DETAILED ACTION
This Action is in consideration of the Applicant’s response on May 11, 2026. No amendments are made by the Applicant. Claims 1 – 6, 8 – 11, 13 – 18, and 20 – 22, where Claims 1, 8, and 14 are in independent form, are presented for examination.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed May 11, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argued:
a) Regarding Claim 1, Rule does not disclose or suggest of the limitation “responsive to receiving the request, associating the client device with a first phone number from the pool of phone numbers.”
b) Regarding Claim 1, Rule does not disclose or suggest of the limitation “declaring the client device authenticated…based on the client device being associated with the first phone number.”
The Office respectfully disagrees with Applicant’s assertions.
1. With regards to a), foremost, the specific limitations argued are not found in Claims 8 and 14.
Rule discloses that the client is pre-authenticated to contact a call center (request for a phone number), the client receives a pre-authenticated phone number (client device is associated with a first phone number from the pool of phone numbers) [Para. 0101-102]. Afterwards, the client is authenticated by the call center based on the determination the call is received on a pre-authenticated phone number and the session ID matches a stored session ID (declaring the client device authenticated…based on the client device being associated with the first phone number) [Para. 0103]. Nothing within the claims specifically indicates additional steps or data that is used in the authentication process that deviates from the processes described in Rule. Therefore, Rule discloses the limitations of Claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1 – 6, 21, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by PGPub. 2022/0141024 (hereinafter "Rule").
2. Regarding Claim 1, Rule discloses a method [Figs. 2A-2E, and 9] comprising:
maintaining a pool of phone numbers [Para. 0055];
receiving, from a client device, a request for a phone number for initiating a voice
call [Figs. 2A-2E, and 9; Para. 0101];
responsive to receiving the request, associating the client device with a first phone number from the pool of phone numbers [Figs. 2A-2E, and 9; Para. 0055, 0102; device associated with a pre-authenticated phone number for the call center];
transmitting, to the client device, the first phone number [Figs. 2A-2E, and 9; Para. 0102]; and
responsive to receiving, from the client device, the voice call at the first phone number, declaring the client device authenticated based on the client device being associated with the first phone number [Figs. 2A-2E, and 9; Para. 0103; client is authenticated by the call center based on the determination the call is received on a pre-authenticated phone number], wherein declaring the client device authenticated comprises:
identifying a user account associated with an application running on the client device [Figs. 2A-2E and 9; Para. 0101-102]; and
generating, for display on a computing device different from the client device, a notice of authentication indicating that the user account has been authenticated, wherein the notice of authentication comprises one or more identifying data items associated with the user account [Figs. 5 and 9; Para. 0071, 0103; GUI of call center application receives one or more attributes of the authenticated account].
3. Regarding Claim 2, Rule discloses the limitations of Claim 1. Rule further
discloses that associating the client device with the first phone number comprises associating a client device phone number with the first phone number [Para. 0053-55, 0103].
4. Regarding Claim 3, Rule discloses the limitations of Claim 1. Rule further discloses that upon expiration of a predetermined time period, disassociating a client device phone number with the first phone number [Para. 0053-55; session ID with pre-authenticated phone number associated with a time limit].
5. Regarding Claim 4, Rule discloses the limitations of Claim 1. Rule further discloses that, responsive to ending the voice call at the first phone number, disassociating a client device phone number with the first phone number [Para. 0053-55].
6. Regarding Claim 5, Rule discloses the limitations of Claim 1. Rule further discloses of receiving, from the application running on the client device, an initial authentication credential comprising at least one of: a username, a password, a biometric authentication credential, a geolocation data item, or a caller line identifier [Figs. 2A-2E and 9; Para. 0038. 0050, 0053]; and
authenticating the client device using the initial authentication credential [Figs. 2A-2E and 9; 0051-53].
7. Regarding Claim 6, Rule discloses the limitations of Claim 1. Rule further discloses that the declaring the client device authenticated further comprises:
comparing a caller line identifier with a stored phone number associated with the client device [Figs. 2A-2E and 9; Para .0053-55].
8. Regarding Claim 21, Rule discloses the limitations of Claim 1. Rule further discloses that the computing device is in communication with the client device via a network, and wherein the computing device receives the voice call from the client device [Figs. 2A-2E and 9; Para. 0101-103; server receives voice call from client device].
9. Regarding Claim 22, Rule discloses the limitations of Claim 21. Rule further discloses that the first phone number is associated with a second computing device; and the method further comprising:
receiving, by the second computing device, the voice call from the client device [Figs. 2A-2E and 9; Para. 0101-103; server receives voice call from client device]; and
sending, from the second computing device to the computing device, the notice of authentication [Figs. 2A-2E and 9; Para. 0101-103; server receives voice call from client device].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 – 11, 13 – 18, and 20 are allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. PGPub. 2023/0121137; PGPub. 2023/0336662.
Contacts
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAE K KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-1979. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jorge Ortiz-Criado can be reached at 5712727642. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAE K KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2496
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