Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2024-05-17)

CLAIMS:
IN THE CLAIMS

What is claimed is:

1\. (Original) A method comprising:receiving, at a first server of a cloud-based storage system that stores a plurality of documents in an encrypted form, an edit encrypted using a data encryption key associated with a second server that is independent from the first server;
determining, at the first server, which document of the plurality of documents stored in the encrypted form is associated with the encrypted edit, wherein the first server is unable to decrypt both the document in the encrypted form and the encrypted edit encrypted using the data encryption key;
determining, at the first server, a plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document, the plurality of user accounts comprising a first user account associated with the first client device; and
providing, by the first server, the encrypted edit to one or more other client devices that are each associated with one of the plurality of user accounts.
2\. (Original) The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, from the first client device, the data encryption key encrypted based on a key encryption key, wherein the key encryption key is not accessible to the first server;
and providing the encrypted data encryption key to the one or more other client devices.

3\. (Original) The method of claim 2, wherein the key encryption key is provided by the second server that is not in communication with the first server and is in communication with the first client device and the one or more other client devices.
4\. (Original) The method of claim 1, further comprising:
configuring a second user account from the plurality of user accounts of collaborators to coordinate with the first server for collaborative editing of the document, wherein a second client device associated with the second user account is to combine

edits to the document made by the collaborators in a chronological order and generate encrypted data based on the combined edits.

5\. (Original) The method of claim 4, wherein:the determining of the plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document comprises determining that the first user account corresponds to a user account other than the second user account; and
the providing of the encrypted data comprises providing the encrypted edit to the second client device that is associated with the second user account, the second client device being one of the one or more other client devices.

6\. (Original) The method of claim 4, wherein:the determining of the plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document comprises determining that the first user account corresponds to the second user account;
and the providing of the first encrypted data comprises providing the encrypted edit to the one or more other client devices that are each associated with one of the plurality of user accounts other than the second user account, wherein the encrypted edit corresponds to the encrypted data.

7\. (Original) The method of claim 3, wherein the first client device is to perform operations comprising:generating the data encryption key;
encrypting the edit based on the data encryption key;
obtaining the encrypted data encryption key based on encryption of the data encryption key using the key encryption key provided by the second server; and
providing the encrypted edit with the encrypted data encryption key to the first server.

8-14. Canceled.913

15\. (Original) A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for a server that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:receiving, at a first server of a cloud-based storage system that stores a plurality of documents in an encrypted form, an edit encrypted using a data encryption key associated with a second server that is independent from the first server;
determining, at the first server, which document of the plurality of documents stored in the encrypted form is associated with the encrypted edit, wherein the first server is unable to decrypt both the document in the encrypted form and the encrypted edit encrypted using the data encryption key;
determining, at the first server, a plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document, the plurality of user accounts comprising a first user account associated with the first client device; and
providing, by the first server, the encrypted edit to one or more other client devices that are each associated with one of the plurality of user accounts.

16\. (Original) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:receiving, from the first client device, the data encryption key encrypted based on a key encryption key, wherein the key encryption key is not accessible to the first server;
and providing the encrypted data encryption key to the one or more other client devices.

17\. (Original) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the key encryption key is provided by the second server that is not in communication with the first server and is in communication with the first client device and the one or more other client devices.

18\. (Original) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

configuring a second user account from the plurality of user accounts of collaborators to coordinate with the first server for collaborative editing of the document, wherein a second client device associated with the second user account is to combine edits to the document made by the collaborators in a chronological order and generate encrypted data based on the combined edits.

19\. (Original) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein:the determining of the plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document comprises determining that the first user account corresponds to a user account other than the second user account; and
the providing of the encrypted data comprises providing the encrypted edit to the second client device that is associated with the second user account, the second client device being one of the one or more other client devices.

20\. (Original) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein:the determining of the plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document comprises determining that the first user account corresponds to the second user account;
and the providing of the first encrypted data comprises providing the encrypted edit to the one or more other client devices that are each associated with one of the plurality of user accounts other than the second user account, wherein the encrypted edit corresponds to the encrypted data.

21\. (Original) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the first client device is to perform operations comprising:generating the data encryption key;
encrypting the edit based on the data encryption key;
obtaining the encrypted data encryption key based on encryption of the data encryption key using the key encryption key provided by the second server; and

providing the encrypted edit with the encrypted data encryption key to the first server.

22\. (New) A system comprising:a memory; and
a processing device, coupled to the memory, to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at a first server of a cloud-based storage system that stores a plurality of documents in an encrypted form, an edit encrypted using a data encryption key associated with a second server that is independent from the first server;
determining, at the first server, which document of the plurality of documents stored in the encrypted form is associated with the encrypted edit, wherein the first server is unable to decrypt both the document in the encrypted form and the encrypted edit encrypted using the data encryption key;
determining, at the first server, a plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document, the plurality of user accounts comprising a first user account associated with the first client device; and
providing, by the first server, the encrypted edit to one or more other client devices that are each associated with one of the plurality of user accounts.

23\. (New) The system of claim 22, the operations further comprising:receiving, from the first client device, the data encryption key encrypted based on a key encryption key, wherein the key encryption key is not accessible to the first server;
and providing the encrypted data encryption key to the one or more other client devices.

24\. (New) The system of claim 22, wherein the key encryption key is provided by the second server that is not in communication with the first server and is in communication with the first client device and the one or more other client devices.

25\. (New) The system of claim 22, the operations further comprising:configuring a second user account from the plurality of user accounts of collaborators to coordinate with the first server for collaborative editing of the document,

wherein a second client device associated with the second user account is to combine edits to the document made by the collaborators in a chronological order and generate encrypted data based on the combined edits.

26\. (New) The system of claim 25, wherein:the determining of the plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document comprises determining that the first user account corresponds to a user account other than the second user account; and
the providing of the encrypted data comprises providing the encrypted edit to the second client device that is associated with the second user account, the second client device being one of the one or more other client devices.

27\. (New) The system of claim 25, wherein:the determining of the plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document comprises determining that the first user account corresponds to the second user account;
and the providing of the first encrypted data comprises providing the encrypted edit to the one or more other client devices that are each associated with one of the plurality of user accounts other than the second user account, wherein the encrypted edit corresponds to the encrypted data.

28\. (New) The system of claim 24, wherein the first client device is to perform operations comprising:generating the data encryption key;
encrypting the edit based on the data encryption key;
obtaining the encrypted data encryption key based on encryption of the data encryption key using the key encryption key provided by the second server; and
providing the encrypted edit with the encrypted data encryption key to the first server.

OFFICE ACTION:
DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA  or AIA  Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment filed 17 April 2024 cancels claims 8-14 and adds claims 22-28. Applicant’s amendment has been fully considered and entered.
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on 17 April 2024 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of U.S. Patent No. 11,604,898 has been reviewed and is accepted.  The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
Response to Arguments
Applicant argues on page 9 of the response, “Without admitting the double patenting rejection is correct on the merits, and merely to facilitate prosecution, a terminal disclaimer has been submitted herein. Accordingly, applicant respectfully requests that the rejection be withdrawn.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7, 15-28 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
This communication warrants No Examiner's Reason for Allowance, applicant's reply (4/17/2024) makes evident the reasons for allowance, satisfying the “record as a whole” proviso of the rule 37 CFR 1.104(e). Specifically, Applicant’s arguments filed on 17 April 2024, with respect to the response, are persuasive, as such the reasons for allowance are in all probability evident from the record and no statement is deemed necessary (see MPEP 1302.14).
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS
Applicant respectfully requests reconsideration of this application as amended and in view of the following remarks.
Summary of the Office Action
Claims 1-21 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as allegedly being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 11,604,898.
Claims 10-11 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) as allegedly being
indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which Applicant regards as the invention.
Claims 8 and 12 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as allegedly being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0115332 to Crosbie et al. (hereinafter "Crosbie").
Status of the Claims
Claims 1-21 are pending. No claim(s) are currently amended. Claims 8-14 are canceled without prejudice. Claims 22-28 are added. Claims 22-28 are system claims corresponding to method claims 1-7 and computer readable storage medium claims 15- 21. No new matter has been added as a result of these amendments.
Summary of Examiner Interview
Applicant thanks the Examiner for the telephonic interview conducted between the Examiner and Applicant's representative on March 26, 2024. Proposed amendments of claim 8 were discussed in view of the cited reference. No agreement was reached regarding allowability of claim 8.
Allowed & Allowable Sub
j
ect Matter
The Examiner indicates that claims 9-11 and 13-14 would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the features of the base claim and any
intervening claims. Applicant appreciates the Examiner's indication of the allowed and/or allowable subject matter.
Response to Double Patenting Re
j
ection
Claims 1-21 stand rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 11,604,898. Without admitting the double patenting rejection is correct on the merits, and merely to facilitate prosecution, a terminal disclaimer has been submitted herein. Accordingly, applicant respectfully requests that the rejection be withdrawn.
Response to Rejections under 35 U.S.C.
§
112(b)
The Office Action rejects claims 10-11 under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) as allegedly
being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which Applicant regards as the invention. In particular, the Office Action states:
Claim 10 recites the limitation" the key encryption key" in line 6. There is
insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner notes that it is believed claim 10 was intended to depend from claim 9 instead of claim 8, which would solve the antecedent basis issue since claim 9 includes the recitation of "a
key encryption key" in line 5.
Claim 11 is rejected based upon being dependent to claim 10.
Claims 10-11 are canceled without prejudice. Accordingly, the rejection of claims 10-11 under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) is moot.
Response to Rejections under 35 U.S.C.
§
102(a)(1)
Claims 8 and 12 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as allegedly being anticipated by Crosbie in view of IDS.
Claims 8 and 12 are canceled without prejudice. Thus, the rejection of claims 8 and 12 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) is moot.
It is respectfully submitted that the rejections and objections have been overcome in view of the amendments and remarks set forth herein.
In the above discussion of the allowability of the claims, and particularly but not exclusively in the above discussion of the allowability of the dependent claims based on the allowability of the respective base claims, discussion of other arguments for allowability of the claims has been omitted in the interest of brevity and clarity. Should a further Official Action issue rejecting one or more claims, Applicant reserves the right to present further arguments.
If the Examiner believes a telephone interview would expedite the prosecution of this application, the Examiner is invited to contact the undersigned at (650) 433-5720.
If there are any additional charges, please charge them to Deposit Account No.: 50-1358.
Respectfully submitted,


CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref US11604898: Claims:
1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a first server of a cloud-based storage system, first encrypted data from a first client device, wherein the cloud-based storage system stores a plurality of documents in an encrypted form;
determining, at the first server, which document of the plurality of documents stored in the encrypted form is associated with the first encrypted data, wherein the first encrypted data includes an encrypted edit to a portion of the document stored in the encrypted form and a data encryption key encrypted by a second server for transmission to the first server, wherein the first server is unable to decrypt both the document in the encrypted form and the first encrypted data, and wherein the data encryption key is used by the first client device to produce the encrypted edit;
determining, at the first server, a plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document, the plurality of user accounts comprising a first user account associated with the first client device; and
providing, by the first server, the first encrypted data to one or more other client devices that are each associated with one of the plurality of user accounts, excluding the first user account.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein
the data encryption key is encrypted based on a key encryption key, wherein the key encryption key is not accessible to the first server.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the key encryption key is provided by the second server not connected to the first server and connected to the first client device and the one or more other client devices.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
configuring a second user account from the plurality of user accounts of collaborators to coordinate with the first server for collaborative editing of the document, wherein a second client device associated with the second user account is to combine edits to the document made by the collaborators in a chronological order and generate second encrypted data based on the combined edits.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein:
the determining of the plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document comprises determining that the first user account corresponds to a user account other than the second user account; and
the providing of the first encrypted data comprises providing the first encrypted data to the second client device that is associated with the second user account, the second client device being one of the one or more other client devices.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein:
the determining of the plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document comprises determining that the first user account corresponds to the second user account; and
the providing of the first encrypted data comprises providing the first encrypted data to the one or more other client devices that are each associated with one of the plurality of user accounts other than the second user account, wherein the first encrypted data corresponds to the second encrypted data.
7. The method of claim 3, wherein the first client device is to perform operations comprising:
generating the data encryption key;
encrypting the edit based on the data encryption key;
providing the data encryption key to the second server;
obtaining the encrypted data encryption key based on encryption of the data encryption key using the key encryption key provided by the second server; and
combining the encrypted edit with the encrypted data encryption key to generate the first encrypted data.
8. A cloud-based storage system comprising:
a memory; and
a processing device operatively coupled to the memory, the processing device to:
receive, at a first server of a cloud-based storage system, first encrypted data from a first client device, wherein the cloud-based storage system stores a plurality of documents in an encrypted form;
determine, at the first server, which document of the plurality of documents stored in the encrypted form is associated with the first encrypted data wherein the first encrypted data includes an encrypted edit to a portion of the document stored in the encrypted form and a data encryption key encrypted by a second server for transmission to the first server, wherein the first server is unable to decrypt both the document in the encrypted form and the first encrypted data, and wherein the data encryption key is used by the first client device to produce the encrypted edit;
determine, at the first server, a plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document, the plurality of user accounts comprising a first user account associated with the first client device; and
provide, by the first server, the first encrypted data to one or more other client devices that are each associated with one of the plurality of user accounts, excluding the first user account.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein
the data encryption key is encrypted based on a key encryption key, wherein the key encryption key is not accessible to the cloud-based storage system and wherein the key encryption key is provided by the second server not connected to the cloud-based storage system and connected to the first client device and the one or more other client devices.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing device is to further:
configure a second user account from the plurality of user accounts of collaborators to coordinate with the processing device for collaborative editing of the document, wherein a second client device associated with the second user account is to combine edits to the document made by the collaborators in a chronological order and generate second encrypted data based on the combined edits.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein to provide the first encrypted data, the processing device is to:
responsive to determining that the first user account corresponds to a user account other than the second user account, provide the first encrypted data to the second client device that is associated with the second user account, the second client device being one of the one or more other client devices; and
responsive to determining that the first user account corresponds to the second user account, provide the first encrypted data to the one or more other client devices that are each associated with one of the plurality of user accounts other than the second user account, wherein the first encrypted data corresponds to the second encrypted data.
12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first client device is to perform operations comprising:
generating the data encryption key;
encrypting the edit based on the data encryption key;
providing the data encryption key to the second server;
obtaining the encrypted data encryption key based on encryption of the data encryption key using the key encryption key provided by the second server; and
combining the encrypted edit with the encrypted data encryption key to generate the first encrypted data.
13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for a server that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:
receive, at a first server of a cloud-based storage system, first encrypted data from a first client device, wherein the cloud-based storage system stores a plurality of documents in an encrypted form;
determine, at the first server, which document of the plurality of documents stored in the encrypted form is associated with the first encrypted data, wherein the first encrypted data includes an encrypted edit to a portion of the document stored in the encrypted form and a data encryption key encrypted by a second server for transmission to the first server, wherein the first server is unable to decrypt both the document in the encrypted form and the first encrypted data, and wherein the data encryption key is used by the first client device to produce the encrypted edit;
determine, at the first server, a plurality of user accounts of collaborators of the document, the plurality of user accounts comprising a first user account associated with the first client device; and
provide, by the first server, the first encrypted data to one or more other client devices that are each associated with one of the plurality of user accounts, excluding the first user account.
14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein
the data encryption key is encrypted based on a key encryption key, wherein the key encryption key is not accessible to the first server and wherein the key encryption key is provided by the second server not connected to the first server and connected to the first client device and the one or more other client devices.
15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, the processing device is to further:
configure a second user account from the plurality of user accounts of collaborators to coordinate with the server for collaborative editing of the document, wherein a second client device associated with the second user account is to combine edits to the document made by the collaborators in a chronological order and generate second encrypted data based on the combined edits;
responsive to determining that the first user account corresponds to a user account other than the second user account, provide the first encrypted data to the second client device that is associated with the second user account, the second client device being one of the one or more other client devices; and
responsive to determining that the first user account corresponds to the second user account, provide the first encrypted data to the one or more other client devices that are each associated with one of the plurality of user accounts other than the second user account, wherein the first encrypted data corresponds to the second encrypted data.
16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first client device is to perform operations comprising:
generating the data encryption key;
encrypting the edit based on the data encryption key;
providing the data encryption key to the second server;
obtaining the encrypted data encryption key based on encryption of the data encryption key using the key encryption key provided by the second server; and
combining the encrypted edit with the encrypted data encryption key to generate the first encrypted data.
17. A method comprising:
providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for online collaborative editing of a document in association with a first server of a cloud-based storage system, wherein the cloud-based storage system stores, in an encrypted form, a plurality of documents including the document;
receiving an edit to a portion of the document via the GUI;
generating encrypted data representing the edit to the portion of the document, wherein the encrypted data includes the edit to the portion of the document that is encrypted based on a data encryption key, and the data encryption key that is encrypted by a second server based on a key encryption key for transmission to the first server; and
providing the encrypted data to the first server that is unable to decrypt (i) the document in the encrypted form, (ii) the encrypted edit to the portion of the document and (iii) the encrypted data encryption key.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the generating of the encrypted data comprising:
generating the data encryption key;
encrypting the edit based on the data encryption key;
providing the data encryption key to the second server;
obtaining the encrypted data encryption key generated based on encryption of the data encryption key using the key encryption key; and
combining the encrypted edit with the encrypted data encryption key to generate the encrypted data.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
receiving second encrypted data from the first server of the cloud-based storage system, the second encrypted data representing a second edit to the portion of the document made by a collaborator of the document, wherein the second encrypted data includes the second edit encrypted based on a second data encryption key, and the second data encryption key encrypted based on the key encryption key;
obtaining the second edit from the second encrypted data by decrypting the encrypted second data encryption key using the key encryption key and decrypting the encrypted second edit using the decrypted second data encryption key; and
updating the document provided on the GUI based on the second edit.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
receiving third encrypted data from the first server of the cloud-based storage system, the third encrypted data representing a third edit to the portion of the document made by another collaborator of the document;
generating fourth encrypted data based on a combination of the second edit and the third edit in a chronological order; and
providing the fourth encrypted data to the first server of the cloud-based storage system.