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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 06/22/2026 has been entered.
Status of the Claims
Claims 1, 3, 9 and 11 are pending. Claims 4-8 and 10 were withdrawn. Claim 2 is cancelled. Claims 1 and 9 are amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 06/22/2026, with respect to the 101 rejection has been considered but is not persuasive.
Applicant argues, on pages 10-12, that the claims are directed to a specific technological process of managing master data for a DRT (demand responsive transportation) system and not an abstract activity. Applicant argues that the claims does not merely organize human activity but specifies a system-level constraint reflected in the user interface through a stored data relationship.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. The claim limitations as drafted, recite a concept, that, under broadest reasonable interpretation, is a certain method of organizing human activity. The limitations are analogous to managing personal behavior or interactions between people (interactions between people), or a commercial or legal interaction (sales activity) such as managing corporations of drivers (specification, par. 0001). The generic computer implementations do not change the character of the limitations. Accordingly, the claims recite an abstract idea. The additional elements (computer elements and interfaces) are recited at a high-level of generality such that they amount to no more than generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. Accordingly, the additional elements, when viewed individually and in combination, do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claims do not amount to more than generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use.
Applicant argues, on pages 12-13, that even if the amended claims were considered to recite an abstract idea, the additional elements integrate any such idea into a practical application. Applicant argues that the claim recite a specific technological improvement. Applicant argues that the claims provide limitations that operate together to ensure database integrity for the DRT control server. Applicant argues that the claims are different from Trading Technologies.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. As mentioned above, the additional elements do not integrate the judicial exception into a practical application and arguments of specific features are not recited in the claim limitations. Furthermore, it is important to keep in mind that an improvement in the abstract idea itself (e.g. a recited fundamental economic concept) is not an improvement in technology. For example, in Trading Technologies Int’l v. IBG, 921 F.3d 1084, 1093-94, 2019 USPQ2d 138290 (Fed. Cir. 2019), the court determined that the claimed user interface simply provided a trader with more information to facilitate market trades, which improved the business process of market trading but did not improve computers or technology. While the claim limitations may provide improvements to the business process of registering vehicles for a corporation through determining vehicles with a region, and providing interaction with data input completion when the input has been completed, the alleged improvements do not provide any improvement to a technology or technical field. Therefore, the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application and the claims are ineligible.
Applicant’s arguments, filed 06/22/2026, with respect to the art rejection on pages 14-19 have been considered are persuasive.
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, 3, 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Step 1
Claim 1, 3 and 11 is directed to a series of steps, and therefore is a process.
Claim 9 is directed to a system with multiple components, and therefore is a machine
Independent Claims
Step 2A Prong One
The limitation of Claim 1 recites:
A method of providing an interface for managing a vehicle operating corporation which provides a demand-responsive transportation service in which operation sections, operation frequencies, and operation times are flexibly managed without fixed lines according to passenger demand, … the method comprising:
displaying … comprising a 1-1st area configured to list data about one or more registered corporations, a 1-2nd area configured to set conditions for the one or more registered corporations to be listed in the 1-1st area, and a 1-3rd area configured to add data about a registered corporation … …;
in response to receiving an input for interacting with an object included in the 1-2nd area to set corporation listing conditions, selecting data about one or more registered corporations that satisfy the corporation listing conditions, from among data about a plurality of registered corporations, and displaying the selected data about the one or more registered corporations to be listed in the 1-1st area; and
in response to receiving an input for interacting with an object included in the 1-3rd area, displaying … for adding a registered corporation … and
wherein the displaying … :
displaying … for inputting data about the registered corporation, the data comprising an operation provision region and a vehicle-type product, …;
displaying, in response to interaction with an object included … for inputting the operation provision region, a list of regions in which the demand-responsive transportation service is providable, the list being stored …;
receiving the input of the operation provision region by selecting one region from the displayed list;
in response to receiving the input of the operation provision region, determining one or more vehicle-type products that are providable in the input operation provision region based on a relationship between regions and providable vehicle-type products;
displaying the determined one or more vehicle-type products such that any one of the determined one or more vehicle-type products is selected; and
in response to receiving an input for interacting …, only when minimum required data for corporation registration comprising at least a corporate name has been input, storing input data … ,
wherein … is configured such that, when the minimum required data for corporation registration has not been input, interaction with the data input completion object does not complete the input of the data about the registered corporation.
The limitation of Claim 9 recites:
display … comprising a 1-1st area configured to list data about one or more registered corporations, a 1-2nd area configured to set conditions for the one or more registered corporations to be listed in the 1-1st area, and a 1-3rd area configured to add data about a registered corporation …,
in response to receiving an input for interacting with an object included in the 1-2nd area to set corporation listing conditions, select data about one or more registered corporations that satisfy the corporation listing conditions, from among data about a plurality of registered corporations, and
display the selected data about the one or more registered corporations to be listed in the 1-1st area, and in response to receiving an input for interacting with an object included in the 1-3rd area, display … for adding a registered corporation to … wherein the displaying … comprises:
displaying … for inputting data about the registered corporation, the data comprising an operation provision region and a vehicle-type product, …;
displaying, in response to interaction with an object included … for inputting the operation provision region, a list of regions in which the demand-responsive transportation service is providable, the list being stored in the database;
receiving the input of the operation provision region by selecting one region from the displayed list;
in response to receiving the input of the operation provision region, determining one or more vehicle-type products that are providable in the input operation provision region based on a relationship between regions and providable vehicle-type products;
displaying the determined one or more vehicle-type products such that any one of the determined one or more vehicle-type products is selected; and
in response to receiving an input for …, only when minimum required data for corporation registration has been input comprising at least a corporate name, storing input data in the ….
wherein the data input completion object is configured such that, when the minimum required data for corporation registration has not been input, interaction with the data input completion object does not complete the input of the data about the registered corporation.
.
The claim limitations as drafted, recite a concept, that, under broadest reasonable interpretation, is a certain method of organizing human activity. The limitations are analogous to managing personal behavior or interactions between people (interactions between people), or a commercial or legal interaction (sales activity) such as managing corporations of drivers. The generic computer implementations (see below) do not change the character of the limitations. Accordingly, the claims recite an abstract idea.
Step 2A Prong Two
The judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the claims recite the following additional elements:
Claim 1:
a processor included in a device for providing an interface
the interface including a data input completion object
a first corporation management interface
database
a second corporation management interface
Claim 9:
A device for providing an interface for managing a vehicle operating corporation which provides a demand-responsive transportation service in which operation sections, operation frequencies, and operation times are flexibly managed without fixed lines according to passenger demand, the device comprising:
a database storing at least one program; and
a processor configured to execute the at least one program to
a first corporation management interface
database
a second corporation management interface
interface
the interface including a data input completion object
These additional elements are recited at a high-level of generality such that they amount to no more than generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. Accordingly, the additional elements, when viewed individually and in combination, do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claims do not amount to more than generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use (see MPEP 2106.05(h))
Therefore, the claims recite an abstract idea.
Step 2B
As discussed above with respect to Step 2A Prong Two, the additional elements, amount to no more than generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. The same analysis applies here in 2B. The additional elements, when considered separately and in combination, do not add significantly more to the exception. They are generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use and cannot integrate a judicial exception into a practical application at Step 2A or provide an inventive concept in Step 2B. The claims are ineligible.
Dependent Claims
Dependent claims 3 and 11 further narrow the same abstract ideas recited in Claims 1. Therefore, claims 3 and 11 are directed to an abstract idea for the reasons given above.
Step 2A Prong Two
The judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the dependent claims recite the following additional elements:
Claim 3:
a third corporation management interface
These additional elements are recited at a high-level of generality such that they amount to no more than generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. Accordingly, the additional elements, when viewed individually and in combination, do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claims do not amount to more than generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use (see MPEP 2106.05(h)). Therefore, the claims recite an abstract idea.
Step 2B
As discussed above with respect to Step 2A Prong Two, the additional elements, amount to no more than generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. The same analysis applies here in 2B. The additional elements, when considered separately and in combination, do not add significantly more to the exception. They are generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use and cannot integrate a judicial exception into a practical application at Step 2A or provide an inventive concept in Step 2B. The claims are ineligible.
Novelty/Non-Obviousness
The closest prior art of record is:
Battleson (US20190197647A1)
Abhyanker (US20160027307A1)
Katz (US20220027417A1)
Zhang (US20200402089A1)
Battleson shows an interface for managing companies (i.e. 1-1st area to list data about one or more registered corporations). On right side of the interface is an area listing the companies (i.e. 1-2nd area for the one or more registered corporations to be listed in the 1-1st area). On the left side information can be input to add data. (i.e. 1-3rd area to add data about a registered corporation to a database). The right-hand side of interface 130 shows a list of all companies entered into the database, showing the company names, phone numbers, and addresses (which options themselves may be edited in another interface) and the number of entries displayed may be edited through the shown dropdown menu. Battleson also teaches a database interaction. Battleson shows an interface, right hand side of interface which shows a list of all companies entered into the database, showing the company names, phone numbers, and addresses (which options themselves may be edited in another interface) and the number of entries displayed may be edited through the shown dropdown menu. Battleson shows a representative example of an administrator interface (user interface) (interface) (UI) 190 allowing the administrator to associate specific technicians with specific companies. The company indicator 132 for the selected company is shown, and the table below shows all drivers associated in the database with that company indicator. The table has a technician indicator field 191 (shown as a “Add Driver” field) which the administrator may select to input a driver's or technician's information, including a technician indicator 192. Edit and delete functions are shown, and for each driver it is seen that name, driver indicator (driver number), email, location, and phone are listed in a list. (i.e. second management interface for adding drivers in response to receiving input for interacting with an object in the 1-3 area, see instant app specification par. 0011-0012). Battleson teaches FIG. 3 illustrates a representative example of an administrator interface (user interface) (interface) (UI) 140 which may be accessed from the previous interface by selecting the “coverage area” selector from the top menu, and is an interface used to associate geographic areas with the company through the database. One of the companies shown on the previous interface, “Tom's Towing Inc.,” is the company associated with the geographic selections shown on this screen. Battleson teaches interface 140 shows the company indicator 132 for the company associated with this specific interface, and the interface includes a map with zip codes and zip code boundaries shown. The zip codes are representative examples of geographic indicators 141 which may be associated with the company through the database—in other implementations the geographic indicators could be defined by county lines, city boundaries, city blocks or groups of city blocks, longitude and latitude, and so forth. Interface 140 is used to associate, through the database, selected geographic indicators 141 with a company indicator 132. Battleson teaches FIG. 5 shows a representative example of an administrator interface (user interface) (interface) (UI) 160 which is used to input other information and associate it with an entered company. The company indicator 132 is seen at the top of the screen, along with a variety of menu items. This interface may be arrived at by selecting a menu item on interface 150—for example the “settings” top menu item of user interface 150 (which may default to showing a “Define Services” interface—and then by selecting a visible “ETA Settings” menu item the user may arrive at interface 160). The “Back to Company Edit” menu item on interface 160 may be selected to return to interface 150. The “ETA Settings” interface 160 is used to define certain aspects of the operation of estimated times of arrival (ETAS) within the dispatching system. For background, in the representative example the “administrator” operating the dispatching system through the first computing device is a provider of dispatching services for roadside services and the “companies” entered into the system are various roadside service providers, though this is simply one representative example and the system could be used for any services which benefit from dispatching services.
Battleson does not explicitly teach the data input completion object storing input data for the inputs. Battleson does not explicitly teach the vehicle products that are providable in the provision region based on a relationship between regions and providable vehicle products. Battleson does not teach the minimum required data for the input completion object.
Abhyanker teaches the renter 114 may be able to request a ride using a data processing system (e.g., the renter device 505). In one embodiment, the user may go to m.OiaCar.com on the renter device's 505 web browser. The renter 114 may follow the instructions to sign up or sign in if they already have an account. The renter 114 may be able to type in an address where they would like to be picked up and then click “Search”. The renter 114 may select their preferred vehicle (e.g., private vehicle 104) from a drop-down menu labeled “Vehicle”. The renter 114 may click a “Yes, pick me up!” button to request their pickup and the nearest available driver may be sent to the requested address. However, it does not teach not teach the limitations as described above.
Katz teaches The MAS schema here includes five different data fields 594A: accident number (e.g., an internal identifier of the accident), pickup location (e.g., where the user was picked up by the ride sharing vehicle), drop-off location (e.g., where the user was to be dropped off by the ride sharing vehicle), accident location (e.g., the location of the user when the user selected the emergency button), and username (e.g., the user's name). Each of the data fields 594A has been assigned a data format 594B using a drop-down list: number, location, location, location, and string, respectively. Three of the data fields 594A (accident number, accident location, and username) have been designated as mandatory data fields using the checkboxes 594E. The other two data fields 594A (pickup location and drop-off location) have not been designated as mandatory. Thus, in this example, when a data packet associated with the MAS schema illustrated in FIG. 5 is received by the modular API, the modular API retrieves the MAS schema and attempts to validate the data packet against the MAS schema (as described below) by verifying that the data packet includes at least the three mandatory data fields (accident number, accident location, and username) and that the those data fields are in the proper data format (number, location, and string, respectively). The data format required of a data field, and/or the mandatory designation of the data field, as defined by a MAS schema, may be referred to as validation requirements or validation criteria.
Zhang teaches vehicle information page in accordance with embodiments of the present invention is depicted, and referred to generally by reference numeral 300. In some embodiments, page 300 is presented to the user when adding a vehicle to a trip on page 200. In other embodiments, the user has a separate vehicle inventory page from which to select vehicles for adding to trips, and page 300 is available to add vehicles to the vehicle inventory. A variety of information about the vehicle can be provided on page 300 in order to enable the driver to locate the vehicle when it is picked up, or for other purposes. As depicted, information about the car can include an inventory stock number, the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), the year, make, model, color and trim level of the car may be included. In other embodiments, other information (such as, for example, the vehicle's number of doors or seats, or the type of transmission) may be included instead or in addition. In some embodiments, a free-form “notes” field may also be included to record information such as damage to the vehicle or special instructions to the driver of the vehicle. In some such embodiments, multiple such “notes” fields can be present for the requestor and driver to each add their own information about the vehicle. As discussed below, certain vehicles may require additional qualifications for drivers, which may also be noted in page 300. However, it does not teach not teach the limitations as described above.
In conclusion, it would not have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the above references to teach all of the limitations of the claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ISMAIL A MANEJWALA whose telephone number is (571)272-8904. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathan Uber can be reached at 571-270-3923. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ISMAIL A MANEJWALA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3628
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