DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Office action is responsive to the RCE filed on 02/05/2026. The claims 1-15 are pending, of which the claim(s) 1 & 14 is/are in independent form.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 02/05/2026 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Specifically, the office action relies on the newly discovered Barton et al. (US 20140109178 A1) to show limitations that are challenged in applicant’s arguments. The prior cited Verberkt et al. (US 20190132329 A1) is merely relied on to show applications installed in a platform of Barton can be modified to be related to energy flexibility management.
Barton teaches:
[0128] As discussed above, the user interface may be configured to allow the IT administrator (or other user) to create multiple policies from the policy settings. Accordingly, multiple policies may be produced with each policy being specific to a different user role associated with the enterprise (e.g., one policy for a sales employee; a different policy for a designer, etc.) or application group (e.g., a managed application may be assigned to an application group that provides various constraints or benefits to member applications, such as shared access to data stored in data containers, or the like).
[0239] The IT administrator may also provide input that specifies which application group the managed application belongs to. Such an application management setting may include an identifier or resource name for a shared data vault that is accessible by other members of the application group.
[0240] The IT administrator may also provide input that specifies one or more secure data container that read or write operations from the managed application are to be redirected to when the mobile device executed the managed application. In some arrangements, one of the secure data containers may be a private secured data container that is accessible to only the managed application (e.g., the private app data vault of FIG. 6). In others, one or more of the secure data containers may be a shared data container (e.g., shared data vault of FIG. 6) that, for example, is accessible to applications of the same application group.
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[0258] The IT administrator may also provide input via the UI to create a policy that is assigned to the user's role within the enterprise or specific to the application's assigned application group. In such a way a single managed application may be associated with multiple policies, with each policy being assigned to a different user role (e.g., one policy for a sales employee; a different policy for a designer, etc.) or application group (e.g., a managed application may be assigned to multiple application groups where each provides various constraints or benefits to member applications, such as shared access to data stored in data containers, or the like, and each of the multiple application groups corresponds to a different user role).
Claim Interpretation
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
In claims 1- 15:
“a configuration unit”: shown as item 13 and its being described as an user interface or a portal to allow entering of the data/information
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Barton et al. (US 20140109178 A1) in view of Verberkt et al. (US 20190132329 A1, reference of record).
Regarding claim 1, Barton teaches a system for managing different applications related to for example, in a cloud computing environment”], wherein the system includes: (Fig.1, 5- 6, [042]);
[a] a platform [“enrolled mobile device 602 with a client agent 604”] configured to store and concurrently execute a plurality of applications [e.g., mail application, Brower application, and Wrapped App 610s]
[b] a data store [“the private and shared data vaults 616 (containers)”] communicatively coupled to the platform wherein each of the plurality of applications has access to the data store, wherein the data store is configured to store data which the plurality of applications use for operation (Fig. 6 [083]),
[c] a configuration unit [“the user interface” providing computer for the IT administrator] communicatively coupled to the platform and configured to enable configuration [“IT administrator may also provide input”, “the one or more computing device may receive input via the user interface to set, change, and/or add one or more settings”] of parameters to associated [“may be assigned to an application group”] each of the plurality of applications with a respective 1environment [“group”] ([0128, 0232, 0239-0240]),
wherein the data store is configured to store non-shared data [data of “the private app data vault of FIG. 6”] used by different applications of the plurality of applications, the non-shared data being accessible by only a single application of the plurality of applications, and wherein the data store is further configured to store shared data [“a shared data container (e.g., shared data vault of FIG. 6) that, for example, is accessible to applications of the same application group”], said shared data being accessible by at least a first application [one application 610] and at least one further application [another application 610 of the same group] of the plurality of applications in response to [“secure data containers may be a shared data container (e.g., shared data vault of FIG. 6) that, for example, is accessible to applications of the same application group”] said first application and further application being associated with a same environment ([0239-0240], Fig. 6).
While Barton teaches its “managed applications 610” can be downloaded to a mobile device from a server, it does not teach for what purpose these applications can be used or are related to. That is, Barton may not teach its applications 610 are related to energy flexibility/management as claimed.
Verberkt teaches a system [“a system 100A for cloud-based monitoring and control of a physical environment.”] for managing different applications related to energy flexibility management using cloud services, wherein the system includes: (Fig. 1, 7, [050]);
a platform [the cloud, e.g., “Cloud 115 is a typical cloud used for cloud computing” of fig. 1] configured to store and concurrently execute a plurality of applications [“Energy Application Module 120, System Intake Application Module 130, System Project Application Module 140, User Management Application Module 150, System Map Application Module 160”. The fig. 7 shows even the module 120 has access of the data store 170A] related to energy management [“The term “module” or “application module” is used frequently to describe components herein. These terms are directed to software or firmware components, or a combination thereof A single software/firmware module may be composed of one or more modules” Therefore, the (applications) modules 120, 130, 140 … 160 are software applications of the cloud having one or more software modules] ([031, 050-051]),
a data store [storage for the database 170A, of “Projects 170A is a database that stores and makes accessible data”] communicatively coupled to the platform ([0063, 074]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to (1) combine Verberkt and Barton because they both related to executing pluralities of software applications in an application platform for managing the data used by these applications and (2) modify the system of Barton to use their cloud based software applications and downloaded to the mobile device applications for energy flexibility management as in Verberkt. Doing so would allow users of Barton to manage and monitor energy and/or space usage at a building having large number of appliances and sensors using its software applications (Verberkt [008, 052]). Furthermore, Verberkt teaches missing details of Barton about what types (e.g., energy flexibility management) of the tasks these software applications can be utilized.
Regarding claim 2, Barton in view of Verberkt further teaches The system according to claim 1, wherein the platform includes a communicative interface unit [communication link (e.g., “Secure IPC links 612”) used by the mobile device 602] for enabling communication of the first application with the at least one further application of the plurality of applications belonging to the same environment as the first application (Barton Fig. 6, [078-080]).
Regarding claim 3, Barton in view of Verberkt further teaches the system according to claim 2, wherein the communicative interface unit is configured to provide a direct communication between the plurality of applications and the data store (Barton, Fig. 6 shows link between the Apps 610 with the data value 616).
Regarding claim 4, Barton in view of Verberkt further teaches the system according to claim 1, wherein at least a first module [shared data object of the one app (like Mail 610) can be used by another app (like Brower 610)] of the first application [e.g., Mail app 610] is accessible by the at least one further application [Browser App 610] of the plurality of applications belonging to the same environment as the first application (Barton, [0126-0128], Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 5, Barton in view of Verberkt further teaches the system according to claim 1, wherein modules of the plurality of applications define data streams, wherein a first data stream of the first application is accessible by the at least one further application of the plurality of applications belonging to the same environment as the first application (Barton, [0126-0128], Fig. 6, Verberkt, Fig. 1, [092-096]).
Regarding claim 6, Barton in view of Verberkt further teaches the system according to claim 1, wherein at least the first application and the at least one further application of the plurality of applications belonging to the same environment as the first application have communicatively coupled data streams (Barton, [0126-0128], Fig. 6)..
Regarding claim 7, Barton in view of Verberkt further teaches the system according to claim 6, wherein the data streams are communicatively coupled through the data store (Barton, Figs. 5- 6).
Regarding claim 8, Barton in view of Verberkt further teaches the system according to claim 4, wherein the first module of the first application is re-usable [the data object generated by the Mail app 610 and stored in the “shared data value” using by the Browser App 610] by the at least one further application of the plurality of applications belonging to the same environment as the first application (Barton, [0126-0128], Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 9, Barton in view of Verberkt further teaches the system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to process data access requests [“a user role setting to enforce a role a user must be assigned in order to access”] from the plurality of applications based on data management contracts [“different user role associated with the enterprise” and the roles can be different for different applications and for different users] associated to each of the plurality of applications (Barton [0128, 0144]).
Regarding claim 10, Barton in view of Verberkt further teaches the system according to claim 1, wherein the data store is configured to provide concurrent access of each of the plurality of applications to data stored therein (Barton Fig. 6, [083]).
Regarding claim 11, Barton in view of Verberkt further teaches the system according to claim 1, wherein the data store is integrated in the platform (Barton Fig. 6 shows the Data Vault 616 is inside the mobile platform/device 602, [078-079]).
Regarding claim 12, Barton in view of Verberkt further teaches the system according to claim 1, wherein the configuration unit is configured to provide a user interface [“various controls of the user interface” used by the “IT administrator”] enabling users to configure parameters of at least a subset of the plurality of applications (Barton [0124]).
Regarding claim 13, Barton in view of Verberkt further teaches the system according to claim 1, wherein the applications related to energy flexibility management concern at least one of: a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning application, a temperature management application, a lighting application [“sensors, lighting devices”], a control of electronic and/or electric devices application, a control of storage devices application, a charging of electric vehicles application, an energy conversion application, a thermal energy storage application, or an electrical energy storage application (Verberkt Figs. 1/7 & associated texts [032]).
Regarding claims 14- 15, Barton in view of Verberkt teaches/suggests claimed a computer-implemented method and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium of these claims for the similar reasons set forth above in the system claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
1) Kato (US 20130031552 A1) teaches pluralities of the software applications [“virtual machines”] each with shared and non-shared memory ([0246- 0247]).
2) Konrardy et al. (US 20210295439 A1) teaches a platform executing pluralities of the software applications [“smart home (not depicted)”] related to energy flexibility management ([047]).
Contacts
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANTOSH R. POUDEL whose telephone number is (571)272-2347. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday (8:30 am - 5:00 pm).
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/SANTOSH R POUDEL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2115
1 See spec, page 10, lines 10- 15.