DETAILED ACTION
Status of the 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 11/26/2025 has been entered.
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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status
This action is a Non-Final Action on the merits in response to the application filed on 11/26/2025.
Claims 1, 4, 5, 7, 11, 13-15, 17, 19, and 20 have been amended.
Claims 1-20 remain pending in this application.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendments are acknowledged.
The 35 U.S.C. 101 rejections of claims in the previous office action are withdrawn in light of applicant’s amendments, however a new 101 rejections was added.
The 35 U.S.C. 103 rejections of claims in the previous office action are withdrawn in light of applicant’s amendments.
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 1-10 are directed towards a method, claims 11-16 are directed towards a computer-readable medium and claims 17-20 are directed towards a system, all of which are among the statutory categories of invention.
Step 1: This part of the eligibility analysis evaluates whether the claim falls within any statutory category. See MPEP 2106.03. The claim recites at least one step or act, including unifying a database. Thus, the claim is to a process, which is one of the statutory categories of invention. (Step 1: YES).
Step 2A, Prong One: This part of the eligibility analysis evaluates whether the claim recites a judicial exception. As explained in MPEP 2106.04, subsection II, a claim “recites” a judicial exception when the judicial exception is “set forth” or “described” in the claim.
With respect to claims 1-20, the independent claims (claims 1, 11, and 17) are directed to managing user experience, In independent claim 1, the bolded limitations emphasized below correspond to the abstract ideas of the claimed invention:
Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, from a plurality of data sources, a plurality of data sets indicating experience data associated with one or more accounts and organization data associated with the one or more accounts;
generating, utilizing the plurality of data sets, a unified database by reformatting at least a portion of the plurality of data sets;
generating an account prioritization score corresponding to an account utilizing the unified database that comprises experience data associated with the account and organization data associated with the account;
identifying a metric with a high contribution to the account prioritization score;
determining, based on the metric with the high contribution to the account prioritization score, a key factor for the account prioritization score from the experience data associated with the account and the organization data associated with the account;
generating an explanation of the key factor comprising text describing a relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score;
storing, in the unified database, the key factor, the account prioritization score, and the explanation of the key factor that comprises the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score;
providing, from the unified database and in response to a request from an administrator device, the account prioritization score and the explanation of the key factor via a graphical user interface that displays the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score.
these steps fall within the commercial interaction such as behaviors and business relations; managing personal behavior such as social activities and following rules or instructions (See MPEP 2106.04(a)(2), subsection II).
Regarding steps of:
receiving, from a plurality of data sources, a plurality of data sets indicating experience data associated with one or more accounts and organization data associated with the one or more accounts;
generating, utilizing the plurality of data sets, a unified database by reformatting at least a portion of the plurality of data sets;
generating an account prioritization score corresponding to an account utilizing the unified database that comprises experience data associated with the account and organization data associated with the account;
identifying a metric with a high contribution to the account prioritization score;
determining, based on the metric with the high contribution to the account prioritization score, a key factor for the account prioritization score from the experience data associated with the account and the organization data associated with the account;
generating an explanation of the key factor comprising text describing a relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score;
storing, in the unified database, the key factor, the account prioritization score, and the explanation of the key factor that comprises the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score;
providing, from the unified database and in response to a request from an administrator device, the account prioritization score and the explanation of the key factor via a graphical user interface that displays the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score.
The claim does not impose any limits on how the data is output or require any particular components that are used to output the data. (Step 2A, Prong One: YES).
Step 2A, Prong Two: This part of the eligibility analysis evaluates whether the claim as a whole integrates the recited judicial exception into a practical application of the exception or whether the claim is “directed to” the judicial exception. This evaluation is performed by (1) identifying whether there are any additional elements recited in the claim beyond the judicial exception, and (2) evaluating those additional elements individually and in combination to determine whether the claim as a whole integrates the exception into a practical application. See MPEP 2106.04(d). The claim recites the additional elements of database GUI, device, computer-readable storage medium, processor. The claims recite the steps are performed by the database GUI, device, computer-readable storage medium, processor.
The limitations of
receiving, from a plurality of data sources, a plurality of data sets indicating experience data associated with one or more accounts and organization data associated with the one or more accounts;
generating, utilizing the plurality of data sets, a unified database by reformatting at least a portion of the plurality of data sets;
generating an account prioritization score corresponding to an account utilizing the unified database that comprises experience data associated with the account and organization data associated with the account;
identifying a metric with a high contribution to the account prioritization score;
determining, based on the metric with the high contribution to the account prioritization score, a key factor for the account prioritization score from the experience data associated with the account and the organization data associated with the account;
generating an explanation of the key factor comprising text describing a relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score;
storing, in the unified database, the key factor, the account prioritization score, and the explanation of the key factor that comprises the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score;
providing, from the unified database and in response to a request from an administrator device, the account prioritization score and the explanation of the key factor via a graphical user interface that displays the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score.
are mere data gathering and output recited at a high level of generality, and thus are insignificant extra-solution activity. See MPEP 2106.05(g) (“whether the limitation is significant”). In addition, all uses of the recited judicial exceptions require such data gathering and output, and, as such, these limitations do not impose any meaningful limits on the claim. These limitations amount to necessary data gathering and outputting. See MPEP 2106.05.
Further, the limitations are recited as being performed by database GUI, device, computer-readable storage medium, processor. The database GUI, device, computer-readable storage medium, processor are recited at a high level of generality. In limitation (a), database is used as a tool to perform the generic computer function of receiving data. See MPEP 2106.05(f). The database is used to perform an abstract idea, as discussed above in Step 2A, Prong One, such that it amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer. See MPEP 2106.05(f).
Even when viewed in combination, these additional elements do not integrate the recited judicial exception into a practical application (Step 2A, Prong Two: NO), and the claim is directed to the judicial exception. (Step 2A: YES).
Step 2B: This part of the eligibility analysis evaluates whether the claim as a whole amounts to significantly more than the recited exception i.e., whether any additional element, or combination of additional elements, adds an inventive concept to the claim. See MPEP 2106.05. As explained with respect to Step 2A, Prong Two, the additional elements are the database GUI, device, computer-readable storage medium, processor. The additional elements were found to be insignificant extra-solution activity in Step 2A, Prong Two, because they were determined to be insignificant limitations as necessary data gathering and outputting.
However, a conclusion that an additional element is insignificant extra solution activity in Step 2A, Prong Two should be re-evaluated in Step 2B. See MPEP 2106.05, subsection I.A. At Step 2B, the evaluation of the insignificant extra-solution activity consideration takes into account whether or not the extra-solution activity is well understood, routine, and conventional in the field. See MPEP 2106.05(g). As discussed in Step 2A, Prong Two above, the recitations of
receiving, from a plurality of data sources, a plurality of data sets indicating experience data associated with one or more accounts and organization data associated with the one or more accounts;
generating, utilizing the plurality of data sets, a unified database by reformatting at least a portion of the plurality of data sets;
generating an account prioritization score corresponding to an account utilizing the unified database that comprises experience data associated with the account and organization data associated with the account;
identifying a metric with a high contribution to the account prioritization score;
determining, based on the metric with the high contribution to the account prioritization score, a key factor for the account prioritization score from the experience data associated with the account and the organization data associated with the account;
generating an explanation of the key factor comprising text describing a relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score;
storing, in the unified database, the key factor, the account prioritization score, and the explanation of the key factor that comprises the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score;
providing, from the unified database and in response to a request from an administrator device, the account prioritization score and the explanation of the key factor via a graphical user interface that displays the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score.
are recited at a high level of generality. These elements amount to transmitting data and are well understood, routine, conventional activity. See MPEP 2106.05(d), subsection II. 10 As discussed in Step 2A, Prong Two above, the recitation of a processor to perform limitations amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Even when considered in combination, these additional elements represent mere instructions to implement an abstract idea or other exception on a computer and insignificant extra-solution activity, which do not provide an inventive concept. (Step 2B: NO).
Dependent claims 2-10, 12-16, 18-20 are not directed to any additional claim elements. Rather, these claims offer further descriptive limitations of elements found in the independent claims. In this case, the claims are rejected for the same reasons at step 2a, prong one; step 2a, prong 2; and step 2b. Thus, the claim is not patent eligible.
Regarding the dependent claims, dependent claims 2, 3, 12, 18 recite GUI for displaying; claim 6 recites administrator device for modifying data; claim 15 recite a processor to determine a score; claim 16 recites a processor to determine a key factor. The dependent claims 2-10, 12-16, 18-20 recite limitations that are not technological in nature and merely limits the abstract idea to a particular environment. Claims 2-10, 12-16, 18-20 recites database GUI, device, computer-readable storage medium, processor which are considered an insignificant extra-solution activities of collecting and analyzing data; see MPEP 2106.05(g). Claims 2-10, 12-16, 18-20 recites database GUI, device, computer-readable storage medium, processor, which merely recites an instruction to apply the abstract idea using a generic computer component; MPEP 2106.05(f). Additionally, claims 2-10, 12-16, 18-20 recite steps that further narrow the abstract idea. No additional elements are disclosed in the dependent claims that were not considered in independent claims 1, 11, and 17. Therefore claims 2-10, 12-16, 18-20 do not provide meaningful limitations to transform the abstract idea into a patent eligible application of the abstract idea such that the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself.
Reasons for Removing the Prior Art Rejection
The rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 as to claims 1-20 are removed in light of Applicant's claims and remarks of 11/26/2025, which are deemed persuasive as to independent claim 1. The reasons for withdrawal of the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 can be found at the following claim limitations of 11/26/2025 at claim 1 as follows:
receiving, from a plurality of data sources, a plurality of data sets indicating experience data associated with one or more accounts and organization data associated with the one or more accounts;
generating, utilizing the plurality of data sets, a unified database by reformatting at least a portion of the plurality of data sets;
generating an account prioritization score corresponding to an account utilizing the unified database that comprises experience data associated with the account and organization data associated with the account;
identifying a metric with a high contribution to the account prioritization score;
determining, based on the metric with the high contribution to the account prioritization score, a key factor for the account prioritization score from the experience data associated with the account and the organization data associated with the account;
generating an explanation of the key factor comprising text describing a relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score;
storing, in the unified database, the key factor, the account prioritization score, and the explanation of the key factor that comprises the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score;
providing, from the unified database and in response to a request from an administrator device, the account prioritization score and the explanation of the key factor via a graphical user interface that displays the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score.
Applicant’s Remarks of 11/26/2025 at pg. 16 and 17 as follows:
“Gupta, whether considered singly or in combination with the other cited references, fails to describe, teach, or suggest each limitation recited by independent claims 1, 11, and 17. For example, Gupta, whether considered singly or in combination with the other cited references, fails to describe, teach, or suggest "generating an explanation of the key factor comprising text describing a relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score," as recited in amended independent claim 1.
Gupta discusses customer importance scores in analysis of satisfaction measures. See Gupta at [0087]. More specifically, Gupta discusses that "by incorporating all three scores, namely, (1) the internally reported customer satisfaction, (2) the externally obtained satisfaction figures and (3) the customer importance scores, the inventive method provides a framework for the analysis of various relationships." Id. at [0034]. Additionally, Gupta describes that "the external satisfaction scores 604 are then gathered (622) for customers that are classified (620) as critical" and "[s]cores are then grouped . . . to generate a matrix of cluster scores." Id. at [0124].
However, Gupta's discussion of a matrix of cluster scores fails to teach or suggest each of the features of amended independent claim 1. For example, no portion of Gupta teaches or suggests "generating an explanation of the key factor comprising text describing a relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score," much less "providing, from the unified database and in response to a request from an administrator device, the account prioritization score and the explanation of the key factor via a graphical user interface that displays the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score," as recited by amended independent claim 1.
Moreover, Gupta also fails to teach or suggest at least "receiving, from a plurality of data sources, a plurality of data sets indicating experience data associated with one or more accounts and organization data associated with the one or more accounts," "generating, utilizing the plurality of data sets, a unified database by reformatting at least a portion of the plurality of data sets," and "storing, in the unified database, the key factor, the account prioritization score, and the explanation of the key factor that comprises the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score," as recited by amended independent claim 1.”
This applies to independent claims 11 and 17 as these claims includes the same feature of claim 1.
Page 9 of 13
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 11/26/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant’s arguments will be addressed hereinbelow in the order in which they appear in the response filed 11/26/2025.
Regarding the 35 U.S.C. 101 rejection, at pg. 9-11 Applicant argues with respect to claims at issue are not directed to an abstract idea
In response to the 35 USC § 101 claim rejection argument, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. The Examiner did consider each claim and every limitation both individually and as a whole, since the grounds of rejection clearly indicates that an abstract idea has been identified from elements recited in the claims. Using the two-part analysis, the Office has determined there are no elements, in the claim sufficient enough to ensure that the claims amounts to significantly more than the abstract idea itself. As recited, the claims are directed towards:
receiving, from a plurality of data sources, a plurality of data sets indicating experience data associated with one or more accounts and organization data associated with the one or more accounts;
generating, utilizing the plurality of data sets, a unified database by reformatting at least a portion of the plurality of data sets;
generating an account prioritization score corresponding to an account utilizing the unified database that comprises experience data associated with the account and organization data associated with the account;
identifying a metric with a high contribution to the account prioritization score;
determining, based on the metric with the high contribution to the account prioritization score, a key factor for the account prioritization score from the experience data associated with the account and the organization data associated with the account;
generating an explanation of the key factor comprising text describing a relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score;
storing, in the unified database, the key factor, the account prioritization score, and the explanation of the key factor that comprises the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score;
providing, from the unified database and in response to a request from an administrator device, the account prioritization score and the explanation of the key factor via a graphical user interface that displays the text describing the relationship between the key factor and the account prioritization score.
The claim(s) does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the computer as recited is a generic computer component that performs functions.
Examiner finds the claim recite concepts which are now described in the 2019 PEG as certain methods of organizing human activity. In particular the claims recites limitations for managing user experience, which constitutes methods related to commercial interaction such as behaviors and business relations; managing personal behavior such as social activities and following rules or instructions which are still considered an abstract idea under the 2019 PEG. The computer processes are comprised of generic computer elements to perform an existing business process. Examiner finds the claims recite mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a computer and uses the computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea without reciting any improvements to a technology, technological process or computer-related technology.
Regarding, the steps at pg. 9-11 that Applicant points to as practical application are merely narrowing the abstract idea to a particular technological environment, which has been found to be ineffective to render an abstract idea eligible. Furthermore, the Examiner respectfully disagrees because the arguments of:
pg. 12“To illustrate, in one or more embodiments, the account prioritization system reformats various data from different systems and integrates the data into a single unified database utilizing timestamp data.”;
pg. 14“generating a unified database by reformatting data sets, generating and storing an explanation of a key factor for an account prioritization score in the unified database, and providing the explanation for display via a graphical user interface, as recited by the amended independent claims, the claim features provide technical improvements to both computer capabilities and a technical field (e.g., digital survey systems) as described above”
seems to describe a “particular way” of managing and organizing users data and not an improvement to the computer function or technical field.
Then at pg. 12 and 13 the Applicant admission that the application is directed to improving the user’s experience and not the computer itself
(at pg.12 “"To illustrate, conventional systems may require numerous different selections and interactions in a time- consuming multiple-layer graphical interface process within a report builder interface to define parameters for even a single report. This inefficiency also expends undue time and computing resources.”)
(at pg.13 “This reduces or eliminates excess user interactions required by graphical user interfaces of conventional systems in order to locate the same information across different systems. Additionally, this efficiency reduces or eliminates excess time, navigational steps, and computing resources utilized by conventional systems in managing and navigating disparate systems." Id. at [0029].”)
The Applicant is basically relying on the system elements as integrating the abstract idea into a practical application but those system elements aren't really utilized in any particular manner, and the specification indicates that at 0041: " the client device 102 can include any one of various types of client devices. For example, the client device 102 can be a mobile device (e.g., a smart phone), tablet, laptop computer, desktop computer, or any other type of computing device as further explained below with reference to FIG. 10 . Additionally, the client application 104 can include any one of various types of client applications. For example, the client application 104 can be a web browser, and a user at the client device 102 may enter a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or other address directing the web browser to access the account prioritization system 106 and/or the electronic survey system 110 on the server device(s) 108. Alternatively, the client application can be a native application installed and executed on the client device 102..”; 0144: “general-purpose computer including computer hardware, such as, for example, one or more processors and system memory, as discussed in greater detail below. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure also include physical and other computer-readable media for carrying or storing computer-executable instructions and/or data structures. In particular, one or more of the processes described herein can be implemented at least in part as instructions embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by one or more computing devices (e.g., any of the media content access devices described herein). In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions, from a non-transitory computer-readable medium, (e.g., a memory, etc.), and executes those instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein”, which indicates the lack of particularity in the application to the technological environment.
Additionally, the Examiner would like to point the Applicant to the 2019 PEG, in which implementing services on behalf of a provider will fall under. The 2019 PEG which states:
Adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception, or mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea - see MPEP 2106.05(f).
Adding insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception - see MPEP 2106.05(g)
Generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use – see MPEP 2106.05(h)
At pg. 14 the Applicant argues similarity to Example 42.
In response, Examiner respectfully disagrees. Claim 1 of Example 42 as a whole, integrates the method of organizing human activity into a practical application. Specifically, the additional elements recite a specific improvement over prior art systems by allowing remote users to share information in real time in a standardized format regardless of the format in which the information was input by the user. Examiner finds there are no comparable improvements here and Applicants pending claims recite additional elements at a high-level of generality such that they to no more than generic computer components used as tools to apply the instructions of the abstract idea.
Here, the present inventions generating a unified database by reformatting data sets, generating and storing an explanation of a key factor for an account prioritization score in the unified database, and providing the explanation for display via a graphical user interface, without reciting any improvement to the technology, computer-related technology or technological field. Examiner maintains the claims are directed to an abstract idea. For at least these reasons the claims remain rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because the claims are directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Lastly, the Examiner did consider “the Reminders Memo” and all examination falls in line with the memo. Furthermore, the remaining arguments are moot in view of the revised rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Perry et al., U.S. Pub. 20200294108, (discussing the analyzing of marketing data regarding customer relationship and experience).
Verma et al., W.O. Pub. 2022123302, (discussing the structuring and usage of customer relationship managing data in various environments).
Park et al., A Metaverse: Taxonomy, Components, Applications, And Open Challenges, https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=9667507, IEEE access, 2022 (discussing the monitoring of Metaverse and the various effects it has, which includes marketing and consumer experiences.).
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