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 . Claims 1, 2, 7-17, and 19-20 have been reviewed and are under consideration by this office action.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/08/2025 has been entered.
Notice to Applicant
The following is a Non-Final Office action. Applicant, on 12/08/2025, amended claims, cancelled claim 4 and previously cancelled claims 3, 5-6, and 18. Claims 1, 2, 7-17, and 19-20 are pending in this application and have been rejected below.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendments are received and acknowledged.
The 103 Rejections are overcome and withdrawn in the Final Office action dated 12/11/2024.
Response to Arguments - 35 USC § 101
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the 35 USC 101 rejections have been fully considered, but they are not persuasive.
Applicant contends that the claims are not directed towards mental processes as the claims are performed using engines and tools.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. The claims recite the mental processes of process mining, determining input-related/rule-related zero-touch quotient, determine accounting factors, and determining zero-touch processing quotient. While the functions are performed using the additional elements such as the tools, engines, computers, etc. there additional elements are performing the steps would be no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. See MPEP 2106.05(f).
Applicant further contends that the claims are not directed towards methods of organizing human activity.
Examiner respectfully disagrees as the claims are directed towards determining processes for zero-touch potential (i.e. automation) in business/accounting processes (see Applicant’s Specification, [at least 02, 03, 22]).
Applicant contends that the claims the claims are integrated into a practical application in Step 2A-P2 and further points to limitations regarding “responsive to the determined… quotient being over a predefined threshold, automatically adjust…”
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Determining a value is greater than a threshold is a mental process, while the responsive action of adjusting… tools… is recited at a high level of generality. The additional element of adjusting tools when analyzed both individually as well as in combination is performing the steps would be no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. See MPEP 2106.05(f) and/or amounts to no more than generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use – see MPEP 2106.05(h).
The 101 Rejections are updated and maintained below.
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, 7-17, and 19-20 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.
Step One - First, pursuant to step 1 in the January 2019 Guidance on 84 Fed. Reg. 53, the claim(s) 1, 2, 7-17, and 19-20 is/are directed to statutory categories.
Step 2A, Prong One – The claims are found to recite limitations that set forth the abstract idea(s), namely in independent claims 1, 16, and 20 recite a series of steps for zero-touch potential for an event to entry process.
Regarding Claims 1, 16, and 20:
A system for driving zero-touch potential for an event-to- entry process, comprising:
a processor; and a memory, coupled to the processor, configured to store executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to/A computer-implemented method for driving zero-touch potential for an event-to-entry process, the method comprising/ A computer program product for driving zero-touch potential for an event-to-entry process, the computer program product comprising a non- transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code stored thereon, the computer-readable program code configured to:
perform, by a process-mining engine, process-mining on an event-to-entry process associated with an organization to collect data information associated with the process;
determine, by the process-mining engine, an extent of human intervention in the event-to-entry process based on an image processing included in the event-to-entry process;
determine, by an input-related zero-touch evaluation engine, an input-related zero-touch quotient for the event-to-entry process based on the data information including the extent of human intervention;
determine, by a rule-related zero-touch evaluation engine, a rule-related zero- touch quotient for the event-to-entry process based on the data information;
determine, by a predictive accounting factor component, a zero-touch potential predictive accounting factor (ZTP PAF) value for the event-to-entry process, the ZTP PAF value quantifying an incremental zero-touch potential for the event-to-entry process and corresponding attributes;
generate, by a zero-touch processing engine, a zero-touch processing quotient for the event-to-entry process based on the input-related zero-touch quotient, the rule-related zero- touch quotient, and the ZTP PAF value; and
responsive to the determined zero-touch processing quotient being over a predefined threshold, automatically adjust data-collection tools or technologies to be utilized to improve data structure of data to be collected for the event-to-entry process by examining a data structure for specific data already used in the event-to-entry process and by using one or more of enterprise resource planning (ERP) or customer relationship management (CRM) software application tools to automatically collect more structured data related to the event-to-entry process in a relational database,
wherein the input-related zero-touch quotient for the event-to-entry process is determined by:
determining a first set of data components included in the event-to-entry process, wherein the first set of data components include one or more of a structuredness, repetitiveness, or intervention associated with the event-to-entry process;
allocating a maturity value for each of first set of data components, wherein a maturity value of the structuredness or repetitiveness has a proportionate and positive relationship to the input-related zero-touch quotient, and a maturity value of the intervention has an inverse relationship to the input-related zero-touch quotient; and
determine the input-related zero-touch quotient for the event-to-entry process based on the maturity value for each of first set of data components. As drafted, this is, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, within the Abstract idea groupings of “Mental processes—concepts performed in the human mind” (observation, evaluation, judgment, opinion) as the claims are directed to process mining, determining input-related/rule-related zero-touch quotient, determine accounting factors, and determining zero-touch processing quotient.
Further the claims are directed to “Certain methods of organizing human activity” — commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations) and/or managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people (including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions) as the claims are directed towards determining processes for zero-touch potential (i.e. automation) in business/accounting processes (see Applicant’s Specification, [at least 02, 03, 22]).
Step 2A, Prong Two - This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. The independent claims utilize at least a processor; and a memory, coupled to the processor, configured to store executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to/A computer / A computer program product for driving zero-touch potential for an event-to-entry process, the computer program product comprising a non- transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code stored thereon, the computer-readable program code configured to; a process-mining engine; input-related zero-touch evaluation engine; a rule-related zero-touch evaluation engine; a predictive accounting factor component; zero-touch processing engine; automatically (implies use of a general purpose computer) adjust data-collection tools or technologies; data structure; and one or more of enterprise resource planning (ERP) or customer relationship management (CRM) software application tools. The additional elements are performing the steps would be no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. See MPEP 2106.05(f) and/or amounts to no more than generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use – see MPEP 2106.05(h).
Step 2B - 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 are just “apply it” on a computer. (See MPEP 2106.05(f) – Mere Instructions to Apply an Exception – “Thus, for example, claims that amount to nothing more than an instruction to apply the abstract idea using a generic computer do not render an abstract idea eligible.” Alice Corp., 134 S. Ct. at 235) and/or amounts to no more than generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use – see MPEP 2106.05(h).
Regarding Claim(s) 2, 7-11, 14-15, 17, and 19 , the claim further narrows the abstract idea or recite additional elements previously addressed in the independent claims.
Regarding Claim(s) 12, the claim further recite the additional element(s) of using a machine learning model and using a predictive machine learning model (recited at a high level of generality). This element(s) is performing the steps would be no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. See MPEP 2106.05(f) and/or amounts to no more than generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use – see MPEP 2106.05(h) in Steps 2A-Prong 2 and 2B.
Regarding Claim(s) 13, the claim further recite the additional element(s) of the predictive machine learning model has been trained and tested over data (recited at a high level of generality). This element(s) is performing the steps would be no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. See MPEP 2106.05(f) and/or amounts to no more than generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use – see MPEP 2106.05(h) in Steps 2A-Prong 2 and 2B.
Accordingly, the claim fails to recite any improvements to another technology or technical field, improvements to the functioning of the computer itself, use of a particular machine, effecting a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing, adding unconventional steps that confine the claim to a particular useful application, and/or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of an abstract idea to a particular environment.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEREMY L GUNN whose telephone number is (571)270-1728. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 6:30-4:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jerry O'Connor can be reached at (571) 272-6787. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JEREMY L GUNN/Examiner, Art Unit 3624