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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 3/2/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 1-13, & 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perkins et al. (2016/0171622) hereinafter “Perkins”, Acedo et al. (2022/0312661) hereinafter “Acedo”, and Parry et al. (2015/0324741) hereinafter “Parry”.
As to claim 1, Perkins discloses A method implemented by a sampling system (75) comprising one or more processors (servers), the method comprising:
obtaining an activity definition comprising sampling parameters (asset information 45), the sampling parameters indicative of a sample to be collected, a source location at which the sample is to be collected, and one or more specifications comprising at least one of (i) how the sample is to be collected, (ii) what is to be collected in the sample, (iii) a destination location where the sample is to be delivered following collection, and/or (iv) additional readings to be taken at the source location, see [0060], [0067],[0068],[0073] ;
transmitting, to a mobile application running on a mobile device of a user, at least a portion of the activity definition (see [0059] – consumer downloads app 70; [0062] “prompt consumer”, [0069]);
receiving, via the mobile application, (i) a first status (answers to questions) corresponding to the sample, wherein the first status was input into the mobile application by the user, and (ii) auxiliary data (photo with location and timestamp) related to the activity definition (see [0064], [0067],[0068],[0072]);
determining, based on one or more locations detected via a location device of the mobile device, a first geographic location of the mobile device corresponding to a time at which the first status was input into the mobile application; (see [0075] timestamp and GPS stamp associated with video,
[0081], [0090] “servers 75… may review the asset information 45 and/or the underwriting report 600…”)
updating a data structure in a database according to the first status and the first geographic location (see [0010],[0015],[0064]-[0066].
Perkins, provides for an asset verification method for determining the condition of a residential or commercial property (see [0003], etc.), fails to explicitly recite that the obtained sampling parameters are indicative of a sample of a fluid which is to be collected for testing an environment including the fluid, (and of course the source location (specific to the fluid) and wherein the receiving and updating steps are specific to the fluid).
In an analogous art, Acedo discloses wherein obtained sampling parameters are indicative of a sample of a fluid which is to be collected for testing an environment including the fluid, (and of course the source location (specific to the fluid) and wherein the receiving and updating steps are specific to the fluid). See (at least) [0062]-[0065]. Acedo further discloses that such sampling provides for asset verification (see [0003]-[0005]). Before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method of Perkins such that the obtained sampling parameters are indicative of a sample of a fluid which is to be collected for testing an environment including the fluid, as taught by Acedo for the purpose of verifying the assets on a farm or agricultural setting. It is considered then that the method would then result in including the source location being specific to the fluid and wherein the receiving and updating steps are specific to the fluid.
Perkins fails to explicitly recite yet in an analogous art Parry discloses receiving, from the mobile application or a destination computing system, a second status indicating the sample of the fluid was physically received at the destination location (see [0015]-[0018], [0060]-[0062] for example “arrival notification” ) and (inherently) updating the data structure with (iii) the second status indicating the sample of the fluid was physically received at the destination location, and (iv) the destination location. Before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method of Perkins such that it received and updated as taught by Parry for the purpose of enhancing business efficiency (suggested by Parry [0001]).
As to claim 2, Perkins (as modified) discloses The method of claim 1, wherein the first geographic location is not determined based on user input. See [0072].
As to claim 4, Perkins (as modified) discloses The method of claim 1, further comprising
transmitting, upon receipt of a request, at least one of the first status or the second status to a second mobile device of a second user. See [0116]
As to claim 5, Perkins (as modified) discloses The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary data received from the mobile application comprises image data captured using an imager of the mobile device. See [0072], [0077].
As to claim 6, Perkins (as modified) discloses The method of claim 5, wherein the image data comprises a second geographic location corresponding to where the mobile device was located when the imager captured an image corresponding to the image data. See [0072], [0077].
As to claim 7, Perkins (as modified) discloses The method of claim 5, further comprising determining a second geographic location based on one or more locations detected by the location device of the mobile device at a time the imager captured an image corresponding to the image data. See [0072], [0077].
As to claim 10, Perkins (as modified) discloses The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting at least the portion of the activity definition to the mobile device comprises transmitting an in-app message to the mobile device. See [0059].
As to claim 12, Perkins (as modified) discloses The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the activity definition comprises detecting, via one or more user interfaces of the sampling system, user entries (acceptance) corresponding to the sample. See [0093].
As to claim 13, Perkins (as modified) discloses The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the activity definition comprises retrieving, from a protocol database (insurance), information on the sample. See [0059]-[0067].
As to claim 20, Perkins (as modified) discloses A sampling system (Fig 1) comprising one or more processors, as applied above to claim 1.
As to claim 8, the combination of Perkins, Acedo, and Parry provides for The method of claim 1, and Perkins further provides for sensors (114) such as temperature sensor see [0118] to facilitate related functionalities however fails to explicitly recite wherein the auxiliary data received from the mobile application comprises one or more field measurements taken at the source location. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the sensors of Perkins for one or more field measurements taken at the source location for the auxiliary data received from the mobile application in order to ‘facilitate related functionalities’ as suggested by Perkins.
As to claim 9, Perkins (as modified) discloses The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more field measurements were taken using a measurement device in communication with the mobile device, and wherein the auxiliary data comprises a third geographic location corresponding to at least one of (i) where the mobile device was located when the mobile application received the one or more measurements from the measurement device, or (ii) where the measurement device was located when the measurement device sensed the one or more field measurements. See [0075]. It is considered that the combination would result in timestamps being added for the measurements as well.
As to claim 11, the combination of Perkins, Acedo, and Parry provides for The method of claim 1, but is silent on wherein transmitting at least the portion of the activity definition to the mobile device comprises transmitting a push notification to the mobile device. The examiner takes official notice (now applicants admitted prior art) that the use of ‘push notifications’ for the network / servers to send a user information was well known in the art and before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Perkins such that wherein transmitting at least the portion of the activity definition to the mobile device comprises transmitting a push notification to the mobile device to enable a dynamic information exchange.
As to claim 18, the combination of Perkins, Acedo, and Parry provides for The method of claim 1, (see [0072] Perkins) further comprising selecting a minimum number of locations from among a location pool of potential locations from which samples are to be collected, wherein the activity definition is indicative of the minimum number of locations. The examiner takes official notice (now admitted prior art) that the use of minimums was well known in the art and before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Perkins such that further comprising selecting a minimum number of locations from among a location pool of potential locations from which samples are to be collected, wherein the activity definition is indicative of the minimum number of locations for the purpose of optimization of resources.
Claim(s) 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perkins, Acedo, and Parry in view of Andreou (2018/0315076).
As to claim 14, the combination of Perkins, Acedo, and Parry discloses The method of claim 1, is silent yet Andreou discloses generating a calendar (Fig. 2b) comprising statuses (colors) for a plurality of activity definitions (media indicators) and, for each activity definition (media indicators) in the plurality of activity definitions, a first icon or other visual cue indicative of status (see fig. 2b). See [0060]-[0061]. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Perkins to generating a calendar comprising statuses for a plurality of activity definitions and, for each activity definition in the plurality of activity definitions, a first icon or other visual cue indicative of status as taught by Andreou for the purpose of enabling live status in a monthly view.
As to claim 15, the combination of Perkins, Acedo, Parry and Andreou discloses The method of claim 14, Andreou discloses further comprising updating the calendar, in real time (live), to comprise updated statuses for the plurality of activity definitions and, for each activity definition in the plurality of activity definitions, a second icon or other visual cue indicative of updated statuses. See [0063]
As to claim 16, the combination of Perkins, Acedo, Parry, and Andreou discloses The method of claim 15, wherein the updated statuses are based at least in part on transmissions from one or more mobile devices. See Perkins [0072],[0092],[0116].
Claim(s) 17 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perkins, Acedo, and Parry in view of Qiu et al (2023/0342541) hereinafter “Qiu”.
As to claim 17, the combination of Perkins, Acedo, and Parry discloses The method of claim 1, is silent yet in an analogous art Qiu discloses further comprising importing a comma-separated values (CSV) file from a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), the CSV file comprising data on test results to improve safety. See [0056]. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Perkins to importing a comma-separated values (CSV) file from a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), the CSV file comprising data on test results to improve safety of the data transfers.
As to claim 19, the combination of Perkins, Acedo, and Parry discloses The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, via a user interface of a website (see [0064]) provided to a LIMS, at least one of a first indication that particular samples have been tested or a second indication of test results. In an analogous art, Qiu discloses the use of LIMS to improve safety of the data transfers. See [0056]. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Perkins to utilize a LIMS for the purpose of improving safety of data transfers.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LESTER KINCAID whose telephone number is (571)272-7922. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 7-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yuwen Pan can be reached at 571-272-7855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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LESTER G. KINCAID
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2649
/LESTER G KINCAID/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649
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