object on a display that a user can manipulate along an axis, where different intervals along that axis are associated with distinct, predefined layouts. This specific implementation of a user-friendly, continuous control for transitioning between different layout styles seems to be the novel contribution of the '708 patent over the cited prior art.