Appeal No. 2002-1755
Application No. 09/173,286
Representative independent claim 1 is reproduced as follows:
1. A method for creating a message from a plurality of
users over a network, comprising the steps of:
receiving from an originating user information for a
recipient, at least one contributing user, and a first sub-
message;
contacting said at least one contributing user;
receiving a second sub-message from said at least one
contributing user; and
composing said message using said first and second sub-
messages;
wherein a universe of contributing users to which the
message can be directed is restricted according to the
information for at least one contributing user provided by the
originating user.
The examiner relies on the following references:
Nakatsu et al. (Nakatsu) 5,787,151 Jul. 28, 1998
Hibbeler 6,067,348 May 23, 2000
(filed Aug. 4, 1998)
Shaw, “Microsoft Office 6 in 1”, (Microsoft Office) Que
Corporation, (1994), pp. 512-539, 565-574.
Claims 1, 2, 8, 9 and 17 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§ 102(b) as being in public use or on sale more than one year
prior to applicants’ invention, as evidenced by Microsoft Office.
Claims 3-7, 10-16 and 18 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§ 103. As evidence of obviousness, the examiner offers Microsoft
-2–
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007