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 Claims
Claims 1 and 5 are amended. Claims 3 and 4 are canceled. Claims 1, 2, and 5 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/29/2025 regarding 35 U.S.C. 101 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the amended limitation that “the management server is controlled to perform the point provision processing when the management server control unit receives the control signal from the time measurement unit even when the acceptance from the user has not been received since the leave-at-door delivery was completed" overcomes the 101 rejection. Examiner disagrees. The control signal is merely a communication to manage and coordinate the flow of data (in this case the acceptance or time of completion of the leave-at-door delivery and no acceptance from the customer), ensuring that all operations occur in the correct sequence and at the right time. This is a part of normal computing operations, not an improvement in computers or technology. The control signal is sent from the server control unit that is actually a part of the management server. These additional elements are computer components recited at a high-level of generality performing the above-mentioned limitations. The combination of the additional elements are no more than mere instructions to apply the judicial exception using a computer. Further, when viewed as an ordered combination, nothing in the claim adds significantly more (i.e., an inventive concept) to the abstract idea. The claims are not patent eligible.
The 35 U.S.C. 101 rejection is maintained.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 2, and 5 are objected to because of the following informalities: claims 1 and 5 recite the limitation “…the management server further is controlled to performs the point provision processing…”. The word “performs” should be “perform” instead. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 2 is objected due to its dependency on objected claim 1.
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 1, 2, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., an abstract idea) without significantly more.
Claims 1 and 2 recite a system (i.e., machine), and claim 5 recites a server (i.e., machine). Therefore claims 1, 2, and 5 fall within one of the four statutory categories of invention.
Independent claim 1 recites the limitations of a [user terminal] for designating leave-at-door delivery for a product to be delivered to a predetermined delivery destination location, the leave-at-door delivery being a delivery of the product at a delivery destination even when a recipient is absent; a [delivery terminal] into which inputs for indicating completion of the leave-at-door delivery are received; and a [management server] that communicates with the [user terminal] and the [delivery terminal] via [a network] and manages a progress status of the leave-at-door delivery, wherein [the user terminal] comprises [a user display unit] that displays a leave-at-door delivery designation [graphical user interface], the leave-at-door delivery designation [graphical user interface] including a [product order screen] in which deliverable products are listed with respective points corresponding to a part or the whole of the leave-at-door delivery fee or an amount obtained by adding a predetermined amount of money to the part or the whole of the leave-at-door delivery fee, and a [leave-at-door designation screen] having a leave-at-door delivery [request button] for requesting the leave-at-door delivery, and a [user control unit] that notifies the [management server] of information about the leave-at-door delivery when the leave-at-door delivery is designated on the leave-at-door [delivery designation screen], the [delivery terminal] comprises a [delivery display unit] that displays a leave-at-door delivery completion input [graphical user interface], the leave-at-door delivery completion input [graphical user interface] including a leave-at-door delivery [completion input screen] into which the completion of the leave-at-door delivery is inputted, a [delivery terminal control unit] that notifies the [management server] of the completion of the leave-at-door delivery when the completion of the leave-at-door delivery is inputted on the leave-at-door delivery [completion input screen] and a [sensor unit including a GPS sensor module] identifying a position of the [delivery terminal], the management server comprises a leave-at-door delivery [database] that stores information about the leave-at-door delivery and user information associated with a user of the [user terminal], and a [management server control unit] that registers a need for the leave-at-door delivery in the leave-at-door delivery [database] on condition that the information about the leave-at-door delivery is received from the [user terminal], and collects the leave-at-door delivery fee from the user, wherein the[ management server] receives and updates the position of the [delivery terminal] identified by the [GPS sensor module] of the [delivery terminal] and calculates an updated scheduled arrival time to notify the [user terminal] and the [delivery terminal], the [user display unit] receives an input in the leave-at-door delivery [designation screen] for ordering a product for delivery, upon receipt of the input in the leave-at-door delivery [designation screen], displays the leave-at-door delivery fee when the leave-at-door delivery is requested in the leave-at-door delivery [designation screen] by receiving an input on the leave-at-door [designation screen] having a leave-at-door delivery [request button], and displays a point provision notification for notifying that the points have been provided at least on condition that the leave-at-door delivery is completed, the [user terminal control unit] receives the order of the product with the designation of the leave-at-door delivery on the leave-at-door delivery [designation screen], and transmits order information containing the product for delivery and the designation of the leave-at-door delivery to the [management server] via the [network], the [delivery terminal control unit] receives an input of the completion of the leave-at-door delivery on the leave-at-door delivery [completion input screen], and transmits a notification to the [management server] of the completion of the leave-at-door delivery via the[ network], and the [management server control unit] registers the order information in the leave-at-door [database] at least on condition that the designation of the leave-at-door delivery is included in the received order information, and receives payment of the leave-at-door delivery fee from the [user terminal] via the [network], and performs point provision processing to provide the points to the user information stored in the leave-at-door [database] at least on condition that the notification of the completion of the leave-at-door delivery is received from the [delivery terminal] via the [network]; wherein the [management server] transmits the updated schedule arrival time and a leave-at-door delivery completion notification for notifying the [user terminal] of the completion of the leave-at-door delivery at least on condition that the completion of the leave-at-door delivery is received from the [delivery terminal], and timing from the time of the completion of the leave-at-door-delivery is started by a time measurement unit in the management server, the time measurement unit send a control signal to the management server control unit when a predetermined period from the time of the completion of the leave-at-door-delivery has elapsed, the [user terminal] receives, when the [user terminal] receives the leave-at-door delivery completion notification from the [delivery terminal] an input from the [user terminal] indicating that the user has accepted the leave-at-door delivery completion, notifies, when the input indicating the acceptance from the user, the [management server] performs the point provision processing when it receives the acceptance from the user, and the [management server] is controlled to performs the point provision processing when the [management server control unit] receives the control signal from the time measurement unit even when the acceptance from the user has not been received since the leave-at-door delivery was completed. The invention and claims are drawn to the delivery of packages when a recipient is not present at the delivery location, and the communications between the delivery and recipient regarding delivery and performing point provision corresponding to the delivery fee, and the claim recite limitations that correspond to certain methods of organizing human activity (managing personal interactions, or behavior, or relationships between people, business relations, and commercial interactions). The claim also recites limitations drawn to the observation and evaluation of data, such as designating leave-at-door delivery, and making a determination (judgment or opinion) based on the observed or evaluated data, and corresponds to mental processes (observation, evaluation, judgment, opinion). The claims recite an abstract idea.
Note: the features or elements in brackets in the above section are inserted for reading clarity, but are analyzed as additional elements under step 2A, Prong Two, and step 2B below.
The judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application merely because the claim recites the additional elements of: a user terminal comprising a display unit that displays a leave-at-door designation graphical user interface including a product order screen, a delivery terminal comprising a delivery display unit that displays a leave-at-door completion input graphical user interface including a leave-at-door delivery completion input screen, a management server, management server control unit, a user control unit, a delivery control unit that displays a leave-at-door delivery completion input graphical user interface including a leave-at-door delivery completion input screen, leave-at-door delivery database, a time measurement unit, a control signal, a leave-at-door designation screen, a network, sensor unit including a GPS sensor module, and any request buttons on the screens or graphical user interfaces. The additional elements are computer components recited at a high-level of generality performing the above-mentioned limitations. The combination of the additional elements are no more than mere instructions to apply the judicial exception using a computer. Further, the network, control signal, and GPS sensor also amounts to generally linking the judicial exception to a particular field of use. Moreover, the GPS sensor amounts to insignificant extra-solution activity, as the mere data gathering sensor is an activity that is incidental to the primary process. Accordingly, in combination, these additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is 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 elements amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a computer, and generally linking the judicial exception to a particular field of use. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer cannot provide an inventive concept. Further, the GPS sensor of the terminal to acquire position information amounts to well-understood, routine, and conventional activity (see Naqvi (20180288176) ¶0021 disclosing that many modern mobile phones contain GPS sensors today, and Horn (20140236449) ¶0117 disclosing that it is known that smart phones and navigation devices contain sensors such as GPS sensors). Thus, when viewed as an ordered combination, nothing in the claim adds significantly more (i.e., an inventive concept) to the abstract idea. The claim is not patent eligible.
Dependent claim 2 recites the limitations of the deliverer displaying when the leave-at-door delivery at the predetermined location cannot be made, inputting the unavailability of leave-at-door delivery, the deliverer notifying when the unavailability of leave-at-door delivery has been inputted, and registering, when it receives the unavailability of leave-at-door delivery, the unavailability of leave-at-door delivery, together with area information of the delivery destination, and performing refund processing for refunding the leave-at-door delivery fee to the user. The claim recites limitations that are further directed to the abstract idea analyzed above. The claim also recites the additional elements of the delivery display unit displaying a delivery unavailable input screen, the delivery control unit, the management server, the leave-at-door delivery database, and the management server control unit. The additional elements are computer components recited at a high-level of generality performing the above-mentioned limitations. The combination of the additional elements are no more than mere instructions to apply the judicial exception using a computer. Accordingly, in combination, these additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. Further, when viewed as an ordered combination, nothing in the claim adds significantly more (i.e., an inventive concept) to the abstract idea. The claim is not patent eligible.
Independent claim 5 recites the limitations of a [management server] that communicates with a [user terminal] for designating leave-at-door delivery for delivering a delivery to a predetermined location at a delivery destination even when a recipient is absent and a [delivery terminal] into which a delivery person inputs the completion of the leave-at-door delivery via a [network] and manages a progress status of the leave-at-door delivery, the [management server] comprising a leave-at-door delivery [database] that stores information about the leave-at-door delivery and user information associated with a user of the [user terminal], and a [management server control unit] that registers a need for the leave-at-door delivery in the leave-at-door delivery [database] on condition that information about the leave-at-door delivery is received from the [user terminal], and collects a leave-at-door delivery fee from the user, wherein the [management server] receives and updates the position of the [delivery terminal] identified by a [GPS sensor module of the delivery terminal] and calculates an updated scheduled arrival time to notify the [user terminal] and the [delivery terminal], wherein the [management server control unit] receives order information from the [user terminal] via the [network], the order information including information of a product for delivery and designation of the leave-at-door delivery that is designated by receiving an input in a leave-at-door delivery designation [graphical user interface] displayed on the [user terminal], registers the order information in the leave-at-door [database] at least on condition that the designation of the leave-at-door delivery is included in the received order information, and receiving payment of a leave-at-door delivery fee from the [user terminal] via the [network], and performs point provision processing to provide points corresponding to a part or the whole of the leave-at-door delivery fee or an amount obtained by adding a predetermined amount of money to the part or the whole of the leave-at-door delivery fee to the user information stored in the leave-at-door [database] at least on condition that the notification of the completion of the leave-at-door delivery is received from the [delivery terminal] via the [network]; wherein the [management server] transmits the updated schedule arrival time and a leave-at-door delivery completion notification for notifying the [user terminal] of the completion of the leave-at-door delivery at least on condition that the completion of the leave-at-door delivery is received from the [company terminal], the [user terminal] receives, when the [user terminal] receives the leave-at-door delivery completion notification from the [delivery terminal], and timing from the time of the completion of the leave-at-door delivery is started by a time measurement unit in the management server, the time measurement unit send a control signal to the management server control unit when a predetermined period from the time of the completion of the leave-at-door-delivery has elapsed, the [user terminal] receives, when the [user terminal] receives the leave-at-door delivery completion notification from the [delivery terminal], the leave-at-door delivery completion notification and input from the [user terminal] indicating that the user has accepted the leave-at-door delivery completion, notifies, when the input indicating the acceptance from the user, the [management server] of the acceptance from the user, the management server performs the point provision processing when it receives the acceptance from the user, and the [management server] is controlled to performs the point provision processing when the [management server control unit] receives the control signal from the time measurement unit even when the acceptance from the user has not been received since the leave-at-door delivery was completed.
Note: the features or elements in brackets in the above section are inserted for reading clarity, but are analyzed as additional elements under step 2A, Prong Two, and step 2B below.
The judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application merely because the claim recites the additional elements of: a user terminal, a company terminal, a management server, leave-at-door delivery database, a management server control unit, a time measurement unit, a network, and a GPS sensor module. The additional elements are computer components recited at a high-level of generality performing the above-mentioned limitations. The combination of the additional elements are no more than mere instructions to apply the judicial exception using a computer. Further, the network and GPS sensor also amounts to generally linking the judicial exception to a particular field of use. Moreover, the GPS sensor amounts to insignificant extra-solution activity, as the mere data gathering sensor is an activity that is incidental to the primary process. Accordingly, in combination, these additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is 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 elements amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a computer, and generally linking the judicial exception to a particular field of use. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer cannot provide an inventive concept. Further, the GPS sensor of the terminal to acquire position information amounts to well-understood, routine, and conventional activity (see Naqvi (20180288176) ¶0021 disclosing that many modern mobile phones contain GPS sensors today, and Horn (20140236449) ¶0117 disclosing that it is known that smart phones and navigation devices contain sensors such as GPS sensors). Thus, when viewed as an ordered combination, nothing in the claim adds significantly more (i.e., an inventive concept) to the abstract idea. The claim is not patent eligible.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 2, and 5 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 101, set forth in this Office action.
The closest patent(s) or patent application(s) prior art references found that are relevant to the applicant’s invention are Silverman (2020/0160264) and Kanaoka (2019/0220803). Silverman discloses the various terminals (user, company) that are in communication with each other to provide delivery information regarding a leave-at-door delivery designation, managing a progress status of the leave-at-door delivery, and transmitting the necessary notification regarding completion of the leave-at-door delivery. Kanaoka discloses the concept of using points and/or provisioning points to use to pay the delivery fee. Neither reference, individually nor in combination, discloses the limitations that the management server performs the point provision processing when it receives the acceptance from the user, and the management server is controlled to performs the point provision processing when the management server control unit receives the control signal from the time measurement unit even when the acceptance from the user has not been received since the leave-at-door delivery was completed. The claims overcome the prior art.
The closest non-patent literature prior art reference found that is relevant to the applicant’s invention is a U.S. News publication titled “5 Food Delivery Services With No-Contact Delivery” (Bratcher, 2020) which discloses leave-at-door delivery in the food delivery area where users can indicate their preference for no contact delivery in the app, the deliverer will leave the order at their door. The reference, however, does not disclose or suggest the limitations that the management server performs the point provision processing when it receives the acceptance from the user, and the management server is controlled to performs the point provision processing when the management server control unit receives the control signal from the time measurement unit even when the acceptance from the user has not been received since the leave-at-door delivery was completed. The claims overcome the prior art.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIONE N SIMPSON whose telephone number is (571)272-5513. The examiner can normally be reached M-F; 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m..
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DIONE N. SIMPSON
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3628
/DIONE N. SIMPSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3628