DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-36 are pending in the present application and are under examination on the merits. This communication is the first action on the merits (FAOM).
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
Applicant filed an Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) on 6/30/2023, 7/21/2023, 9/8/2023, 11/7/2023, 12/27/2023, 2/12/2024, 7/22/2024, 11/27/2024, and 3/4/2025. This filing is in compliance with 37 C.F.R. 1.97.
As required by M.P.E.P. 609(C), the applicant's submission of the Information Disclosure Statement is acknowledged by the examiner and the cited references have been considered in the examination of the claims now pending. As required by M.P.E.P. 609(C), a copy of the PTOL -1449 form, initialed and dated by the examiner, is attached to the instant office action.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 5/5/2023 are acceptable as filed.
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 1-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. Here, under considerations of the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claimed invention, Examiner finds that the Applicant invented a method and system for monitoring specific portions of a website to determine a need for assigning a distributed actor. Examiner formulates an abstract idea analysis, following the framework described in the MPEP as follows:
Step 1: The claims are directed to a statutory category, namely a "method" (claims 1-12) and "system" (claims 13-36).
Step 2A - Prong 1: The claims are found to recite limitations that set forth the abstract idea(s), namely, regarding claim 1:
identifying one or more portions of a website structure of a specific website;
associating the one or more portions of the website structure with one or more functions of the specific website to define a specific skill corresponding to the specific website
Independent claims 13 and 25 recites substantially similar claim language.
Dependent claims 2-12, 14-24, and 26-36 recite the same or similar abstract idea(s) as independent claims 1, 13, and 25 with merely a further narrowing of the abstract idea(s) to particular data characterization and/or additional data analyses performed as part of the abstract idea.
The limitations in claims 1-36 above falling well-within the groupings of subject matter identified by the courts as being abstract concepts, specifically the claims are found to correspond to the category of:
"Certain methods of organizing human activity- fundamental economic principles or practices (including hedging, insurance, mitigating risk); commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations); managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people (including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions)" as the limitations identified above are directed to monitoring specific portions of a website to determine a need for assigning a distributed actor and thus is a method of organizing human activity including at least commercial or business interactions or relations and/or a management of user personal behavior; and/or
"Mental processes - concepts performed in the human mind (including an observation, evaluation, judgement, opinion)" as the limitations identified above include mere data observations, evaluations, judgements, and/or opinions, e.g. including user observation and evaluation of monitoring specific portions of a website to determine a need for assigning a distributed actor, which is capable of being performed mentally and/or using pen and paper.
Step 2A - Prong 2: Claims 1-36 are found to clearly be directed to the abstract idea identified above because the claims, as a whole, fail to integrate the claimed judicial exception into a practical application, specifically the claims recite the additional elements of:
" A computer-implemented method, executed on a computing device, comprising / A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: / A computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising: " (claims 1, 13, and 25) however the aforementioned elements merely amount to generic components of a general purpose computer used to "apply" the abstract idea (MPEP 2106.0S(f)) and thus fails to integrate the recited abstract idea into a practical application, furthermore the high-level recitation of receiving data from a generic "computing device" is at most an attempt to limit the abstract to a particular field of use (MPEP 2106.0S(h), e.g.: "For instance, a data gathering step that is limited to a particular data source (such as the Internet) or a particular type of data (such as power grid data or XML tags) could be considered to be both insignificant extra-solution activity and a field of use limitation. See, e.g., Ultramercial, 772 F.3d at 716, 112 USPQ2d at 1755 (limiting use of abstract idea to the Internet); Electric Power, 830 F.3d at 1354, 119 USPQ2d at 1742 (limiting application of abstract idea to power grid data); Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Erie lndem. Co., 850 F.3d 1315, 1328-29, 121 USPQ2d 1928, 1939 (Fed. Cir. 2017) (limiting use of abstract idea to use with XML tags).") and/or merely insignificant extra-solution activity (MPE 2106.05(g)) and thus further fails to integrate the abstract idea into a practical application;
" wherein the website structure includes one or more of: a HTML website structure; a javascript website structure; and a CSS website structure" (claims 3, 15 and 27), “wherein the group of distributed actors include one or more of: a software platform; a software application; a virtual machine; and a web-based service,” (claims 11, 23, and 35), however the receiving of data from these various sources is merely insignificant extra-solution activity, e.g. data gathering, and/or merely an attempt at limiting the abstract idea to a particular field of use and thus fails to integrate the recited abstract idea into a practical application (e.g. MPEP 2106.0S(h): "Examiners should keep in mind that this consideration overlaps with other considerations, particularly insignificant extra-solution activity (see MPEP § 2106.05{g)). For instance a data gathering step that is limited to a particular data source (such as the Internet) or a particular type of data (such as power grid data or XML tags) could be considered to be both insignificant extra-solution activity and a field of use limitation. See, e.g., Ultramercial, 772 F.3d at 716, 112 USPQ2d at 1755 (limiting use of abstract idea to the Internet); Electric Power, 830 F.3d at 1354, 119 USPQ2d at 1742 (limiting application of abstract idea to power grid data); Intellectual Ventures I LLC v. Erie lndem. Co., 850 F.3d 1315, 1328-29, 121 USPQ2d 1928, 1939 (Fed. Cir. 2017} (limiting use of abstract idea to use with XML tags).");
Step 2B: Claims 1-36 do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the additional elements as described above with respect to Step 2A Prong 2 merely amount to a general purpose computer that attempts to apply the abstract idea in a technological environment (MPEP 2106.0S(f)), including merely limiting the abstract idea to a particular field of use of monitoring specific portions of a website to determine a need for assigning a distributed actor via a "computing device", as explained above, and/or performs insignificant extra-solution activity, e.g. data gathering or output, (MPEP 2106.0S(g)), as identified above, which is further found under step 2B to be merely well-understood, routine, and conventional activities as evidenced by MPEP 2106.0S(d)(II) (describing conventional activities that include transmitting and receiving data over a network, electronic recordkeeping, storing and retrieving information from memory, electronically scanning or extracting data from a physical document, and a web browser's back and forward button functionality). Therefore, similarly the combination and arrangement of the above identified additional elements when analyzed under Step 2B also fails to necessitate a conclusion that the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea directed to monitoring specific portions of a website to determine a need for assigning a distributed actor.
Claims 1-36 are accordingly rejected under 35 USC§ 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea(s)) without significantly more.
Note: The analysis above applies to all statutory categories of invention. As such, the presentment of any claim otherwise styled as a machine or manufacture, for example, would be subject to the same analysis
For further authority and guidance, see:
MPEP § 2106
https://www.uspto.gov/patents/laws/examination-policy/subject-matter-eligibility
Additionally, claims 13-24 are rejected under 35 U. S. C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. These claims are directed towards a computer storage medium and the applicant's specification does not specifically disclaim that a computer readable medium does not include carrier waves and signals which are non-statutory forms of patentable subject matter because these are transitory media which are not tangible. In order to overcome this rejection, the Office recommends amending the claims so that they recite only non-transitory media.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102(A)(1) that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(A)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(A)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2014/0214503 to Chircorian (hereafter referred to as Chircorian).
As per claim 1, Chircorian teaches:
A computer-implemented method, executed on a computing device, comprising: (Paragraph Number [0164] teaches the components of FIG. 12 may be implemented in various ways. In some implementations, the components of FIG. 12 may be implemented in one or more circuits such as, for example, one or more processors and/or one or more ASICs (which may include one or more processors). Here, each circuit may use and/or incorporate at least one memory component for storing information or executable code used by the circuit to provide this functionality. For example, some or all of the functionality represented by blocks 1204-1214 may be implemented by processor and memory component(s) of the apparatus (e.g., by execution of appropriate code and/or by appropriate configuration of processor components)).
identifying one or more portions of a website structure of a specific website (Paragraph Number [0045] teaches once the electronic publication is created, the creator may inform any authorized non-creator authors (hereafter referred to as authors) that they may access the electronic publication. For example, the creator may use the user device 106 (e.g., using a web browser) to invoke an application on the server system 102 that sends a message to the authors (e.g., via a messaging application) or posts a message for the authors (e.g., presented to the authors when they log into the system). Paragraph Number [0046] teaches two authors accessing the electronic publication via respective user devices 108 and 110 (e.g., using server access applications 122 and 124). For example, a first author uses the user device 108 (e.g., using a web browser) to invoke an application on the server system 102 that indicates which electronic publications and documents that author is allowed to access and provides tools to enable the author to edit and publish the electronic publication. Paragraph Number [0047] teaches the creator may have given the first author authorization to access only a subset of the sections of the electronic publication. To this end, the server system 102 cooperates with the database system 104 to control access to the different sections of the electronic publication. For example, based on the attributes stored in the database system 104 for the electronic publication, the server system 102 may only present to the first author (e.g., via a web page) the designated subset of the sections).
associating the one or more portions of the website structure with one or more functions of the specific website to define a specific skill corresponding to the specific website. (Paragraph Number [0114] teaches through the use of the disclosed server-based application environment (e.g., a web site), a creator may instantiate sections into a logically structured Multi-Layer Multi-Author Structured Digitally Published and Print-Ready formatted e-book in a wide variety of categories, with customized covers and pages that can be created and distributed to the users of the environment. Each user has the ability to control his or her own FTP upload server where content can be stored and utilized in any sequence (e.g. a file folder on any server for that user). Likewise, the user has the capability to control multiple contact profiles each one with available fields for website, email, screen names, etc. (e.g. stored within the file folder of that user). Paragraph Number [0115] teaches the application environment facilitates simultaneous multi-layer delegated section content editing through the use of scrapbooking tools and techniques to provide interactive content filled e-books available both digitally and via print sources. The environment houses resources for peer-to-peer photo sharing services, namely, electronic transmission of digital photo files among Internet users of the environment. The environment provides an interactive environment featuring technology that allows users to simultaneously create, upload, download, share and sell custom and branded digital documents, namely in the forms of e-books, authored works, yearbooks, graphic novels, and so on. Paragraph Number [0137] teaches the application environment gives computer users the ability to upload, exchange and share content (e.g., ThoughtSpace, photos, videos, video logs, etc.). Technology that enables users to upload, edit and share photo scrapbooks is also provided. Users are given the ability to create customized web pages featuring user-defined information. The technology also allows users to upload, download, share and sell custom and branded digital documents. (See also Paragraph Numbers [0121] and [0129])).
As per claim 13, Chircorian teaches:
A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: (Paragraph Number [0164] teaches the components of FIG. 12 may be implemented in various ways. In some implementations, the components of FIG. 12 may be implemented in one or more circuits such as, for example, one or more processors and/or one or more ASICs (which may include one or more processors). Here, each circuit may use and/or incorporate at least one memory component for storing information or executable code used by the circuit to provide this functionality. For example, some or all of the functionality represented by blocks 1204-1214 may be implemented by processor and memory component(s) of the apparatus (e.g., by execution of appropriate code and/or by appropriate configuration of processor components)).
The remainder of the claim limitations are substantially similar to those found in claim 1 and are rejected for the same reasons put forth in regard to claim 1.
As per claim 25, Chircorian teaches:
A computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising: (Paragraph Number [0164] teaches the components of FIG. 12 may be implemented in various ways. In some implementations, the components of FIG. 12 may be implemented in one or more circuits such as, for example, one or more processors and/or one or more ASICs (which may include one or more processors). Here, each circuit may use and/or incorporate at least one memory component for storing information or executable code used by the circuit to provide this functionality. For example, some or all of the functionality represented by blocks 1204-1214 may be implemented by processor and memory component(s) of the apparatus (e.g., by execution of appropriate code and/or by appropriate configuration of processor components)).
The remainder of the claim limitations are substantially similar to those found in claim 1 and are rejected for the same reasons put forth in regard to claim 1.
As per claims 2, 14, and 26, Chircorian teaches each of the limitations of claims 1, 13, and 25 respectively.
In addition, Chircorian teaches:
wherein identifying one or more portions of a website structure of a specific website includes: enabling a user to review the specific website to visually identify one or more spatial regions of the specific website (Paragraph Number [0114] teaches through the use of the disclosed server-based application environment (e.g., a web site), a creator may instantiate sections into a logically structured Multi-Layer Multi-Author Structured Digitally Published and Print-Ready formatted e-book in a wide variety of categories, with customized covers and pages that can be created and distributed to the users of the environment. Each user has the ability to control his or her own FTP upload server where content can be stored and utilized in any sequence (e.g. a file folder on any server for that user). Likewise, the user has the capability to control multiple contact profiles each one with available fields for website, email, screen names, etc. (e.g. stored within the file folder of that user). Paragraph Number [0115] teaches the application environment facilitates simultaneous multi-layer delegated section content editing through the use of scrapbooking tools and techniques to provide interactive content filled e-books available both digitally and via print sources. The environment houses resources for peer-to-peer photo sharing services, namely, electronic transmission of digital photo files among Internet users of the environment. The environment provides an interactive environment featuring technology that allows users to simultaneously create, upload, download, share and sell custom and branded digital documents, namely in the forms of e-books, authored works, yearbooks, graphic novels, and so on. Paragraph Number [0137] teaches the application environment gives computer users the ability to upload, exchange and share content (e.g., ThoughtSpace, photos, videos, video logs, etc.). Technology that enables users to upload, edit and share photo scrapbooks is also provided. Users are given the ability to create customized web pages featuring user-defined information. The technology also allows users to upload, download, share and sell custom and branded digital documents. (See also Paragraph Numbers [0121] and [0129])).
associating the one or more spatial regions of the specific website with the one or more portions of the website structure (Paragraph Number [0114] teaches through the use of the disclosed server-based application environment (e.g., a web site), a creator may instantiate sections into a logically structured Multi-Layer Multi-Author Structured Digitally Published and Print-Ready formatted e-book in a wide variety of categories, with customized covers and pages that can be created and distributed to the users of the environment. Each user has the ability to control his or her own FTP upload server where content can be stored and utilized in any sequence (e.g. a file folder on any server for that user). Likewise, the user has the capability to control multiple contact profiles each one with available fields for website, email, screen names, etc. (e.g. stored within the file folder of that user). Paragraph Number [0115] teaches the application environment facilitates simultaneous multi-layer delegated section content editing through the use of scrapbooking tools and techniques to provide interactive content filled e-books available both digitally and via print sources. The environment houses resources for peer-to-peer photo sharing services, namely, electronic transmission of digital photo files among Internet users of the environment. The environment provides an interactive environment featuring technology that allows users to simultaneously create, upload, download, share and sell custom and branded digital documents, namely in the forms of e-books, authored works, yearbooks, graphic novels, and so on. Paragraph Number [0137] teaches the application environment gives computer users the ability to upload, exchange and share content (e.g., ThoughtSpace, photos, videos, video logs, etc.). Technology that enables users to upload, edit and share photo scrapbooks is also provided. Users are given the ability to create customized web pages featuring user-defined information. The technology also allows users to upload, download, share and sell custom and branded digital documents. (See also Paragraph Numbers [0121] and [0129])).
As per claims 3, 15, and 27, Chircorian teaches each of the limitations of claims 1, 13, and 25 respectively.
In addition, Chircorian teaches:
wherein the website structure includes one or more of: a HTML website structure; a javascript website structure; and a CSS website structure (Paragraph Number [0129] teaches Static DigiGLU are advertisements embedded by, for example, HTML and CSS in a trigger-based function varying in location on a digital and interactive e-book creation super positioned by the design studio. Paragraph Number [0156] teaches the environment is developed and implemented in C# and F# utilizing packets of Silverlight and JavaScript for the user interface (UI) under the ASP.NET and .NET framework(s) from Microsoft. The graphics provide a powerful UI that is both multi-touch device capable and allows the application to expand on the digital advantages of Simultaneous Multi-Author Multi-Layer Structured Non-Linear Collaborative Book or Publication Creation within the realm of desktop computers as well as digitally interactive tablets. In some implementations, the environment utilizes other codecs, J-query, Ajax, PHP, MySQL Management Studio, MySQL Server, Microsoft Visual Studio, and RadControls for the GUI. In some implementations, the environment interacts with the user through the use of the Silverlight plug-in for Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Apple Safari).
As per claims 4, 16, and 28, Chircorian teaches each of the limitations of claims 1, 13, and 25 respectively.
In addition, Chircorian teaches:
maintaining a group of distributed actors, wherein each of the distributed actors offers at least one skill, wherein the group of distributed actors include a distributed actor associated with the specific website that offers the specific skill corresponding to the specific website (Paragraph Number [0022] teaches receiving, at a server system, requests from an authorized set of users to access an electronic publication; and providing, by the server system, concurrent access to the electronic publication for the users by concurrently providing mutually exclusive access to different sections of the electronic publication to different users of the set, wherein the providing of concurrent access comprises requesting information associated with the different sections of the electronic publication from a database that maintains the different sections as different database entries. Paragraph Number [0049] teaches the system 100 may provide concurrent access to the electronic publication to different authors. For example, the first author may request access to one section of the electronic publication concurrently with a request by the second author to access another section of the electronic publication. Paragraph Number [0058] teaches when a user requests access to a given section (e.g., by clicking on a corresponding field), the environment provides access control to ensure that the user is accessing an authorized section. (See also Paragraph Numbers [0059]-[0062])).
monitoring an environment to detect the existence of an unfulfilled need (Paragraph Number [0022] teaches receiving, at a server system, requests from an authorized set of users to access an electronic publication; and providing, by the server system, concurrent access to the electronic publication for the users by concurrently providing mutually exclusive access to different sections of the electronic publication to different users of the set, wherein the providing of concurrent access comprises requesting information associated with the different sections of the electronic publication from a database that maintains the different sections as different database entries. Paragraph Number [0049] teaches the system 100 may provide concurrent access to the electronic publication to different authors. For example, the first author may request access to one section of the electronic publication concurrently with a request by the second author to access another section of the electronic publication. Paragraph Number [0058] teaches when a user requests access to a given section (e.g., by clicking on a corresponding field), the environment provides access control to ensure that the user is accessing an authorized section).
assigning one or more distributed actors to address the unfulfilled need based, at least in part, upon the at least one skill offered by the one or more distributed actors, thus defining one or more assigned distributed actors (Paragraph Number [0022] teaches receiving, at a server system, requests from an authorized set of users to access an electronic publication; and providing, by the server system, concurrent access to the electronic publication for the users by concurrently providing mutually exclusive access to different sections of the electronic publication to different users of the set, wherein the providing of concurrent access comprises requesting information associated with the different sections of the electronic publication from a database that maintains the different sections as different database entries. Paragraph Number [0049] teaches the system 100 may provide concurrent access to the electronic publication to different authors. For example, the first author may request access to one section of the electronic publication concurrently with a request by the second author to access another section of the electronic publication. Paragraph Number [0058] teaches when a user requests access to a given section (e.g., by clicking on a corresponding field), the environment provides access control to ensure that the user is accessing an authorized section. (See also Paragraph Numbers [0059]-[0062])).
As per claims 5, 17, and 29, Chircorian teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 4, 13 and 16, and 25 and 28 respectively.
In addition, Chircorian teaches:
further comprising: associating the specific skill with a specific distributed actor. (Paragraph Number [0058] teaches when a user requests access to a given section (e.g., by clicking on a corresponding field), the environment provides access control to ensure that the user is accessing an authorized section. Upon successful authorization, the user is allowed to edit the section (e.g., through the use of web pages presented to the web browser). For example, the user may: select one or more templates (e.g., book covers, chapter pages, etc.) to be used for the electronic publication; type text into designated (e.g., author designated) text fields or other areas of a section; import photographs or other images (e.g., graphics) into designated image fields or other areas of a section, import audio (e.g., speech or music) into designated audio fields or other areas of a section, import video into designated video fields or other areas of a section, import application-based content (e.g., drag and drop-in mini-applications) into designated application fields or other areas of a section, import advertisement information into designated advertisement fields or other areas of a section, and so on. Paragraph Number [0059] teaches in conjunction with accessing a given electronic publication, the environment allows a user to view the electronic publication. For example, the environment may present the electronic publication to the user (e.g., by sending appropriate messages to the web browser) in the same format as will be used when the electronic publication is printed. In some cases, through the access control, the environment only allows a given user to view those sections that the user is authorized to access. Paragraph Number [0060] teaches concurrent with the actions of one user, another user may access the same electronic publication. Here, upon accessing the environment, this other user is presented with those sections of the electronic publication that he or she is allowed to access. The other user is then free to access any of the authorized sections, provided the section is not already being accessed by another user (See also Paragraph Numbers [0061]-[0062])).
As per claims 6, 18, and 30, Chircorian teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 4, and 5, 13, 16, and 17, and 25, 28, and 29 respectively.
In addition, Chircorian teaches:
wherein the specific distributed actor is a member of the group of distributed actors. (Paragraph Number [0058] teaches when a user requests access to a given section (e.g., by clicking on a corresponding field), the environment provides access control to ensure that the user is accessing an authorized section. Upon successful authorization, the user is allowed to edit the section (e.g., through the use of web pages presented to the web browser). For example, the user may: select one or more templates (e.g., book covers, chapter pages, etc.) to be used for the electronic publication; type text into designated (e.g., author designated) text fields or other areas of a section; import photographs or other images (e.g., graphics) into designated image fields or other areas of a section, import audio (e.g., speech or music) into designated audio fields or other areas of a section, import video into designated video fields or other areas of a section, import application-based content (e.g., drag and drop-in mini-applications) into designated application fields or other areas of a section, import advertisement information into designated advertisement fields or other areas of a section, and so on. Paragraph Number [0059] teaches in conjunction with accessing a given electronic publication, the environment allows a user to view the electronic publication. For example, the environment may present the electronic publication to the user (e.g., by sending appropriate messages to the web browser) in the same format as will be used when the electronic publication is printed. In some cases, through the access control, the environment only allows a given user to view those sections that the user is authorized to access. Paragraph Number [0060] teaches concurrent with the actions of one user, another user may access the same electronic publication. Here, upon accessing the environment, this other user is presented with those sections of the electronic publication that he or she is allowed to access. The other user is then free to access any of the authorized sections, provided the section is not already being accessed by another user (See also Paragraph Numbers [0061]-[0062])).
As per claims 7, 19, and 31, Chircorian teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 4, 13 and 16, and 25 and 28 respectively.
In addition, Chircorian teaches:
wherein assigning one or more distributed actors to address the unfulfilled need includes one or more of: immediately assigning to the one or more distributed actors; inquiring on the availability of the one or more distributed actors; and allowing the user to choose the one or more distributed actors from a group of potential distributed actors.. (Paragraph Number [0061] teaches in the event multiple users are authorized to access the same section of the same electronic publication, the environment provides access control to prevent simultaneous use of a given section by multiple users. Here, once a first user gains access to that section, any subsequent attempts by other users to gain access are disallowed until the first user relinquishes access to the section. Paragraph Number [0062] teaches to support concurrent access of a single electronic publication by multiple users, the environment maintains the electronic publication in a database (e.g., as part of the client server or as a separate entity) whereby different sections comprise different database entries. For example, the electronic publication may be stored using a structured query language (SQL) database. When a user requests to access a particular section, the environment (e.g., by operation of the database) checks out that section to prevent conflicting access to that section. Once the user relinquishes access to that section, the environment checks the section back in to allow other users to access the section. However, the database does permit concurrent access to different database entries (sections). That is, different sections of the same electronic publication may be checked out at the same time. (See also Paragraph Numbers [0058]-[0059])).
As per claims 8, 20, and 32, Chircorian teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 4, 13 and 16, and 25 and 28 respectively.
In addition, Chircorian teaches:
wherein monitoring an environment to detect the existence of an unfulfilled need includes: detecting the existence of a request. (Paragraph Number [0022] teaches receiving, at a server system, requests from an authorized set of users to access an electronic publication; and providing, by the server system, concurrent access to the electronic publication for the users by concurrently providing mutually exclusive access to different sections of the electronic publication to different users of the set, wherein the providing of concurrent access comprises requesting information associated with the different sections of the electronic publication from a database that maintains the different sections as different database entries. Paragraph Number [0049] teaches the system 100 may provide concurrent access to the electronic publication to different authors. For example, the first author may request access to one section of the electronic publication concurrently with a request by the second author to access another section of the electronic publication. Paragraph Number [0058] teaches when a user requests access to a given section (e.g., by clicking on a corresponding field), the environment provides access control to ensure that the user is accessing an authorized section).
As per claims 9, 21, and 33, Chircorian teaches each of the limitations of claims 1, 4, and 8, 13, 16, and 20, and 25, 28, and 32 respectively.
In addition, Chircorian teaches:
wherein detecting the existence of a request includes: receiving a request from a human distributed actor. (Paragraph Number [0022] teaches receiving, at a server system, requests from an authorized set of users to access an electronic publication; and providing, by the server system, concurrent access to the electronic publication for the users by concurrently providing mutually exclusive access to different sections of the electronic publication to different users of the set, wherein the providing of concurrent access comprises requesting information associated with the different sections of the electronic publication from a database that maintains the different sections as different database entries. Paragraph Number [0049] teaches the system 100 may provide concurrent access to the electronic publication to different authors. For example, the first author may request access to one section of the electronic publication concurrently with a request by the second author to access another section of the electronic publication. Paragraph Number [0058] teaches when a user requests access to a given section (e.g., by clicking on a corresponding field), the environment provides access control to ensure that the user is accessing an authorized section.(See also Paragraph Numbers [0059]-[0062] and [0110])).
As per claims 10, 22, and 34, Chircorian teaches each of the limitations of claims 1, 4, and 8, 13, 16, and 20, and 25, 28, and 32 respectively.
In addition, Chircorian teaches:
wherein detecting the existence of a request includes: receiving a request from a non-human distributed actor. (Paragraph Number [0022] teaches receiving, at a server system, requests from an authorized set of users to access an electronic publication; and providing, by the server system, concurrent access to the electronic publication for the users by concurrently providing mutually exclusive access to different sections of the electronic publication to different users of the set, wherein the providing of concurrent access comprises requesting information associated with the different sections of the electronic publication from a database that maintains the different sections as different database entries. Paragraph Number [0049] teaches the system 100 may provide concurrent access to the electronic publication to different authors. For example, the first author may request access to one section of the electronic publication concurrently with a request by the second author to access another section of the electronic publication. Paragraph Number [0058] teaches when a user requests access to a given section (e.g., by clicking on a corresponding field), the environment provides access control to ensure that the user is accessing an authorized section.(See also Paragraph Numbers [0059]-[0062] and [0110])).
As per claims 11, 23, and 35, Chircorian teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 4, 13 and 16, and 25 and 28 respectively.
In addition, Chircorian teaches:
wherein the group of distributed actors include one or more of: a software platform; a software application; a virtual machine; and a web-based service. (Paragraph Number [0022] teaches receiving, at a server system, requests from an authorized set of users to access an electronic publication; and providing, by the server system, concurrent access to the electronic publication for the users by concurrently providing mutually exclusive access to different sections of the electronic publication to different users of the set, wherein the providing of concurrent access comprises requesting information associated with the different sections of the electronic publication from a database that maintains the different sections as different database entries. Paragraph Number [0049] teaches the system 100 may provide concurrent access to the electronic publication to different authors. For example, the first author may request access to one section of the electronic publication concurrently with a request by the second author to access another section of the electronic publication. Paragraph Number [0058] teaches when a user requests access to a given section (e.g., by clicking on a corresponding field), the environment provides access control to ensure that the user is accessing an authorized section.(See also Paragraph Numbers [0059]-[0062] and [0110])).
As per claims 12, 24, and 36, Chircorian teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 4, 13 and 16, and 25 and 28 respectively.
In addition, Chircorian teaches:
wherein the one or more assigned distributed actors interact, directly or indirectly, with one or more distributed sub-actors to address at least a portion of the unfulfilled need. (Paragraph Number [0022] teaches receiving, at a server system, requests from an authorized set of users to access an electronic publication; and providing, by the server system, concurrent access to the electronic publication for the users by concurrently providing mutually exclusive access to different sections of the electronic publication to different users of the set, wherein the providing of concurrent access comprises requesting information associated with the different sections of the electronic publication from a database that maintains the different sections as different database entries. Paragraph Number [0049] teaches the system 100 may provide concurrent access to the electronic publication to different authors. For example, the first author may request access to one section of the electronic publication concurrently with a request by the second author to access another section of the electronic publication. Paragraph Number [0058] teaches when a user requests access to a given section (e.g., by clicking on a corresponding field), the environment provides access control to ensure that the user is accessing an authorized section.(See also Paragraph Numbers [0059]-[0062] and [0110])).
Conclusion
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/M.H.D/Examiner, Art Unit 3624
/Jerry O'Connor/Supervisory Patent Examiner,Group Art Unit 3624