Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/308,554

COLLABORATIVE SECURE LOAN DATASET PLATFORM

Non-Final OA §101
Filed
Apr 27, 2023
Examiner
TURK, BROCK E
Art Unit
3692
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Pentech LLC
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
29%
Grant Probability
At Risk
3-4
OA Rounds
3y 0m
To Grant
64%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants only 29% of cases
29%
Career Allow Rate
44 granted / 151 resolved
-22.9% vs TC avg
Strong +35% interview lift
Without
With
+35.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 0m
Avg Prosecution
62 currently pending
Career history
213
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
40.4%
+0.4% vs TC avg
§103
32.0%
-8.0% vs TC avg
§102
9.2%
-30.8% vs TC avg
§112
14.4%
-25.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 151 resolved cases

Office Action

§101
DETAILED ACTION 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 10/17/25 has been entered. Status of Claims This action is in reply to RCE, amendment and response filed on 10/17/25. Claims 1, 10 and 19 were amended. Claims 8 and 17 were cancelled. Claims 1-7, 9-16 and 18-20 are pending and examined. Response to Arguments 101: The Applicant’s amendments and arguments have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Applicant essentially argues that the amended claims do not recite an abstract idea. The Examiner disagrees. The Applicant’s arguments are moot because the RCE filed and the claims that were amended substantively. Per example, the amended claim 1 recites “executing, by the server using at least one of the attribute or data associated with the secure loan dataset, a machine learning predictive model having been trained on historical secure loan datasets, employment status changes, and prior transaction outcomes to determine a digital product attribute for the user based on learned correlations” which includes an additional element necessitating reconsideration of the claims. As such, an updated rejection is provided that addresses the amended claims. 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 1-7, 9-16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. In the instant case, claims 1-7 and 9 are directed to a process, claims 10-16 and 18 are directed to a machine and claims 19-20 are directed to another machine. When analyzed under prong one of step 2A, see MPEP 2106.04(a), claim 1 recites loan product determination which is a form of organizing human activity (e.g. commercial or legal interaction) and an abstract idea, see MPEP 2106.04(a)(2)(II). Specifically, the claim recites: receiving, …, an indication of …; retrieving, …, an identifier of a user operating …; retrieving, …, a secure loan dataset for the user, the secure loan dataset comprising at least a triggering employment status attribute … a transaction associated with the secure loan dataset; …, … using at least one of the attribute or data associated with the secure loan dataset, a … model to determine a … product attribute for the user based on learned correlations; … Additionally, “[executing …] a […] model […] to determine a […] product attribute for the user based on learned correlations” and “[routing … to an agent computing device] identified from an agent mapping table that associates agents with specific […] product attributes output by the […] model, […]” represents the mathematical concept of generating and using a loan product model, and it has been held that merely adding one abstract idea (math) to another abstract idea (loan product determination) does not provide a practical application (MPEP 2106.04 II 2, RecogniCorp, LLC v. Nintendo Co., 855 F.3d 1322, 1327, 122 USPQ2d 1377 (Fed. Cir. 2017)). When analyzed under prong 2 of step 2A, see MPEP 2106.04(d), claim 1 includes additional elements. The additional elements are: “a server”, “a first electronic communication session with a user computing device”, “… a triggering employment status attribute that causes execution of a transaction …, “executing, by the server […], a machine learning predictive computer model having been trained on historical secure loan datasets, employment status changes, and prior transaction outcomes […] digital […]”. “routing, by the server, the first electronic communication session to an agent computing device identified from an agent mapping table that associates agents with specific digital product attributes output by the machine learning predictive model, thereby establishing a second electronic communication session between the user computing device and the agent computing device operated by the agent”. The additional elements represent use of a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea, see MPEP 2106.05(f), and/or do no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h), and therefore, do not integrate loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model into a practical application, see MPEP 2106.04(d). With respect to “a triggering employment status attribute that causes execution of a transaction”, the claim lacks technological details on what “a triggering employment status attribute that causes execution of a transaction” comprises, and as a result is no more than “apply it” (MPEP 2106.05(f)(1)). With respect to “executing, by the server […], a machine learning predictive computer model having been trained on historical secure loan datasets, employment status changes, and prior transaction outcomes”, the claims lacks technological details on what “executing, …, a machine learning predictive computer model having been trained on historical secure loan datasets, employment status changes, and prior transaction outcomes” comprises, and as a result is no more than “apply it” (MPEP 2106.05(f)(1)). With respect to “routing, by the server, the first electronic communication session to an agent computing device identified from an agent mapping table that associates agents with specific digital product attributes output by the machine learning predictive model, thereby establishing a second electronic communication session between the user computing device and the agent computing device operated by the agent”, this is no more than transmitting information such as the first communication session to an agent and it has been held that using a computer to perform an economic or other task does not provide a practical application (MPEP 2106.05(f)(2)). Furthermore, the claim lacks technological details on what “routing, …, the first electronic communication session to an agent computing device identified from an agent mapping table that associates agents with specific digital product attributes output by the machine learning predictive model” comprises, and as a result is no more than “apply it” (MPEP 2106.05(f)(1)). With respect to “establishing a second electronic communication session between the user computing device and the agent computing device operated by the agent”, this is no more than transmitting information such as the second communication session and it has been held that using a computer to perform an economic or other task does not provide a practical application (MPEP 2106.05(f)(2)). When analyzed under step 2B, see MPEP 2106.05, the claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception, itself because the additional elements do no more than automate or implement loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model and do not improve computer functionality or improve another technology or related technical field, see MPEP 2106.05(a). As to claim 10, the claim also recites the abstract idea of loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model, see MPEP 2106.04(a)(2)(I & II). The claim recites the additional elements of: “a system, […] the system comprising”, “a non-transitory machine-readable memory configured to store a set of instructions that when executed, cause a processor to”, “a first electronic communication session with a user computing device”, “[…] a triggering employment status attribute that causes execution of a transaction …” “execute, […] a machine learning predictive computer model having been trained on historical secure loan datasets, employment status changes, and prior transaction outcomes […] digital […]”. “route the first electronic communication session to an agent computing device identified from an agent mapping table that associates agents with specific digital product attributes output by the machine learning predictive model, thereby establishing a second electronic communication session between the user computing device and the agent computing device operated by the agent”. The additional elements represent use of a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea, see MPEP 2106.05(f), and/or do no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h), and therefore, do not integrate loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model into a practical application, see MPEP 2106.04(d). With respect to “a triggering employment status attribute that causes execution of a transaction”, the claim lacks technological details on what “a triggering employment status attribute that causes execution of a transaction” comprises, and as a result is no more than “apply it” (MPEP 2106.05(f)(1)). With respect to “execute, […] a machine learning predictive computer model having been trained on historical secure loan datasets, employment status changes, and prior transaction outcomes”, the claims technological lacks details on what “execute, […] a machine learning predictive computer model having been trained on historical secure loan datasets, employment status changes, and prior transaction outcomes” comprises, and as a result is no more than “apply it” (MPEP 2106.05(f)(1)). With respect to “route the first electronic communication session to an agent computing device identified from an agent mapping table that associates agents with specific digital product attributes output by the machine learning predictive model”, this is no more than transmitting information such as the first communication session and it has been held that using a computer to perform an economic or other task does not provide a practical application (MPEP 2106.05(f)(2)). Furthermore, the claim lacks technological details on what “route the first electronic communication session to an agent computing device identified from an agent mapping table that associates agents with specific digital product attributes output by the machine learning predictive model” comprises, and as a result is no more than “apply it” (MPEP 2106.05(f)(1)). With respect to “establishing a second electronic communication session between the user computing device and the agent computing device operated by the agent”, this is no more than transmitting information such as the second communication session and it has been held that using a computer to perform an economic or other task does not provide a practical application (MPEP 2106.05(f)(2)). When analyzed under step 2B, see MPEP 2106.05, the claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception, itself because the additional elements do no more than automate or implement loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model and do not improve computer functionality or improve another technology or related technical field, see MPEP 2106.05(a). As to claim 19, the claim also recites the abstract idea of loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model , see MPEP 2106.04(a)(2)(I & II). The claim recites the additional elements of: “a system, […] the system comprising”, ”an agent computing device operated by an agent”, “a server in communication with the agent computing device, the server configured to”, “a first electronic communication session with a user computing device”, “[…] a triggering employment status attribute that causes execution of a transaction […]”, “execute, […] a machine learning predictive computer model having been trained on historical secure loan datasets, employment status changes, and prior transaction outcomes […] digital […]”, “route the first electronic communication session to an agent computing device identified from an agent mapping table that associates agents with specific digital product attributes output by the machine learning predictive model, thereby establishing a second electronic communication session between the user computing device and the agent computing device operated by the agent”. The additional elements represent use of a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea, see MPEP 2106.05(f), and/or do no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h), and therefore, do not integrate loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model into a practical application, see MPEP 2106.04(d). With respect to “a triggering employment status attribute that causes execution of a transaction”, the claim lacks technological details on what “a triggering employment status attribute that causes execution of a transaction” comprises, and as a result is no more than “apply it” (MPEP 2106.05(f)(1)). With respect to “execute, […] a machine learning predictive computer model having been trained on historical secure loan datasets, employment status changes, and prior transaction outcomes”, the claim lacks technological details on what “execute, […] a machine learning predictive computer model having been trained on historical secure loan datasets, employment status changes, and prior transaction outcomes” comprises, and as a result is no more than “apply it” (MPEP 2106.05(f)(1)). With respect to “route the first electronic communication session to an agent computing device identified from an agent mapping table that associates agents with specific digital product attributes output by the machine learning predictive model”, this is no more than transmitting information such as the first communication session and it has been held that using a computer to perform an economic or other task does not provide a practical application (MPEP 2106.05(f)(2)). Furthermore, the claim lacks technological details on what “route the first electronic communication session to an agent computing device identified from an agent mapping table that associates agents with specific digital product attributes output by the machine learning predictive model” comprises, and as a result is no more than “apply it” (MPEP 2106.05(f)(1)). With respect to “establishing a second electronic communication session between the user computing device and the agent computing device operated by the agent”, this is no more than transmitting information such as the second communication session and it has been held that using a computer to perform an economic or other task does not provide a practical application (MPEP 2106.05(f)(2)). When analyzed under step 2B, see MPEP 2106.05, the claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception, itself because the additional elements do no more than automate or implement loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model and do not improve computer functionality or improve another technology or related technical field, see MPEP 2106.05(a). Hence, claims 1, 10 and 19 are not patent eligible. Dependent claims 2, 11 and 20 recite additional elements. The additional elements of “the first electronic communication session or the second electronic communication session is a telephonic communication session” represent use of a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea, see MPEP 2106.05(f), and/or do no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h), and therefore, do not integrate loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model into a practical application, see MPEP 2106.04(d). The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception, itself because the additional elements do no more than automate or implement loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model and do not improve computer functionality or improve another technology or related technical field, see MPEP 2106.05(a). Dependent claims 3 and 12 recite additional elements. The additional elements of “establishing the second electronic communication session comprises routing the telephonic communication session to the agent computing device” represent use of a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea, see MPEP 2106.05(f), and/or do no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h), and therefore, do not integrate loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model into a practical application, see MPEP 2106.04(d). With respect to the additional element of “establishing the second electronic communication session”, this is no more than transmitting information such as the second communication session and it has been held that using a computer to perform an economic or other task does not provide a practical application (MPEP 2106.05(f)(2)). With respect to the additional element of “routing the telephonic communication session to the agent computing device”, this is no more than transmitting information such as the telephonic communication session and it has been held that using a computer to perform an economic or other task does not provide a practical application (MPEP 2106.05(f)(2)). The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception, itself because the additional elements do no more than automate or implement loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model and do not improve computer functionality or improve another technology or related technical field, see MPEP 2106.05(a). Dependent claims 4 and 13 recite “the identifier is a telephone number, media access control address, or internet protocol address”, and therefore, further describes loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model. Dependent claims 5 and 14 recite additional elements. The additional elements of “the first electronic communication session or the second electronic communication session is a chat session or a video communication session” represent use of a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea, see MPEP 2106.05(f), and/or do no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h), and therefore, do not integrate loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model into a practical application, see MPEP 2106.04(d). The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception, itself because the additional elements do no more than automate or implement loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model and do not improve computer functionality or improve another technology or related technical field, see MPEP 2106.05(a). Dependent claims 6 and 15 recite “the … product attribute for the user indicates a subsequent purchase of the user”, and therefore, further describe loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model. The additional elements of “the digital product attribute” represent use of a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea, see MPEP 2106.05(f), and/or do no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h), and therefore, do not integrate loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model into a practical application, see MPEP 2106.04(d). The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception, itself because the additional elements do no more than automate or implement loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model and do not improve computer functionality or improve another technology or related technical field, see MPEP 2106.05(a). Dependent claims 7 and 16 recite “the agent is specialized in the subsequent purchase”, and therefore, further describe loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model. Dependent claims 9 and 18 recite additional elements. The additional elements of “displaying, by the server on the agent computing device, the digital product attribute for the user” represent use of a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea, see MPEP 2106.05(f), and/or do no more than link the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, see MPEP 2106.05(h), and therefore, do not integrate loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model into a practical application, see MPEP 2106.04(d). With respect to “displaying, by the server on the agent computing device, the digital product attribute for the user”, this is no more than displaying information such as the second communication session and it has been held that using a computer to perform an economic or other task does not provide a practical application (MPEP 2106.05(f)(2)). The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception, itself because the additional elements do no more than automate or implement loan product determination by generating and using a loan product model and do not improve computer functionality or improve another technology or related technical field, see MPEP 2106.05(a). Conclusion References made of record, not relied upon, pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure, includes: US 20050137968 A1 (Mitchell) disclosing internet based marketing and information management for mortgage loans, US 20130185189 A1 (Stewart) disclosing using online social footprint for affecting lending performance and credit scoring. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BROCK E TURK whose telephone number is (571)272-5626. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ryan Donlon can be reached at 571-270-3602. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /BROCK E TURK/Examiner, Art Unit 3692 /DAVID P SHARVIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3692
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Prosecution Timeline

Apr 27, 2023
Application Filed
Jul 25, 2024
Non-Final Rejection — §101
Feb 06, 2025
Response Filed
May 15, 2025
Final Rejection — §101
Oct 17, 2025
Request for Continued Examination
Oct 27, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Nov 01, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §101 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
29%
Grant Probability
64%
With Interview (+35.1%)
3y 0m
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 151 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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