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 .
Status of the Application
This action is in response to the Request for Continued Examination filed January 2, 2025. Claim 14, 16-18 and 20 are canceled. Claim 21 is amended. Claims 3-13 and 21 are pending and have been examined in this application.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/2/2025 has been entered.
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) is acknowledged. Applicant has not complied with one or more conditions for receiving the benefit of an earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. 120 as follows:
The later-filed application must be an application for a patent for an invention which is also disclosed in the prior application (the parent or original nonprovisional application or provisional application). The disclosure of the invention in the parent application and in the later-filed application must be sufficient to comply with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, except for the best mode requirement. See Transco Products, Inc. v. Performance Contracting, Inc., 38 F.3d 551, 32 USPQ2d 1077 (Fed. Cir. 1994).
The disclosure of the prior-filed application, Application No. 62/823,801, fails to provide adequate support or enablement in the manner provided by 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph for one or more claims of this application. Application No. 62/823,801 at least does not disclose, the server configured to: utilize the query engine to query the guest information database using the identification of the guest to determine a particular grouping associated with the guest; determine the particular assigned room of the guest and the identified particular communication terminal; configure the particular communication terminal to load and display customized content based on the particular grouping of the guest; the guest information database configured to: receive a query from the query engine requesting the particular grouping of the guest; utilize the identification of the guest to determine the particular grouping of the guest selected from a plurality of different loyalty tier groupings associated with the hotel; and provide the query engine with the particular grouping of the guest; the query engine configured to: utilize the identification of the guest to query the guest information database to determine the particular grouping of the guest; and receive the particular grouping of the guest selected from the plurality of different loyalty tier groupings associated with the hotel from the guest information database; and the plurality of communication terminals configured to store an interface template based on the particular grouping associated with the guest and use a selected interface template to generate an interactive interface comprising the customized content specific to the particular grouping associated with the guest in response to being configured by the server to load and display the customized content; and present the interactive interface comprising the customized content specific to the particular grouping associated with the guest on a corresponding GUI of the particular communication terminal.
Therefore, as the present application is a nonprovisional of the prior-filed application, Application No. 62/823,801; and the claims are not supported by the disclosure of the application, the current claims, 3-13 and 21 of present application do not receive priority to the filing date of Application No. 62/823,801.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 3-13 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
In Claim 21 the subject matter “the server configured to: identify a particular communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals that is associated with the particular assigned room by utilizing information received from the property management system,” is not described in the original disclosure. The specification states that the “identifying, by the server, a particular communication terminal of a plurality of communication terminals in communication with the server that is associated with the particular assigned room, wherein each of the communication terminals has a graphical user interface (GUI).” [p 4]. This does not describe that a particular communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals is identified by utilizing information received from the property management system. Accordingly, this is impermissible new matter. Claims 3-13 by being dependents of claim 21 are also rejected.
In Claim 21 the subject matter “the server configured to: configure the particular communication terminal to load and display customized content based on the particular grouping of the guest,” is not described in the original disclosure. The specification states that based “on inputs received, the hotel server may configure communication terminals throughout the hotel to load and display on-demand the content specifically targeted toward a guest accessing the communication terminal in their assigned room.” [p 8]. This does not describe that the server configures the particular communication terminal to load and display customized content based on the particular grouping of the guest. Accordingly, this is impermissible new matter.
The specification also, does not describe how the server is configured to configure the communication terminal. The claim does not satisfy the written description requirement if sufficient description of how the claimed function is to be performed are not disclosed by the specification. See MPEP 2161.01. Claims 3-13 by being dependents of claim 21 are also rejected.
In Claim 21 the subject matter “and the plurality of communication terminals configured to: … store an interface template based on the particular grouping associated with the guest and use a selected interface template to generate an interactive interface comprising the customized content specific to the particular grouping associated with the guest in response to being configured by the server to load and display the customized content,” is not described in the original disclosure. The specification states that based “on inputs received, the hotel server may configure communication terminals throughout the hotel to load and display on-demand the content specifically targeted toward a guest accessing the communication terminal in their assigned room.” [p 8]. This does not describe that an interface template to generate an interactive interface comprising the customized content specific to the particular grouping associated with the guest is selected in response to being configured by the server to load and display the customized content. Accordingly, this is impermissible new matter. Claims 3-13 by being dependents of claim 21 are also rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 3-13 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more.
Specifically, claims 3-13 and 21 are directed toward at least one judicial exception without significantly more. In accordance with the MPEP 2106, the rationale for this determination is explained below:
Representative claim 21 is directed towards a system, which is a statutory category of invention.
Although, claim 21 is directed toward a statutory category of invention, the claim however, is directed toward an abstract idea. The limitations that recite the abstract ideas are: load and display customized content based on the particular grouping of the guest; utilize the identification of the guest to determine the particular grouping of the guest selected from a plurality of different loyalty tier groupings associated with the hotel; utilize the identification of the guest to determine the particular grouping of the guest; associate with a particular assigned room of a plurality of hotel rooms of a hotel; and use a selected interface template to generate the customized content specific to the particular grouping associated with the guest in response to load and display the customized content; and present the customized content specific to the particular grouping associated with the guest. These limitations, comprise commercial interactions including advertising, marketing or sales activities, behaviors, and business relations; as well as managing personal behavior, including following rules or instructions. And are thus, directed towards the abstract grouping of Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity in prong one of step 2A of the Alice/Mayo test (see MPEP 2106.04(a)(2) II).
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because, when analyzed as a whole under prong two of step 2A of the Alice/Mayo test (see MPEP 2106.04(d)), the additional elements provided by the claim are recited at a high level of generality and amounts insignificant extra-solution activity and generally “applying” the abstract idea in a computer environment. In particular the claim recites the additional elements to receive registration information from the PMS when a guest checks into a hotel, the registration information including an identification of the guest and a particular assigned room of a plurality of hotel rooms; identify a particular communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals that is associated with the particular assigned room by utilizing information received from the property management system; utilize the query engine to query the guest information database using the identification of the guest to determine a particular grouping associated with the guest; determine the particular assigned room of the guest and the identified particular communication terminal; receive registration information from the guest when the guest checks into a hotel; provide the registration information of the guest to the server in real-time that indicates the particular assigned room of the plurality of hotel rooms; receive a query from the query engine requesting the particular grouping of the guest; and provide the query engine with the particular grouping of the guest; receive the particular grouping of the guest from the selected from the plurality of different loyalty tier groupings associated with the hotel guest information database; store an interface template based on the particular grouping associated with the guest, which amounts to necessary data gathering and obtaining particular type of data to be manipulated in implementing the judicial exception. See MPEP 2106.05(g).
While, the additional elements that generally recites: a server comprising a query engine; a guest information database; a property management system (PMS); and a plurality of communication terminals in communication with the server via a local area network (LAN), each of the communication terminals having a graphical user interface (GUI); the server configured to: configure the particular communication terminal to; the PMS configured to; the guest information database configured to; the query engine configured to, query the guest information database to; the plurality of communication terminals configured to, an interactive interface comprising, being configured by the server to; the interactive interface comprising, on a corresponding GUI of the particular communication terminal, are merely the use of a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea. See MPEP 2106.05(f). Simply adding insignificant extra-solution activities and merely applying the abstract idea by a generic computer is not a practical application of the abstract idea. The additional elements do not involve improvements to the functioning of a computer, or to any other technology or technical field (MPEP 2106.05(a)), the claims do not apply the abstract idea with, or by use of, a particular machine (MPEP 2106.05(b)), the claims do not effect a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing (MPEP 2106.05(c)), and the claims do not apply or use the abstract idea in some other meaningful way beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment, such that the claim as a whole is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception (MPEP 2106.05(e). Therefore, the claims do not, for example, purport to improve the functioning of a computer. Nor do they effect an improvement in any other technology or technical field. Accordingly, the additional elements do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea, and the claims are directed to an abstract idea.
The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional limitations amount to insignificant extra-solution activities and merely applying the abstract idea on a computer. Viewing the limitation individually, the receiving registration information when a guest checks into a hotel, the registration information including an identification of the guest and a particular assigned room of a plurality of hotel rooms; the identifying a particular communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals that is associated with the particular assigned room by utilizing information received; the querying the guest information database using the identification of the guest to determine a particular grouping associated with the guest; the determining the particular assigned room of the guest and the identified particular communication terminal; the receiving a query requesting the particular grouping of the guest; the providing the particular grouping of the guest; the receiving instructions to query the guest information database; the receiving the particular grouping of the guest from the guest information database; the providing the particular grouping of the guest; and the storing an interface template based on the particular grouping associated with the guest are used only for insignificant extra-solution activity because such activities are used for necessary data gathering and providing the data source or type of data, used to implement the aforementioned abstract concept, see MPEP 2106.05(g). The courts have recognized performing receiving, processing, and storing data; electronic recordkeeping; automating mental tasks and receiving or transmitting data over a network to be well‐understood, routine, and conventional functions when they are claimed in a merely generic manner or as insignificant extra-solution activity, as they are here. See MPEP 2106.05(d)II; Intellectual Ventures I v. Symantec Corp., 838 F.3d 1307, 1321, 120 USPQ2d 1353, 1362 (Fed. Cir. 2016); OIP Techs., Inc., v. Amazon.com, Inc., 788 F.3d 1359, 1363, 115 USPQ2d 1090, 1093 (Fed. Cir. 2015).
Moreover, the limitation generically referring to a server, query engine, database, property management system, communication terminals, graphical user interface, and interactive interface, also do not constitute significantly more because they are simply an attempt to limit the abstract idea to a particular technological environment1. Viewing the limitations as a combination, the claims merely instruct the practitioner to implement the abstract idea with a high-level of generality executing basic computer functions. Therefore, the limitations of the claim as a whole, when viewed individually and as an ordered combination, do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
A review of dependent claims 3-13, likewise, do not recite any limitations that would remedy the deficiencies outlined above as they do not add any elements which integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or constitute significantly more. While they may slightly narrow the abstract idea by further describing it, they do not make it less abstract and are rejected accordingly.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 3-6, 8-10, 12-13 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ratterman (US Publication 2005/0144642) in view of Gengarella (US Publication 2009/0313053) in further view of Inderrieden (US Patent 9310880).
Regarding Claim 21, Ratterman discloses a system comprising:
a server comprising a query engine; Ratterman [0008];
a guest information database; Ratterman [0029];
a property management system (PMS); Ratterman [0008];
and a plurality of communication terminals in communication with the server via a local area network (LAN), each of the communication terminals having a graphical user interface (GUI); Ratterman [0027: network system includes a plurality of thin clients located in guest rooms; central server and guest room clients are located on a private network; 0012: database of the web server is queried for a room corresponding to the web client identifier. A map depicting a route from the room to a nearest elevator and from the nearest elevator to the location is displayed to the customer on the web client];
the server configured to:
i) to receive registration information when a guest checks into the hotel, the registration information including an identification of the guest and a particular assigned room of the plurality of hotel rooms; Ratterman [0064: web server matches the room number of web client to the room number data element of the customer record obtained from the customer database of property management system server; other data elements that allow web server to associate web client with a customer can include but are not limited to a customer name, a customer identification number; 0066: web server includes a database that includes information collected from property management system server; the database of web server stores information on a hospitality service requested by a customer in a previous stay; information on a hospitality service requested by a customer in a previous stay is then accessed by the hospitality facility staff whenever the customer returns to the hospitality facility];
ii) identify a particular communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals that is associated with the particular assigned room by utilizing information received from the property management system; Ratterman [0064: if Web client is an in-room terminal or computer, the room number of Web client is known to Web server. Web server then matches the room number of Web client to the room number data element of the customer record obtained from the customer database of property management system];
iii) utilize the query engine to query the guest information database using the identification of the guest to determine a particular grouping associated with the guest; Ratterman [0076: code identifying a group of associated customers is received from the hospitality facility administrator; including but not limited to an affiliation code, a group code, a rate plan code, or a code for all checked-in customers of the hospitality facility; 0077: customer database of a property management system of the hospitality facility is queried for a list of customers whose records include the code];
iv) determine the particular assigned room of the guest and the identified particular communication terminal; Ratterman [0027: network system includes a plurality of thin clients located in guest rooms; 0043: virtually all hotel services are accessible via the in-room interactive communication system;];
v) and configure the particular communication terminal to load and display customized content based on the particular grouping of the guest; Ratterman [0067: advertisement server is connected to web server and provides advertisements targeted (customized) to customers; hospitality facility can send advertisements to all customers who have an affiliation code for company XYZ and a group code that represents the northeast region salespeople];
the PMS configured to:
ii) provide the registration information of the guest to the server in real-time that indicates the particular assigned room of the plurality of hotel rooms; Ratterman [0058: property management system is used to assign rooms to customers; information is sent to a customer from web server based on information stored in the customer database of property management system];
the guest information database configured to:
i) receive a query from the query engine requesting the particular grouping of the guest; Ratterman [0076: code identifying a group of associated customers is received; 0077: customer database of a property management system of the hospitality facility is queried for a list of customers whose records include the code];
and iii) provide the query engine with the particular grouping of the guest; Ratterman [0009: message containing a code identifying a group of associated customers is received from the hospitality facility administrator. A customer database of a property management system of the hospitality facility is queried for a list of customers whose records include the code];
the query engine configured to:
i) utilize the identification of the guest to query the guest information database to determine the particular grouping of the guest; Ratterman [0076: code identifying a group of associated customers is received from the hospitality facility administrator; including but not limited to an affiliation code, a group code, a rate plan code, or a code for all checked-in customers of the hospitality facility; 0077: customer database of a property management system of the hospitality facility is queried for a list of customers whose records include the code];
and the plurality of communication terminals configured to:
i) associate with a particular assigned room of a plurality of hotel rooms of a hotel; Ratterman [0008: server also associates the customer with a customer record from the customer database of the property management system server; 0027: network system includes a plurality of thin clients located in guest rooms
and iii) present the interactive interface comprising the customized content specific to the particular grouping associated with the guest on a corresponding GUI of the particular communication terminal; Ratterman [0067: advertisement server is connected to web server and provides advertisements targeted (customized) to customers; hospitality facility can send advertisements to all customers who have an affiliation code for company XYZ and a group code that represents the northeast region salespeople];
Ratterman does not specifically disclose, the PMS configured to:
i) receive the registration information from the guest when the guest checks into the hotel; this is disclosed by Gengarella [0067: imports at least some of the following data from the PMS for each reservation; 0069: PMS Guest ID Number; 0070: Title (Mr., Mrs.,); 0071: Name; 0100: check-in time; 0020: identify profiled and targeted guests across a collection of affiliated hotels and throughout the lifecycle of their hotel stay experience (pre-arrival, check-in, in-house, check-out, post check-out)];
Ratterman discloses the grouping associated with a hotel guest, but does not specifically disclose, the guest information database configured to:
ii) utilize the identification of the guest to determine the particular grouping of the guest selected from a plurality of different loyalty tier groupings associated with the hotel; this is disclosed by Gengarella [0178: system enables customizable Tier Services; guest would be identified at each hotel for his/her tier standing; application will identify HHonors member and his or her tier (for example, Diamond, Gold, Silver); for example, all Diamond members are to receive five services and amenities (free upgrades to a suite, free !oca! phone calls, an amenity, free access to the fitness center, and a food and beverage coupon)];
the query engine configured to:
and iii) receive the particular grouping of the guest selected from the plurality of different loyalty tier groupings associated with the hotel from the guest information database; this is disclosed by Gengarella [0178: system enables customizable Tier Services; guest would be identified at each hotel for his/her tier standing; application will identify HHonors member and his or her tier (for example, Diamond, Gold, Silver); for example, all Diamond members are to receive five services and amenities (free upgrades to a suite, free !oca! phone calls, an amenity, free access to the fitness center, and a food and beverage coupon)];
it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the teachings of Ratterman with the teachings from Gengarella with the motivation to categorized guests into different tiers as a result of the total points accumulated over a specific period of time, which allows hotels to offer enhanced services or opportunities to guests by tier or status. Gengarella [0004];
Ratterman discloses the grouping associated with a hotel guest, but does not specifically disclose, ii) store an interface template based on the particular grouping associated with the guest and use a selected interface template to generate an interactive interface comprising the customized content specific to the particular grouping associated with the guest in response to being configured by the server to load and display the customized content. This is disclosed by Inderrieden [Col. 3 Ln. 40-47: determine group status, and other anonymous characteristics associated with a customer. Self-service application uses this classification information to choose and tailor any of different templates, instructions, color contrast and schemes, and/or other user interface features from self-service application data; Claim 16: select a template among different templates for different sales transaction screens and screen content among different sales transaction screen content based upon the customer type, and to provide selected sales transaction screens based upon selected templates; Col. 3 Ln. 21-22: self-service computer located at a hotel].
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the teachings of Ratterman with the teachings from Inderrieden with the motivation to provide an application that can choose and display different templates based upon environmental information and rules with user interface features tailored to a customer]. Inderrieden [Col. 2 Ln. 35-40].
B. In regards to Claim 3, Ratterman does not specifically disclose, wherein customized content specific to the plurality of different loyalty tier groupings comprises respective reward offers for each of the plurality of different loyalty tier groupings. This is disclosed by Gengarella [0178: tier services allow the hotels or hotel companies to define specific recognition, services, amenities or other offerings to be provided for members of the hotel chain's frequent guest program]. The motivation being the same as stated in claim 1.
C. In regards to Claims 4 and 20, Ratterman discloses, wherein querying the guest information database using the identification of the guest determines a plurality of groupings associated with the guest; Ratterman [0076: code identifying a group of associated customers is received; 0077: customer database of a property management system of the hospitality facility is queried for a list of customers whose records include the code];
wherein one of either the server or the particular communication terminal is configured to store an interactive interface incorporating customized content specific to each of the plurality of groupings associated with the guest; Ratterman [0019: targeting at least one banner advertisement to a group of associated customers of a hospitality facility using a web server of a customer computer system of the hospitality facility; 0065: another name for this targeting of information is personalization];
and wherein the particular communication terminal is configured to present the interactive interface incorporating customized content specific to each of the plurality of groupings associated with the guest on the corresponding GUI of the particular communication terminal. Ratterman [0049: organizers can push information to entire groups of attendees of meetings or send information to predetermined sub-groups of the groups of attendees. For example, there may be separate side meetings planned for eastern and western divisions of a sales force that is attending a common meeting. In such a case, the in-room interactive communication system can send emails (or other message types) and provide program information to those guests respectively associated with the eastern and western divisions].
D. In regards to Claim 5, Ratterman discloses, wherein the customized content comprises one or both of formatting and information. Ratterman [0065: using web server allows a hospitality facility to target information sent to the customer. Another name for this targeting of information is personalization].
E. In regards to Claim 6, Ratterman discloses, wherein querying the guest information database using the identification of the guest determines that there are no groupings associated with the guest; Ratterman [0041: as individua! guests interact with the system, selections and preferences are preferably recorded and stored in records associated with that guest; e.g. the system could be used to determine which guests have not made arrangements for dinner and suggest a restaurant according to preferences];
wherein one of either the server or the particular communication terminal is configured to store an interactive interface comprising general content for guests with no associated groupings; Ratterman [0042: in-room interactive communication system provides hotel guests with improved touch-of-a-button connectivity];
and wherein the particular communication terminal is configured to present the interactive interface comprising general content on the corresponding GUI of the particular communication terminal. Ratterman [0043: housekeeping and bell service requests can be made via an in-room computer, without having to dial a front desk of the hotel].
F. In regards to Claims 8 and 17, Ratterman discloses, wherein the server is configured to identify a mobile device associated with the guest, and to configure a mobile application of the mobile device to mirror the particular communication terminal while the guest is staying at the hotel. Ratterman [0051: personalized information can be pushed to a hotel guest via a wireless connection; a guest's own personal digital assistant (PDA), or one issued by the hotel, can be used to wirelessly receive personalized information sent to the guest. Through this wireless connection, the guest may also, for example, request hotel services, or receive personalized map directions. In a similar fashion, a guest's laptop computer could be configured to receive the same wireless communications that are directed to the PDAs].
G. In regards to Claim 9, Ratterman discloses, wherein the particular grouping associated with the guest further comprises a particular sub-grouping associated with the guest,
and wherein the customized content comprises formatting based on the particular grouping associated with the guest and information based on the particular sub-grouping associated with the guest. Ratterman [0029: allows various associations of participants to groups, sub-groups; 0028: push relevant information to subgroups of participants].
H. In regards to Claim 10, Ratterman does not specifically disclose, wherein the particular grouping associated with the guest is based on whether the guest is a participant in a member rewards program associated with the hotel, and wherein the particular sub-grouping associated with the guest is selected from a plurality of different loyalty tier groupings associated with the member rewards program. This is disclosed by Gengarella [0004: guests who register for the frequent guest program are provided with a unique identification number and associated customer account. For guests who supply a frequent guest identification number in their reservation, hotels forward stay data, such as nights stayed in the hotel and total dollars spent, to a central system to credit the guest's account with the appropriate points. These points can be exchanged for products and services as well as hotel accommodations and airline tickets. Guests are categorized into different tiers as a result of the total points accumulated over a specific period of time; 0178: application will identify the member and his or her tier to deliver the tier services and amenities; 0244: after a defined number of stays a guest may receive certain amenity for all future stays as a reward or an upgrade in status]. The motivation being the same as stated in claim 1.
I. In regards to Claim 12, Ratterman does not specifically disclose, wherein the particular grouping associated with the guest is selected from a plurality of different groupings associated with one or more of the hotel, a parent company of the hotel, and one or more third-party entities, and wherein the guest information database queried comprises a hotel database, a parent company database, and a third-party database, respectively. This is disclosed by Gengarella [0019: develop extensive guest profiles through information offered directly by the guest, from knowledge acquired about the guest by hotel and corporate staffs and through systems which record the guest activities; 0022: GRMS provides the local hotels and corporate hotel groups the capability to access and manipulate the central GRMS database of guest profiles to analyze guest activity, trends, contributions, communications and requests. The GRMS communication module systematically produces personalized communications with targeted guests utilizing information from the guest's reservation and profile at each stage of the guest's stay experience].
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the teachings of Ratterman with the teachings from Gengarella with the motivation to provide an automated system capable of identifying profiled guests and manipulating reservation and associated guest profile information to produce and distribute a useful output to enable on-property fulfillment of guest preferences and the delivery of personalized services. Gengarella [0007].
J. In regards to Claim 13, Ratterman does not specifically disclose, wherein the customized content is populated from one or more of the hotel, a parent company of the hotel, and one or more third-party entities. This is disclosed by Gengarella [0021: the application provides several manners in which stored guest profiles can be updated, edited, or manipulated by the hotel staff, by the corporate staff, by the import of new or updated data from hotel or corporate systems, by the GRMS itself, and by the guest; provides the capability to manage the solicitation of targeted guests]. The motivation being the same as stated in claim 12.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ratterman (US Publication 2005/0144642) in view of Gengarella (US Publication 2009/0313053) in further view of Inderrieden (US Patent 9310880) and Krajcev (US Publication 2014/0207500)
A. In regards to Claim 7, Ratterman discloses particular grouping associated with the guest by events, but does not specifically disclose, wherein the particular grouping associated with the guest is selected from a plurality of different language groupings, and wherein the interactive interface comprising customized content specific to the particular grouping associated with the guest comprises a corresponding base language. This is disclosed by Krajcev [0065: staff from previous events hosted by the hospitality program providers may be recruited to work for future events. Information such as language skills and particular knowledge in an area may be used to recruit skilled and experienced staff; 0082: storing guest, corporate and online guest information into the system with information ranging from languages spoken, passport number, among other things. Each profile may also indicate mobile device information including how to reach a guest mobile device and types of information to send to the mobile device].
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the teachings of Ratterman with the teachings from Krajcev with the motivation to enable communication with guests arriving for an international event by having staff that speaks their language. Krajcev [0049].
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ratterman (US Publication 2005/0144642) in view of Gengarella (US Publication 2009/0313053) in further view of Inderrieden (US Patent 9310880) and Ertel (US Publication 2004/0116115)
A. In regards to Claim 11, Ratterman does not specifically disclose, wherein the particular
communication terminal is configured to present the interactive interface comprising customized content specific to the particular grouping associated with the guest based on one of either a) referencing a particular boot block within a memory corresponding to the interactive interface s comprising customized content specific to the particular grouping associated with the guest, or b) real-time downloading of the interactive interface comprising customized content specific to the particular grouping associated with the guest. This is disclosed by Ertel [0008: cause the computer to download a thin client to the wireless device after authentication code has been recognized which generates an user interface display that includes a plurality of selectable options].
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the teachings of Ratterman with the teachings from Ertel with the motivation to provide communications coverage over all or a desired portion of a campus (i.e., a finite or controlled area within a building or the grounds) of an accommodations provider (e.g., a hotel, resort, cruise ship, etc.) and to provide guest services to guests of the accommodation provider. Ertel [0032].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's other filed arguments have been fully considered but have not been found persuasive.
A. Applicant argues regarding the 35 U.S.C. § 101 rejection that claim language is not of an abstract idea because the claim steps go beyond merely associating certain types of data and provide a technique for how, when, and why certain pieces of data are accessed by particular components of the claimed system, for example, a query engine, a guest information database and a property management system (PMS) to achieve delivery of real-time, on-demand, customized content. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Delivery of real-time, on-demand, customized content, is an abstract idea in and of itself, directed to Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity, see 101 analysis. How, when and why particular components are used to access data does not integrate the abstract ideas into a practical application. The additional elements claimed, for example, query engine, guest information database and property management system do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they only provide computer components, as tools, to merely implement the abstract idea. As such, the claims are directed to an abstract idea.
Applicant submits that the present claims are integrated into a practical application of the abstract idea because they “provide a process that provides a process for managing room-based hotel communication terminal content based on guest information.” The Examiner respectfully disagrees. The process of managing communication content between a hotel and its guest is an abstract idea and therefore, not an additional element that integrates the abstract idea into a practical application. Simply using a terminal to communicate, only uses the terminal/computer to apply the abstract idea. Additionally, the claims providing how and when to receive, store, and send particular types of data across particular devices, are directed to an abstract idea, and/or amount to insignificant extra-solution activities, applied through computer devices.
Based on the foregoing, the claims as a whole, in view of Alice, do not connote an improvement to another technology or technical field; the claims do not amount to an improvement to the functioning of a computer itself; and the claims do not move beyond a general link of the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, the 35 U.S.C. § 101 rejection is maintained.
Conclusion
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/E CARVALHO/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3622a
1 See, Alice Corp. Pty Ltd. v. CLS Bank lnt'l, 134 S. Ct. 2347, 2360 (2014) (noting that none of the hardware recited “offers a meaningful limitation beyond generally linking ‘the use of the [method] to a particular technological environment,’ that is, implementation via computers” (citing Bilski v. Kappos, 561 U.S. 593, 610-11 (2010))).