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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This communication is a Final Office Action in response to amendments received on 1/30/26.
Claim 20 has been cancelled.
Claims 1-2,13-14 have been amended.
Claim 21 has been added
Therefore, Claims 1-19, 21 are now pending and have been addressed 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 1-19, 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (an abstract idea) without significantly more.
Step 1: Identifying Statutory Categories
In the instant case, claims 1-11, 12,16-19, 21 are directed to a system, claim 15 is directed to a non-transitory medium and claims 13-14 are directed to a method. Thus, the claims fall within one of the four statutory categories. Nevertheless, the claims fall within the judicial exception of an abstract idea.
Step 2A: Prong 1 Identifying a Judicial Exception
Under Step 2A, prong 1, Claims 1-19, 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention recites an abstract idea without significantly more. Independent claims 1, 2, 12-15 recite methods for providing an answer to user question including obtain registered user information and registered product information on the registered user information; the registered user information including a first identifier to identify a registered user that is a user who has been registered; the registered product information including a second identifier to identify a registered product that is a product associated with the registered user; receiving an input related to a question from a questioning user, the questioning user being a user who asks a question about a product; obtaining questioning user information on the questioning user the questioning user information including a third identifier to identify the questioning user; storing the registered user information and the registered product for each of registered users including the registered user; generate in response to the input related to a question, a candidate answer regarding one or more registered products associated with the registered user information, by referring to one or more items of registered product information corresponding to the one or more registered products among a plurality of items of product information is present, the candidate answer being a candidate for an answer to the question about the product asked by the questioning user; obtain, for each of the one or more registered products, log information including (i) error information on the registered product and (ii) a usage history of the registered product; calculate a score for each of the one or more registered products by applying predetermined weighting based on the log information; control a display order or a display position for a list of the one or more candidate answers regarding the one or more registered products, and cause a candidate answer regarding a registered product whose score is higher to be displayed at a higher position in the list, the list being displayed; further generate, when the error information indicates that an error is occurring in at least one registered product among the one or more registered products, for displaying, (i) the one or more candidate answers regarding the at least one registered product, and (ii) indicating that the error is occurring; and present the candidate answer generated by transmitting.
These limitations as drafted, are a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers methods of organizing human activity (including commercial interactions such as business relations, managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people (including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions) and a person’s interaction with a computer (see MPEP 2106.04(a)(2)(II))), but for the recitation of generic computer components. That is, other than reciting the structural elements (such as at least one processor, a storage, an answering system, a display device, a signal, a graphic element), the claims are directed to providing answer to user question. If a claim limitation, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation of organizing human activity but for the recitation of generic computer components, the claim recites an abstract idea.
Step 2A Prong 2 - This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the claim merely describes how to generally “apply” the concept of receiving data, analyzing it, and providing answer. In particular, the claims only recites the additional element – at least one processor, a storage, an answering system, a display device. These additional elements are recited at a high-level of generality such that it amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Simply implementing the abstract idea on generic components is not a practical application of the abstract idea. Accordingly, these additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. a) The additional elements merely add 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, as discussed in MPEP 2106.05(f).
The claims are directed to an abstract idea. When considered in combination, the claims do not amount to improvements to the functioning of a computer, or to any other technology or technical field, as discussed in MPEP 2106.05(a), applying the judicial exception with, or by use of, a particular machine, as discussed in MPEP 2106.05(b), effecting a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing, as discussed in MPEP 2106.05(c), or applying or using the judicial exception in some other meaningful way beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment, such that the claim as a whole is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception, as discussed in MPEP 2106.05(e). Accordingly, the additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. Therefore, the claims are directed to an abstract idea.
Step 2B: Considering Additional Elements
The claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the claims describe how to generally “apply” to; provide answer to user question. The claim(s) do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. The independent claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. Even when viewed as a whole, nothing in the claim adds significantly more (i.e., an inventive concept) to the abstract idea. The claims are not patent eligible. The dependent claim(s) when analyzed as a whole are held to be patent ineligible under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the additional recited limitation(s) fail to establish that the claim(s) is/are not directed to an abstract idea. The dependent claims are not significantly more because they are part of the identified judicial exception. See MPEP 2106.05(g). The claims are not patent eligible. With respect to at least one processor, a storage, an answering system, a display device these limitations are described in Applicant’s own specification as generic and conventional elements. See Applicants specification, Paragraph [0025] details “Fig 1 processor 14, [0138]-[0139]CPU or processor, a general purpose circuit” These are basic computer elements applied merely to carry out data processing such as, discussed above, receiving, analyzing, transmitting and displaying data, which fall under well-understood, routine and conventional functions of generic computers. Furthermore, the use of such generic computers to receive or transmit data over a network has been identified as a well understood, routine and conventional activity by the courts. See Symantec, 838 F.3d at 1321, 120 USPQ2d at 1362 (utilizing an intermediary computer to forward information); TLI Communications LLC v. AVAuto. LLC, 823 F.3d 607, 610, 118 USPQ2d 1744, 1745 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (using a telephone for image transmission); Presenting offers and gathering statistics, OIP Techs., 788 F.3d at 1362-63, 115 USPQ2d at 1092-93, OIP Techs., Inc., v. Amazon.com, Inc., 788 F.3d 1359, 1363, 115 USPQ2d 1090, 1093 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (sending messages over a network); buySAFE, Inc. v. Google, Inc., 765 F.3d 1350, 1355, 112 USPQ2d 1093, 1096 (Fed. Cir. 2014) (computer receives and sends information over a network); but see DDR Holdings, LLC v. Hotels.com, L.P., 773 F.3d 1245, 1258, 113 USPQ2d 1097, 1106 (Fed. Cir. 2014) ("Unlike the claims in Ultramercial, the claims at issue here specify how interactions with the Internet are manipulated to yield a desired result-a result that overrides the routine and conventional sequence of events ordinarily triggered by the click of a hyperlink." (emphasis added)); Also see MPEP 2106.05(d) discussing elements that the courts have recognized as well-understood, routine and conventional activities in particular fields. Lastly, the additional elements provides only a result-oriented solution which lacks details as to how the computer performs the claimed abstract idea. Therefore the additional elements amount to mere instructions to apply the exception. See MPEP 2106.05(f).
Furthermore, these steps/components are not explicitly recited and therefore must be construed at the highest level of generality and are well-understood, routine and conventional limitations that amount to mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a computer. Therefore, the claimed invention does not demonstrate a technologically rooted solution to a computer-centric problem or recite an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the function of any computer itself, applying the exception with, or by use of, a particular machine, effect a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing, add a specific limitation other than what is well-understood, routine and conventional in the field, add unconventional steps that confine the claim to a particular useful application, or provide meaningful limitations beyond generally linking an abstract idea to a particular technological environment such as computing. Viewing the limitations as an ordered combination does not add anything further than looking at the limitations individually. Taking the additional claimed elements individually and in combination, the computer components at each step of the process perform purely generic computer functions. Viewed as a whole, the claims do not purport to improve the functioning of the computer itself, or to improve any other technology or technical field. Use of an unspecified, generic computer does not transform an abstract idea into a patent-eligible invention. Thus, the claim does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself.
Dependent claims 3-11, 16-19, 21 add additional limitations, for example but these only serve to further limit the abstract idea, and hence are nonetheless directed towards fundamentally the same abstract idea as representative independent claims.
Claims 3-5, 7 recites wherein the processor assigns a degree of priority to the registered product information, and the presenter presents the candidate answer as an option, based on the degree of priority assigned by the processor; wherein the processor assigns the degree of priority, based on a date of purchase of a registered product indicated in the registered product information; wherein the processor assigns the degree of priority, based on a date of registration indicated in the registered product information. wherein the processor assigns the degree of priority, based on a usage history of a registered product indicated in the registered product information. These limitations recites assigning priority based on various factors at high level of generality and further narrow the abstract idea. Claim 6 recites wherein the first obtainer further obtains error information on a registered product indicated in the registered product information, and the processor increases the degree of priority of the registered product information that corresponds to the error information. Claims 8-9 recites the first obtainer further obtains a history of questions asked by a registered user about a non-registered product that is not registered, and the processor provisionally registers the non-registered product as a registered product, based on the history obtained by the first obtainer; wherein the processor generates guidance information for guiding the questioning user to a process for registration of the non-registered product, and the presenter further presents, as an option, the guidance information generated by the processor. Claims 10-11 recites wherein the presenter does not present the candidate answer regarding the registered product information when an answer regarding the registered product information is not present; wherein the processor generates reason information indicating a reason for generating the candidate answer, and the presenter presents the reason information. Claims 16-19, 21 recites limitations that further narrow the abstract idea of independent claim including the home appliance includes one of a vacuum cleaner, a washing machine, a refrigerator, an air cleaner, a toilet bowl, or an air conditioner. the storage stores the registered user information and the registered product information in association with each other using the second identifier. wherein the at least one processor searches for the registered user information based on the third identifier included in the questioning user information, and extracts the one or more items of registered product information associated with the registered user information to determine the one or more items of registered product information to be referred to. wherein the storage holds association information in which the registered product information and the second identifier are associated with each other, and the at least one processor identifies the registered product information based on the association information; wherein the storage further stores a knowledge base that includes a plurality of knowledge base entries each of which is associated with at least one attribute among following attributes: a product number, a serial number, a product individual identifier (ID), a product category ID, an error ID, and a date and time of occurrence of error, and a knowledge base entry that matches at least one attribute among following attributes: the product number, the serial number, the product individual ID, the product category ID, the error ID, and the date and time of occurrence of error that are included in the one or more items of registered product information, is identified from the knowledge base, and the one or more candidate answers regarding the one or more registered products are generated based on answer information included in the knowledge base entry identified.
These limitations merely adds 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 as discussed in MPEP 2106.05(f). The dependent claims do not integrate into a practical application. As such, the additional elements individually or in combination do not integrate the exception into a practical application, but rather, the recitation of any additional element amounts to merely reciting the words “apply it” (or equivalent) with the judicial exception, or merely includes 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)). The dependent claims also do 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 of a computing system is merely being used to apply the abstract idea to a technological environment. These limitations do not include an improvement to another technology or technical field, an improvement to the functioning of the computer itself, or meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. See MPEP 2106.05d. Thus, the claims do not add significantly more to an abstract idea. The claims are ineligible. Therefore, since there are no limitations in the claim that transform the exception into a patent eligible application such that the claim amounts to significantly more than the exception itself, the claims are rejected under 35 USC 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter. See (Alice Corporation Pty. Ltd. v. CLS Bank International, et al.).
Subject matter free of prior art
Regarding Claims 1-2, 12, 13, 14 and 15, Cheng (US 2020/0167799A1) discloses the answering system/method/medium ([0004] a computer-implemented method for generating a solution keyword tag cloud) comprising:
Cheng discloses at least one processor ([0026] data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart) and a storage coupled t the at least one processor ([0026]computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner), wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
Cheng discloses obtain registered user information and registered product information on the registered user information ([0035] Storage 108 may store, for example, names and identification numbers for a plurality of different registered users; identification of a plurality of different client devices corresponding to the registered users registered products; user questions regarding issues or problems experienced by the registered users with different products or services; Further, storage 108 may store other data, such as authentication or credential data that may include user names, passwords, and biometric data associated with the plurality of different registered users), the registered user information including a first identifier to identify a registered user that is a user who has been registered in the answering system ([0035] names and identification numbers for a plurality of different registered users), the registered product information including a second identifier to identify a registered product that is a product associated with the registered user ([0035] identification of a plurality of different client devices (second identifier) corresponding to the registered users registered products)
Cheng discloses receive an input related to a question from a questioning user (Fig 3 # 352 client device input question why word2013 is not responding, Fig 4 #400, 406, 408 online post from user stating problem, question 408, [0080]Question 352 represents the question submitted by the registered user regarding the particular issue the registered user is experiencing with a product. [0081] online post 400 includes title 402 and body 404. Title 402 represents the subject matter related to online post 400; Problem 406 represents text regarding a particular problem an individual is experiencing with a particular product. Question 408 represents text asking what is causing this particular problem or how to resolve this problem, Body 404 represents the body of textual information related to title 402 of online post 400. Body 404 includes problem 406 and question 408. Problem 406 represents text regarding a particular problem an individual is experiencing with a particular product. Question 408 represents text asking what is causing this particular problem or how to resolve this problem, [0104] computer receives a question asking how to resolve an issue experienced by a user with a product from a client device via a network ); the questioning user being a user who asks a question about a product to the answering system (Fig 3 # 348 client device asking question, [0031] Server 104 and server 106 may provide a set of one or more solution tag cloud generating services to registered users of client devices connected to network 102. For example, server 104 or server 106 may automatically generate a solution keyword tag cloud, which a registered user may utilize to resolve an issue or problem with a product or service used by the user, in response to the user submitting a question regarding the issue or problem to server 104 or server 106. [0047] receive a question from a registered user (questioning user information) regarding a particular issue or problem experienced by the registered user with the product or service)
Cheng discloses obtain questioning user information on the questioning user ([0031] server 106 may automatically generate a solution keyword tag cloud, which a registered user may utilize to resolve an issue or problem with a product or service used by the user, in response to the user submitting a question regarding the issue or problem to server 104 or server 106, [0035] Storage 108 may store, for example, names and identification numbers (user information) for a plurality of different registered users (questioning user); identification of a plurality of different client devices corresponding to the registered users, [0047] receive a question from a registered user (questioning user information) regarding a particular issue or problem experienced by the registered user with the product or service. Based on analyzing the particular issue or problem experienced by the registered user in the question, solution manager generates solution keyword tag cloud 238 using condition-solution tree 236 corresponding to the product or service. [0081] Problem 406 represents text regarding a particular problem an individual is experiencing with a particular product. Question 408 represents text asking what is causing this particular problem or how to resolve this problem); the questioning user information including a third identifier to identify the questioning user ([0035] names and identification numbers for a plurality of different registered users (questioning user identification); identification of a plurality of different client devices corresponding to the registered users; users questions regarding issues or problems experienced by the registered user with different products or services, Fig 3 # 348 client device asking question, [0068] identify keywords in a question submitted by a registered user regarding an issue with the product)
Cheng discloses the storage stores the registered user information and the registered product for each of registered users including the registered user ([0035] storage 108 may store names and identification numbers for a plurality of different registered users; identification of a plurality of different client devices corresponding to the registered users; users questions regarding issues or problems experienced by the registered user with different products or services)
Cheng discloses the at least one processor is further configured to generate in response to the input related to the question, a candidate answer regarding one or more registered products/.devices associated with the registered user information in the storage, by referring to one or more items of registered product information corresponding to the one or more registered products in storage based on the registered user information that matches the questioning user information ([0035] storage 108 stores name and identification of registered user, [0047] receive a question from a registered user (i.e. registered user and questioning user are same) regarding a particular issue or problem experienced by the registered user with the product or service. Based on analyzing the particular issue or problem experienced by the registered user in the question, solution manager generates solution keyword tag cloud 238 using condition-solution tree 236 corresponding to the product or service (referring to product or service), [0068] identify keywords in a question submitted by a registered user regarding an issue with the product. Match the identified keywords in the question to the condition-solution tree corresponding to the product (referring to one or more items of registered products). Based on the matching, illustrative embodiments display a solution keyword tag cloud on a client device corresponding to the registered user. [0078] CS agent performing keyword matching to locate solution, [0106] the computer matches keywords identified in the question with keyword tags included in a set of one or more condition-solution trees corresponding to the product (step 1408). The keyword tags may be, for example, solution keyword tags 1008, 1012, and 1014 in FIG. 10. [0107] the computer generates a solution keyword tag cloud for the product based on matching the keywords identified in the question with the keyword tags included in the set of condition-solution trees corresponding to the product (step 1410)) the candidate answer being a candidate for an answer to the question about the product asked by the questioning user ([0068] identify keywords in a question submitted by a registered user regarding an issue with the product. Match the identified keywords in the question to the condition-solution tree corresponding to the product. Based on the matching, illustrative embodiments display a solution keyword tag cloud on a client device corresponding to the registered user. Fig 10 # 1002 word not responding, 1024 disable add ins solution); the plurality of items of products information ([0035] identification of a plurality of different client devices (registered products) corresponding to the registered users) and
Cheng discloses present the candidate answer generated by transmitting a signal to a display device. ([0068]Based on the matching, illustrative embodiments display a solution keyword tag cloud on a client device corresponding to the registered user. [0108] the computer presents the solution keyword tag cloud having the ordered list of solutions in the solution section and the solution context-clearness index for resolving the issue in a graphical user interface display on the client device (step 1416).)
Cheng does not specifically teach generating a candidate answer….when the registered user information that matches the questioning user information obtained is present in storage. Cheng teaches registered user as questioning user ([0068] identify keywords in a question submitted by a registered user regarding an issue with the product)
Okachi (US7,185,108B1) teaches generating a candidate answer….when the registered user information that matches the questioning user information obtained by the second obtainer is present in the storage(Col 5 lines 15-25 In the priority information table 15, a priority information relating to the customer priority assigned to each of registered customer and reply priority upon replying to the inquiry done by the customer 5 who takes predetermined registration are stored. The customer 5 who is not registered in the priority information table 15 cannot receive the support service. The reply priority setting section 37 can set the reply priorities to every inquiries based on the customer priority, and the priority information 15a including the reply priorities is stored the priority information table 15.Col 5 lines 65-67, Col 6 lines 1-5 the help desk 11 searches (match) the customer of the inquiry in the priority information table 15, and judges if the customer 5 is a registered customer in the priority information table 15 at a confirmation step ST2. And if the customer is the registered customer, the registration of the customer 5 is confirmed and if it is not, the customer 5 is noticed that he or she is not a registered customer and ask to register by taking a predetermined registration procedure. Col 6 lines 24-28, 40-45 help desk 11 inquiries to the inquiry information 17a and searches the past inquiry, and if there is the same inquiry in the past, the same solution registered in the inquiry information 17a is reported to the customer 5 as a reply. The reply priority to the inquiry is determined by a calculation rule ) Okachi teaches wherein the processor assigns a degree of priority to customer inquiry (Col 3 lines 40-45The customer 5 is a person who makes an inquiry about indistinct matter regarding the operation of his apparatus (product) to the support center 39. Of course there are a plurality of customers 5 each having possibility for making inquiry to the support center 39. The contents of the inquiry (Information Request) and their importance are respectively different in every customer. Col 6 lines 25-31the contents of the inquiry (product) from the customer 5 are examined by the help desk 11 at first, then the reply priority is determined, in consideration of the customer priority (degree of priority for customer) assigned to respective customer 5, based on the importance of the contents of the inquiry, the number of inquiries to the particular inquiry not replied yet, and the necessity of a quick response of the inquiry. Col 5 lines 12-20In the priority information table 15, a priority information relating to the customer priority assigned to each of registered customer and reply priority upon replying to the inquiry done by the customer 5 who takes predetermined registration are stored), and the at least one processor presents the candidate answer as an option, based on the degree of priority assigned (Col 5 lines 22-30 The reply priority setting section 37 can set the reply priorities to every inquiries based on the customer priority, and the priority information 15a including the reply priorities is stored the priority information table 15. The reply section 35 works by operation of the help desk 11, and replies to the inquiry based on the reply priority )
Cheng/Okachi do not specifically teach the plurality of items of products information corresponding to a plurality of products; the product being a home appliance; obtain, for each of the one or more registered products, log information including (i) error information on the registered product and (ii) a usage history of the registered product; calculate a score for each of the one or more registered products by applying predetermined weighting based on the log information; control a display order or a display position for a list of the one or more candidate answers regarding the one or more registered products, and cause a candidate answer regarding a registered product whose score is higher to be displayed at a higher position in the list, the list being displayed on a screen of a display device; further generate, when the error information indicates that an error is occurring in at least one registered product among the one or more registered products, a signal for displaying, on the display device, (i) the one or more candidate answers regarding the at least one registered product, and (ii) a graphic element indicating that the error is occurring; and present the candidate answer generated by transmitting a signal to a display device
Stepanian (US 2021/0021710 A1) teaches the registered user information including a first identifier to identify a registered user that is a user who has been registered in the answering system ([0060] At the outset of the support session, the bridge sends the support center at least consumer device information and, preferably, user identification information. The user identification information can be as simple as a globally unique identifier (GUID) of the concierge device, home management bridge or consumer. For the concierge device and home management bridge, a MAC address may serve as a GUID. This GUID may be registered with the support center before the support call or registration information may be collected during the support call. Preferably, the user's name would be associated with the GUID. The user identification information may be household related, individual related, or both. Either a household or individual can have more than one concierge device. Information about the consumer device or a plurality of consumer devices may be implied in the GUID. ), the registered product information including a second identifier to identify a registered product that is a product associated with the registered user ([0056] The home management bridge can be used to register one or more consumer devices with at least one support center., [0060] Information about the consumer device or a plurality of consumer devices may be implied in the GUID. Optionally, the GUID, the particular consumer device identification or a combination of the GUID and consumer device identification can be associated with a premium support level, [0061] The display equipped concierge device can be used to register the consumer devices with the support center or to enter information that will be useful at the outset of the support call. [0241] consumer device identification information, [0251] automatically transmitting information from which the service center can uniquely identify the particular consumer device),generate a candidate answer regarding one or more registered products associated with the registered user information in the storage, by referring to one or more items of registered product information corresponding to the one or more registered products among a plurality of items of product information stored ([0085] FIG. 14A is an example of GUI from which a user can select a device and cause initiation of a support session. The devices illustrated as having available concierge support include a TV, projector, home theater, radio, washer and oven. The information displayed from the support center may be directions, photographs of what to look for. An automatic support protocol, optionally with diagnostic responses by the consumer device to queries received at the outset of a support session. [0086] FIG. 14B is an example of a suggested fix presented to a user in a support session prior to connection with a human agent. The session example involves a television. Status information and, optionally, diagnostic responses to queries have been provided digitally to the support session. An automated support protocol has been invoked to suggest possible resolutions of the user's problems. Fig 14B suggested fix displayed to user) the plurality of items of products information corresponding to a plurality of products (Fig 14 A registered products such as TC, oven, [0085] The devices illustrated as having available concierge support include a TV, projector, home theater, radio, washer and oven ); the product being a home appliance (Fig 9 consumer devices such as TV, light, refrigerator, washer, [0085] The devices illustrated as having available concierge support include a TV, projector, home theater, radio, washer and oven, Fig 14A device such as washer, oven, home theater, tv)
Bikumala (US11574016) teaches wherein the processor assigns a degree of priority to product information (Col 3 lines 38-45 incoming support request tickets are first assigned a priority value or score by request prioritization system 108 before being addressed by support request personnel. Col 4 lines 60-67 a hybrid parameter relating to customer importance or urgency may be obtained by applying a clustering algorithm to values for parameters relating to the number of products a customer has purchased from the enterprise and the number of support requests the customer has made per product, over a population of customers that have historically submitted support requests. Fig 5 assigning a priority score to a support request ticket, Col 5 lines 45-50 hybrid parameter table 220 is accessed in order to assign a hybrid parameter value to each support request ticket when it is received. In some embodiments, the data in table 220 is stored as a part of a set of customer, ticket and product data maintained for use by priority score determination module 216.) wherein the processor assigns the degree of priority, based on a date of purchase of a registered product indicated in the registered product information. (Col 6 lines 27-40 Customer information database 234 can store all kinds of customer information, such as: a number of the provider's products or services in use by each customer, or install base; data of previous interactions with each customer, including sentiment data for the interactions; customer size data; customer role data (e.g. product reviewing organization, educational institution, etc.); customer purchase timing data (purchase date); customer satisfaction data. Product information database 236 can store all kinds of data on the providers' products or services, such as: problem/support data for each product or service; life cycle information; support level information (priority); warranty information; product/service market share information. Fig 5 assigning a priority score to a support request ticket, Col 5 lines 45-50 hybrid parameter table 220 is accessed in order to assign a hybrid parameter value to each support request ticket when it is received. In some embodiments, the data in table 220 is stored as a part of a set of customer, ticket and product data maintained for use by priority score determination module 216). Bikumala teaches wherein the processor assigns the degree of priority, based on a date of registration indicated in the registered product information. (Col 6 lines 27-40 Customer information database 234 can store all kinds of customer information, such as: a number of the provider's products or services in use by each customer, or install base; data of previous interactions with each customer, including sentiment data for the interactions; customer size data; customer role data (e.g. product reviewing organization, educational institution, etc.); customer purchase timing data (purchase date); customer satisfaction data. Product information database 236 can store all kinds of data on the providers' products or services, such as: problem/support data for each product or service; life cycle information (registration); support level information (priority); warranty information; product/service market share information. Fig 5 assigning a priority score to a support request ticket, Col 5 lines 45-50 hybrid parameter table 220 is accessed in order to assign a hybrid parameter value to each support request ticket when it is received. In some embodiments, the data in table 220 is stored as a part of a set of customer, ticket and product data maintained for use by priority score determination module 216). Bikumala teaches obtains error information (Col 6 lines 27-40 problem/support data for each product or service Col 8 lines 15-20, 45-50 input parameter values retrieved from databases within associated information stores 230 for each customer in the target population include: a customer number for the customer, a customer category parameter, ticket identifiers for tickets submitted by the customer, issue description parameters for tickets submitted by the customer, created and closed dates for tickets submitted by the customer, severity parameters for tickets submitted by the customer, product identifiers for products in use by the customer, locations of products in use by the customer, value of products in use by the customer and parameters reflecting a degree of problems or malfunctions with products (error) in use by the customer. High problem frequency for product); the processor increases the degree of priority of the registered product information that corresponds to the error information (Col 8 lines 40-55 consider an importance or urgency (priority) related hybrid parameter derived based on input parameters relating to a frequency of problems with the customer's products (frequent problems are higher priority) and a size or significance of the customer overall. a highest value of the hybrid parameter might be assigned to a cluster of customers reflecting both relatively high problem frequency and relatively high size/significance as compared to customers in the other two clusters. );
Tuchman (US 2012/0265694A1) teaches wherein the at least one processor further obtains a history of questions asked by a registered user about a non-registered product that is not registered ([0074] Customer interactive history store 220 may store information regarding any interaction between a customer and an agent of previous support sessions (history of interaction/questions), such as topics, detailed discussions, time of the discussions, contact mechanisms used, reasons of the support, products or services involved in the discussions, last agent or expert the customer interacted with, etc., [0081]support history of customer, [0083] When a first product/service changes, the support center may determine that a second product/service may need to change as well based on the touch plan. Accordingly, proactive service module 204 is configured to proactively notify the user regarding the possible change of the second product/service and offers support services for the second product/service, without requiring the user to initiate a support call.), and the processor provisionally registers the non-registered product as a registered product, based on the history obtained by the first obtainer. ([0014] a request from a user for registering a product is received at a support center, where the request includes a machine-readable code that uniquely represents the product. In response to the request, the product is identified and product information is compiled based on the machine-readable code without requiring the user to specifically provide the product information, [0021] registering a product, 0054]Fig 10 # 1001-1004 and [0026]); Tuchman teaches wherein the processor generates guidance information for guiding the questioning user to a process for registration of the non-registered product ([0014] a request from a user for registering a product is received at a support center, where the request includes a machine-readable code that uniquely represents the product. In response to the request, the product is identified and product information is compiled based on the machine-readable code without requiring the user to specifically provide the product information, [0021] registering a product, 0054]Fig 10 # 1001-1004 and [0026]), and the presenter further presents, as an option, the guidance information generated by the processor ([0054]an efficient registration mechanism (guidance) is provided to allow a user to register a product with the support center in a simple and efficient way without having to specifically provide detailed information of the product. In one embodiment, a user can activate the one-touch application from a mobile device to transmit a machine-readable code that uniquely identifies a product to the support center, where the support center is configured to determine the product and a vendor (e.g., manufacturer or retailer) that provides the product based on the machine-readable code. )
Anderson (US 2016/0132372) discloses system receives a failure code from the IT system. This failure code indicates that the highest prioritized solution from the prioritized set of solutions failed to heal the errors currently occurring in the IT system (as detected by sensors, either hardware or software, in the IT system). [0052] the prioritized set of solutions includes multiple solutions that are weighted by their overall chance of success. For example, based on the parameters used in block 312, one solution may have a 90% chance of successfully correcting the problem, the next solution may have an 85% chance of success, the next solution may have an 80% chance of success, etc.
Salvetti (US 12,056,131 B2) discloses system for each factual question that matches the factoid query, a corresponding candidate answer can be identified. Thereafter, each candidate answer can be assigned a score that is a function of the number of candidate documents in which the candidate answer was identified and the relevancy of those candidate documents to the factoid query. The candidate answer having the highest score can be provided to the user in response to the factoid query.
However, the prior art fails to teach or suggest at least “calculate a score for each of the one or more registered products by applying predetermined weighting based on the log information; control a display order or a display position for a list of the one or more candidate answers regarding the one or more registered products, and cause a candidate answer regarding a registered product whose score is higher to be displayed at a higher position in the list, the list being displayed on a screen of a display device; further generate, when the error information indicates that an error is occurring in at least one registered product among the one or more registered products, a signal for displaying, on the display device, (i) the one or more candidate answers regarding the at least one registered product, and (ii) a graphic element indicating that the error is occurring; and present the candidate answer generated by transmitting a signal to a display device”. The prior art teachings as recited above fail to set forth any sufficient rationale for combining or otherwise modifying any of the relevant prior art to arrive at the claimed invention, as a whole. To arrive at the claimed invention with the precise combination of claimed features would not have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art without relying on improper hindsight to substantially reconstruct Applicant's claimed invention.
Thus, the aforementioned combination of features claimed, as a whole, are not anticipated nor rendered obvious for any sufficient rationale by any of the prior art teachings. Furthermore, the prior art of record does not anticipate nor render obvious the combination of limitations for the dependent claims due to their respective dependencies to the independent claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/30/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding 101 rejection, applicant states that claims recites features significantly more than abstract idea leading to improving the functionality of computer system. Examiner has considered all arguments and respectfully disagrees. Applicant further states claims are similar to example 37 and provides a specific improvement to a user interface. Displaying solution or information from highest score to lowest is not improvement to a user interface. While the Applicant points to [0128]-[0131] of specification for alleged improvements to computer efficiency, the specification merely recites the alleged improvements ([0131] reduction of time and effort that the user spend to obtain answer), with no further detail to how the claim set achieves such an improvement. MPEP 2106.05(a) recites “If it is asserted that the invention improves upon conventional functioning of a computer, or upon conventional technology or technological processes, a technical explanation as to how to implement the invention should be present in the specification. That is, the disclosure must provide sufficient details such that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the claimed invention as providing an improvement.” After the examiner has consulted the specification and determined that the disclosed invention improves technology, the claim must be evaluated to ensure the claim itself reflects the disclosed improvement in technology. Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Symantec Corp., 838 F.3d 1307, 1316, 120 USPQ2d 1353, 1359 (patent owner argued that the claimed email filtering system improved technology by shrinking the protection gap and mooting the volume problem, but the court disagreed because the claims themselves did not have any limitations that addressed these issues). That is, the claim must include the components or steps of the invention that provide the improvement described in the specification. Examiner notes neither specification nor claims recite how the improvement/processor efficiency is achieved. The instant claims are directed to an abstract idea, and does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. The additional elements recited in the instant claims are only to generic computing components that implement the abstract idea on a computing environment. As such, it can be interpreted that the instant claims only make the abstract idea more efficient, and there are not actual changes/improvements to any computing components.
In response to the applicant’s argument that the claims “recite specific improvement to user interface technology like Example 37” the applicant respectfully disagrees for the following reasons. Firstly, in Example 37 Prong 1 Step 2A, the claims were deemed an abstract idea for reciting steps which can be performed in the human mind, and in Prong 2 the claims were deemed eligible for the combination of additional elements based on positioning the user interface based on usage to provide a specific improvement over prior art systems. However, especially in claim 2 of Example 37, the claims were explicitly not directed to and did not even recite “mathematical relationships, formulas or calculations” or “certain methods of organizing human activity” since they were mainly directed to the user interface itself. This contrasts from the present claims which recite a “certain method of organizing human activity” specifically “managing personal behavior or interactions or relationships between individuals.” Therefore, the claims are merely displaying solution in a specific order based on score, thus it is not comparable to Example 37 which was not reciting a “certain method of organizing human activity” in the first place. Specifically, the additional elements in example 37 recite a specific manner of automatically displaying icons to the user based on usage which provides a specific improvement over prior systems, resulting in an improved user interface for electronic devices.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 103 rejections have been considered. Rejection is withdrawn in view of claim amendments.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Laird McConnel (US 2013/0066693) discloses receives an input query 104 that defines a problem from a user 106. The user interface component provides the input query 104 to search and ranking system 108 that searches data store 110 based on the input query 104 and provides search results 112 in the form of possible solutions to the problem posed by the input query 104.
Bishop (US12026554 B2) (FD07-27-21) discloses response based on application priority and solution includes explanation.
Anand (US 9009189) discloses estimate a priority of problems for an authoring solution (which then come to be answered) (121), multiple criteria can come into play such as: frequency of occurrence; quality of existing solutions (if any solutions exist); quality of the best solution (if any solutions exist); diversity of problems presented; average time to resolve; estimated savings; and average priority.
Yanacek (US9258197) teaches assigns a degree of priority to the registered product information (Col 6 lines 37-40 a request 127 for information regarding one item may be prioritized relative to a request 127 for information regarding another item. For example, a request 127 with a certain type of HTTP header may be given a greater or lesser priority. Col 1 lines 57-60 prioritizing service requests so that at least high priority requests are processed, while low priority requests may be dropped or otherwise receive degraded performance)
Knas (US 11,115,499B1) discloses certain information is associated with the service requests 110 which may include one or more of: the personal identity of the user of the client device, the company or business organization with which the client device is associated, the particular division or unit of the company or business organization with which the client device is associated, the client device user's assessment of the level of importance of the service request ring submitted, at least one piece of client organization-specific business process data (Col 4 lines 27-32)
Tuchman (US 2012/0265697A1) discloses product registration and registration module 201 accesses product information store 216 to obtain detailed product information and accesses client database 213 to obtain client information of a client from which the product was purchased based on the machine-readable code. Product information may be acquired via a combination of several methods, such as, for example, 1) licensed from a product data provider ([0098]), [0163] customer support based on customer value, type of service
Podgorny (US 2019/0303802A1) discloses question prioritization based on business value and community value (Fig 3 #304)
Shroff (US 8,327,276 B2) discloses a community forum is arranged as a technical support forum to provide support for technical problems associated with a product and/or service. A community driven prioritization of customer issues, an agree portion 316 associated with one or more posting 218 may be provided in a user interface 114 configured for interactions with a community forum. Fig 5 shows associations of users with postings in a community forum are utilized to assign priority to the postings. Based on the priority, the highest priority issues may be identified and/or surfaced to technical support staff, service managers, or designated super users or experts.
Tumulty et al. (US 2002/0143661) discloses a method for prioritizing a customer inquiry is provided. The method receives an inquiry from a customer. The method further prompts the customer to provide at least one of an identification number or customer information in response to a predetermined set of queries.
Iyer et al. (US10,467,630B2) discloses the message classification system 110 may identify social media messages associated with the entity that are posted by users via the social media system 108. In particular, the message classification system 110 may identify social media messages posted by users that are associated with products and services provided by the entity. For example, the message classification system 110 may detect social media messages on the social media system 108 that mention one of the entity's products or a social media message or asks the entity a question regarding a service/product provided by the entity. For example, if the user previously purchased products from the entity, but is showing doubt about current or future products (e.g., an increase in negative comments), the user classifier 214 may classify the user as an at-risk user. The user classifier 214 may increase the response priority of an at-risk user. For example, the user classifier can increase the priority of an at-risk user above that a spammer or even an influencer.
Tzur (US 2021/0097551) discloses customer service ticket prioritization system 100, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, one or more customer service tickets 110 are applied to a feature extraction module 120 that extracts a number of extracted features 130. In some embodiments, the feature extraction module 120 extracts dynamic information regarding activities performed to address the customer service ticket and textual information describing at least a portion of the customer service ticket, as discussed further below in conjunction with FIG. 2. In addition, the exemplary feature extraction module 120 optionally determines a frequency of activities performed to address the customer service ticket, product information, customer information and install base information.
JP2011257968 discloses evaluating the priority of businesses based on the information on a troubled business to thereby reduce the burden on a person in charge by efficiently allotting businesses and to enable swift action to businesses with a higher priority and proper evaluation of SLA.
NPL, Tsai,” Prioritizing service requests on cloud with Multi-tenancy” discloses request prioritization presents a challenge in this architecture. Tenant may have individual (local) prioritization requirements, and these requirements can be different for different tenants. The shared application must use a global priority scheme for requests from all the tenants. This paper proposes an effective model to prioritize service requests from multiple tenants while preserving local priorities from individual tenant requests
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANGEETA BAHL whose telephone number is (571)270-7779. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 - 4PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Lemieux can be reached on 571-270-3445. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SANGEETA BAHL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3626