Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/322,162

CLOUD MES WITH EDGE CONTAINERIZED SERVICE

Final Rejection §101§102§103
Filed
May 23, 2023
Examiner
SANTOS-DIAZ, MARIA C
Art Unit
3629
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Rockwell Automation Technologies Inc.
OA Round
4 (Final)
33%
Grant Probability
At Risk
5-6
OA Rounds
8m
Est. Remaining
65%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants only 33% of cases
33%
Career Allowance Rate
100 granted / 299 resolved
-18.6% vs TC avg
Strong +31% interview lift
Without
With
+31.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 10m
Avg Prosecution
23 currently pending
Career history
334
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
12.0%
-28.0% vs TC avg
§103
63.7%
+23.7% vs TC avg
§102
21.0%
-19.0% vs TC avg
§112
3.0%
-37.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 299 resolved cases

Office Action

§101 §102 §103
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/05/2026 and 05/08/2026 are being considered by the examiner. Status of the Application Claim 7 is canceled. Claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 13, 16, 17, 19 and 21 are amended. Claims 1-6 and 8-21 are examined herein. Response to Amendment The amendments submitted on 05/06/2026 are entered. Due to the change of scope in amending the claims a 35 USC 101 rejection is presented. 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 1-6 and 8-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claims are directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. With respect to Step 1 of the eligibility inquiry (as explained in MPEP 2106), it is first noted that the claims are directed to at least one potentially eligible category of subject matter (i.e., process and machine, respectively). Thus, Step 1 of the Subject Matter Eligibility test for claims 1-6 and 8-21 is satisfied. With respect to Step 2A Prong One, it is next noted that the claims recite an abstract idea that falls under the “Certain Methods Of Organizing Human Activity” group within the enumerated groupings of abstract ideas set forth in the MPEP 2106 since the claims set forth steps that recite managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people (including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions). Claims 1 and 13 and 19 recites the abstract idea of data collection, analysis and sharing [001]. In claim 1, this idea is described by the following claim steps: manage communication of data; in response to receipt of request data from a second customer entity comprising a request for the data maintained by the manufacturing system in a first data center, determine a scope of the data permitted to be shared with the second customer entity based on identification of a production-level event that occurred at an industrial facility from which the data originated within a defined time period before receipt of the request data and a determination of whether a security model indicates that the production-level event satisfies a criterion a data packaging component configured to package, as a deployment artifact, a subset of the data requested by the request data in accordance with the scope of the data permitted to be shared with the second customer entity route the deployment artifact to a second data center accessible to the second customer entity. This idea falls within the certain methods of organizing human activity grouping of abstract ideas because it is directed towards commercial interactions (including business relations). The noted abstract idea is also directed to managing interactions between people such as that required during communications when transmitting data within two entities conforms to the requirements of more than one party. Because the above-noted limitations recite steps falling within the Certain Methods Of Organizing Human Activity abstract idea groupings of the MPEP 2106, they have been determined to recite at least one abstract idea when evaluated under Step 2A Prong One of the eligibility inquiry. Therefore, because the limitations above set forth activities falling within the Certain Methods Of Organizing Human Activity abstract idea groupings described in the MPEP 2106, the additional elements recited in the claims are further evaluated, individually and in combination, under Step 2A Prong Two and Step 2B below. Claim 13 and 19 recites similar limitations as claim 1 and are therefore determined to recite the same abstract idea. With respect to Step 2A Prong Two, the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. The additional elements that fail to integrate the abstract idea into a practical application are: a memory that stores executable components; a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, that executes the executable components; a service communicator component; an edge gateway device and internal services of a manufacturing cloud system, wherein the manufacturing cloud system is a multi-tenant Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) system that executes an industrial manufacturing execution system (MES) on a cloud platform; a data packaging component. However, using a computer environment such as the recited computer elements amounts to no more than generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Transmitting information in accordance of the information permitted to be shared between entities can reasonably be performed by pen and paper until limited to a computerized environment by requiring the recited elements. These additional elements have been evaluated, but fail to integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they amount to using generic computing elements or computer-executable instructions (software) to perform the abstract idea, similar to adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent), and alternatively serve to link the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment. See MPEP 2106.05(f) and 2106.05(h). In addition, these limitations fail to provide an improvement to the functioning of a computer or to any other technology or technical field, fail to apply the exception with a particular machine, fail to apply the judicial exception to effect a particular treatment or prophylaxis for a disease or medical condition, fail to effect a transformation of a particular article to a different state or thing, and fail to apply/use the abstract idea in a meaningful way beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment. Accordingly, because the Step 2A Prong One and Prong Two analysis resulted in the conclusion that the claims are directed to an abstract idea, additional analysis under Step 2B of the eligibility inquiry must be conducted in order to determine whether any claim element or combination of elements amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. With respect to Step 2B of the eligibility inquiry, it has been determined that the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As noted above, the claims as a whole merely describes a method, computer system, and computer program product that generally “apply” the concepts discussed in prong 1 above. (See MPEP 2106.05 f (II)) In particular applicant has recited the computing components at a high-level of generality such that it amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer components. As the court stated in TLI Communications v. LLC v. AV Automotive LLC, 823 F.3d 607, 613 (Fed. Cir. 2016) merely invoking generic computing components or machinery that perform their functions in their ordinary capacity to facilitate the abstract idea are mere instructions to implement the abstract idea within a computing environment and does not add significantly more to the abstract idea. Accordingly, these additional computer components do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. Therefore, even when viewed as a whole, nothing in the claim adds significantly more (i.e. an inventive concept) to the abstract idea and as a result the claim is not patent eligible. In addition, when taken as an ordered combination, the ordered combination adds nothing that is not already present as when the elements are taken individually. There is no indication that the combination of elements integrates the abstract idea into a practical application. Their collective functions merely provide generic computer implementation. Therefore, when viewed as a whole, these additional claim elements do not provide meaningful limitations to transform the abstract idea into a practical application of the abstract idea or that, as an ordered combination, amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself. For the reasons identified with respect to Step 2A, prong 2, claims 1, 13 and 19 fail to recite additional elements that amount to an inventive concept. For example, use of a computer or other machinery in its ordinary capacity for economic or other tasks (e.g., to receive, store, or transmit data) or simply adding a general-purpose computer or computer components after the fact to an abstract idea (e.g., a commercial or legal interaction or mathematical equation) does not integrate a judicial exception into a practical application or provide significantly more (see MPEP 2106.05(g)). In addition, limitations that amount to merely indicating a field of use or technological environment in which to apply a judicial exception do not amount to significantly more than the exception itself, and cannot integrate a judicial exception into a practical application (see MPEP 2106.05(h)). Dependent claims 2-6, 8-12, 14-18 and 20-21 recite the same abstract idea as recited in the independent claims, and when evaluated under Step 2A Prong One are found to merely recite details that serve to narrow the same abstract idea recited in the independent claims accompanied by the same generic computing elements or software as those addressed above in the discussion of the independent claims, which is not sufficient to amount to a practical application or add significantly more, or other additional elements that fail to amount to a practical application or add significantly more, as noted above. Dependent claims 2-6, 8-12, 14-18 and 20-21 further limits the abstract idea by introducing limitations directed to embellishing the abstract idea. Further embellishing that the invention is capable of communicate data in a generic computing environment does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or adds significantly more to the abstract idea. The examiner views these additional elements as results-oriented steps given that there is no restriction on how the result is accomplished and no description of the mechanism for accomplishing the result are currently present such that this is viewed as equivalent to “apply it” for merely implementing the abstract idea using generic computing components (See Id.). Therefore the claims are also non-statutory subject matter. The ordered combination of elements in the dependent claims (including the limitations inherited from the parent claim(s)) add nothing that is not already present as when the elements are taken individually. There is no indication that the combination of elements improves the functioning of a computer or improves any other technology, and the collective functions merely provide high level of generality computer implementation. Therefore, whether taken individually or as an order combination, the claims are nonetheless rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter. For more information see MPEP 2106. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. (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. 1. Claim(s) 1-6 and 8-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being anticipated by THOMSEN US 2021/0208571. Regarding claims 1 Thomsen discloses a system for managing communication (abstract), comprising: a memory that stores executable components ([070] Processor and memory executing program instructions on a computer readable medium.); and a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, that executes the executable components ([070] Processor and memory executing program instructions on a computer readable medium.), the executable components comprising: a service communicator component configured to: manage communication of data for a first customer entity between an edge gateway device and internal services of a manufacturing cloud system, wherein the manufacturing cloud system is a multi-tenant Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) system that executes an industrial manufacturing execution system (MES) on a cloud platform (See Figs. 1, 4-5, 17-18 and [057] Higher-level systems 126 may carry out functions that are less directly related to control of the industrial automation systems on the plant floor, and instead are directed to long term planning, high-level supervisory control, analytics, reporting, or other such high-level functions. These systems 126 may reside on the office network 108 at an external location relative to the plant facility, or on a cloud platform with access to the office and/or plant networks. Higher-level systems 126 may include, but are not limited to, cloud storage and analysis systems, big data analysis systems, manufacturing execution systems, data lakes, reporting systems, etc. In some scenarios, applications running at these higher levels of the enterprise may be configured to analyze control system operational data, and the results of this analysis may be fed back to an operator at the control system or directly to a controller 118 or device 120 in the control system. ); in response to receipt of request data from a second customer entity comprising a request for the data maintained by the manufacturing cloud system in the first data center, determine a scope of the data permitted to be shared with the second customer entity based on identification of a production-level event that occurred at an industrial facility from which the data originated within a defined time period before receipt of the request data and a determination of whether a security model indicates that the production-level event satisfies a criterion ([0196] Within the context of a relationship between an OEM and an end user who purchases a machine 2502 from the OEM, the IDS ecosystem and its associated data security and sharing functions described above can facilitate controlled ongoing data sharing between the two entities after the machine 2502 has been deployed at the end user's plant facility. This data sharing may be part of a service agreement in place between the OEM and the end user. For example, after the OEM's machine 2502 has been shipped to the end user's facility and placed into service, the end user may choose to purchase or subscribe to cloud-based data services or applications 2504 offered by the OEM, as described above. Additionally, the end user may define access permissions 3102 that allow the OEM to access selected subsets of the machine's data via the IDS system 2402 for the purpose of remotely assessing the machine's performance as part of a service agreement between the OEM and the end user. The subset of shared data may be selected such that the OEM receives relevant performance data necessary to assess performance while prohibiting access to more sensitive proprietary operating data generated by the machine 2502. See also [0195].); and a data packaging component configured to package, as a deployment artifact, a subset of the data requested by the request data in accordance with the scope of the data permitted to be shared with the second customer entity ([0196] Within the context of a relationship between an OEM and an end user who purchases a machine 2502 from the OEM, the IDS ecosystem and its associated data security and sharing functions described above can facilitate controlled ongoing data sharing between the two entities after the machine 2502 has been deployed at the end user's plant facility. This data sharing may be part of a service agreement in place between the OEM and the end user. For example, after the OEM's machine 2502 has been shipped to the end user's facility and placed into service, the end user may choose to purchase or subscribe to cloud-based data services or applications 2504 offered by the OEM, as described above. Additionally, the end user may define access permissions 3102 that allow the OEM to access selected subsets of the machine's data via the IDS system 2402 for the purpose of remotely assessing the machine's performance as part of a service agreement between the OEM and the end user. The subset of shared data may be selected such that the OEM receives relevant performance data necessary to assess performance while prohibiting access to more sensitive proprietary operating data generated by the machine 2502. See also [0195]), wherein the service communicator is configured to route the deployment artifact to a second data center accessible to the second customer entity ([0196] Within the context of a relationship between an OEM and an end user who purchases a machine 2502 from the OEM, the IDS ecosystem and its associated data security and sharing functions described above can facilitate controlled ongoing data sharing between the two entities after the machine 2502 has been deployed at the end user's plant facility.). Regarding claims 2 and 20, Thomsen further disclose wherein the service communicator is further configured to manage communication of data between the internal services and a user interface delivered by the manufacturing cloud system to a client device associated with a customer registered access the manufacturing cloud system (See Figs. 1 and 17 elements 122 and 124 and paragraph [055].). Regarding claim 3, Thomsen further discloses wherein the edge gateway device interfaces the manufacturing cloud system with industrial automation systems at one or more customer facilities, including the industrial facility, and with a user interface delivered by the manufacturing cloud system to a client device associated with the first customer entity (See Figs. 1, 4-5, 17-18 and [057] Higher-level systems 126 may carry out functions that are less directly related to control of the industrial automation systems on the plant floor, and instead are directed to long term planning, high-level supervisory control, analytics, reporting, or other such high-level functions. These systems 126 may reside on the office network 108 at an external location relative to the plant facility, or on a cloud platform with access to the office and/or plant networks. Higher-level systems 126 may include, but are not limited to, cloud storage and analysis systems, big data analysis systems, manufacturing execution systems, data lakes, reporting systems, etc. In some scenarios, applications running at these higher levels of the enterprise may be configured to analyze control system operational data, and the results of this analysis may be fed back to an operator at the control system or directly to a controller 118 or device 120 in the control system. [0063] Once configured in an industrial device or controller, the BIDTs are discoverable by external data collection and/or visualization systems, including local systems sharing a network with the industrial device or remote cloud-based systems. For example, a gateway device can be configured with one or more asset models that reference BIDT data tags on the industrial devices.). Regarding claims 4, 14 and 21, Thomsen disclose: wherein a service communicator component is configured to manage the communication of the data based on tenant map data maintained by the manufacturing cloud system, and the tenant map data defines relationships between customer entities, including the first customer entity and the second customer entity, that are registered to access the manufacturing cloud system ([0192] In some embodiments, data access permissions can be configured by communicatively connecting to the gateway device 402 using a client device 1004 that executes the gateway configuration application 1006 (see FIG. 10). In such embodiments, the gateway configuration application 1006 can include configuration tools that allow access privilege definitions 3104 to be defined for the asset model 422—or the extended system model 2808—as part of the model definition. The access privilege definitions 3104 can applied to the entire model (e.g., the asset model 422 stored on the gateway device 402 or the entire extended system model 2808), selected portions of the model (e.g., model 3004—or a portion thereof—stored on the industrial controller 3008 and referenced by the asset model 422), or individual nodes of the model. In the example depicted in FIG. 31, access permissions 3102a have been applied to node SubE2 of the asset model 422, and define access permissions to the data values associated with that node, while access permissions 3102b have been applied to sub-model 3004b and define access permissions to the data values associated with all the nodes defined in that sub-model. The access permissions 3102 can specify which entities registered with the IDS system 2402 (e.g., OEMs, suppliers, service providers, partners, equipment vendors, etc.) are permitted to view the underlying industrial data associated with the indicated portions or nodes of the model.) . Regarding claims 5 and 15, Thomsen disclose: wherein the customer entities comprise at least one of manufacturing entities, supplier entities, supply chain entities, warehouse entities, or retailers ([0052] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example industrial control environment 100. In this example, a number of industrial controllers 118 are deployed throughout an industrial plant environment to monitor and control respective industrial systems or processes relating to product manufacture, machining, motion control, batch processing, material handling, or other such industrial functions. [0058] Industrial assets and their associated industrial assets can generate large amounts of information during operation. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the flow of industrial data across various information levels in a typical industrial environment. On the plant floor level, industrial assets 206—e.g., industrial machines, production lines, industrial robots, etc.—carry out respective tasks in connection with manufacture, packaging, or handling of a product; control of an industrial process; or other such industrial functions. [0192] The access permissions 3102 can specify which entities registered with the IDS system 2402 (e.g., OEMs, suppliers, service providers, partners, equipment vendors, etc.) are permitted to view the underlying industrial data associated with the indicated portions or nodes of the model. ). Regarding claims 6 and 16, Thomsen disclose: wherein the tenant map data defines at least one of types of data that are permitted to be shared between the first customer entities and the second customer entity or types of data that are prohibited from being shared between the first customer entity and the second customer entity ([0196] Within the context of a relationship between an OEM and an end user who purchases a machine 2502 from the OEM, the IDS ecosystem and its associated data security and sharing functions described above can facilitate controlled ongoing data sharing between the two entities after the machine 2502 has been deployed at the end user's plant facility. This data sharing may be part of a service agreement in place between the OEM and the end user. For example, after the OEM's machine 2502 has been shipped to the end user's facility and placed into service, the end user may choose to purchase or subscribe to cloud-based data services or applications 2504 offered by the OEM, as described above. Additionally, the end user may define access permissions 3102 that allow the OEM to access selected subsets of the machine's data via the IDS system 2402 for the purpose of remotely assessing the machine's performance as part of a service agreement between the OEM and the end user. The subset of shared data may be selected such that the OEM receives relevant performance data necessary to assess performance while prohibiting access to more sensitive proprietary operating data generated by the machine 2502.). Regarding claims 8 and 17, Thomsen discloses: wherein the service communicator component is configured to manage communication of incoming data from the second data center to the first data center based on an ingress rule that defines permitted or prohibited geographical data boundaries. ([0199] Embodiments of the IDS system 2402 can provide data management services that are catered to the unique needs of specific OEMs, end users, and/or the business relationships between these entities. For example, some industries or geographies are governed by rules for custody of models and data, including rules directed to data integrity, security, and transport. For entities that operate in such industries and geographies, the IDS system 2402 can customize the data services described above to comply with these data integrity, security, and transportation rules.) Regarding claims 9 and 18, Thomsen disclose: wherein the manufacturing cloud system further executes, on the cloud platform, at least one of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, a quality management system, a supply chain management system, or a customer relationship management (CRM) system (See Fig. 1 and [0057] Higher-level systems 126 may carry out functions that are less directly related to control of the industrial automation systems on the plant floor, and instead are directed to long term planning, high-level supervisory control, analytics, reporting, or other such high-level functions. These systems 126 may reside on the office network 108 at an external location relative to the plant facility, or on a cloud platform with access to the office and/or plant networks. Higher-level systems 126 may include, but are not limited to, cloud storage and analysis systems, big data analysis systems, manufacturing execution systems, data lakes, reporting systems, etc. In some scenarios, applications running at these higher levels of the enterprise may be configured to analyze control system operational data, and the results of this analysis may be fed back to an operator at the control system or directly to a controller 118 or device 120 in the control system. [0060] At the user level, customized applications—e.g., reporting applications, visualization applications, enterprise resource planning applications, manufacturing execution systems, etc.—can collect selected subsets of information available in industrial controllers 202 and present this information as formatted data 210 to a user in accordance with data presentation formats defined in the applications 208.). Regarding claim 10, Thomsen disclose: wherein the internal services are divided across multiple data centers ([0127] In this example, both asset models 422a and 422b are used to group and contextualize data from BIDTs 322a-322c defined on industrial devices 302a-302c. Asset model 422a is configured for delivery to cloud-based application server system 502a, which executes on a cloud platform 1704 having a remote communication channel to gateway device 402. Cloud-based application server system 502a performs functions similar to the application server systems described above; e.g., receiving asset model 422a and associated BIDT data and metadata from gateway device 402, integrating the asset model 422a into a larger plant or enterprise model (which may comprise asset models from multiple geographically diverse gateway devices 402), and presenting data presentations 1706 conforming to the aggregated plant model to authorized remote client devices 1702 having access to the cloud system serves. [0128] Asset model 422b is configured for delivery to local devices 1708 (e.g., local client devices having integrated application server systems for generation of BIDT data presentations, or a local server device that executes an application server system that serves BIDT data presentations to multiple client devices). Each model 422a and 422b can have associated destination metadata defining the application server systems (which may include either or both of remote and local systems) to which the model is exposed. The gateway device 402 will expose and/or deliver each model 422a and 422b to the application server system (e.g., application server system 502a or 502b) defined by the metadata. ). Regarding claim 11, Thomsen disclose: wherein the data comprises at least one of recipe data defining control process parameters for manufacturing a type of product or material, employee information, production statistics, or device configuration data ([0056] Some industrial environments may also include other systems or devices relating to specific aspects of the controlled industrial systems. These may include, for example, a data historian 110 that aggregates and stores production information collected from the industrial controllers 118 or other data sources, device documentation stores containing electronic documentation for the various industrial devices making up the controlled industrial systems, inventory tracking systems, work order management systems, repositories for machine or process drawings and documentation, vendor product documentation storage, vendor knowledgebases, internal knowledgebases, work scheduling applications, or other such systems, some or all of which may reside on an office network 108 of the industrial environment. [0060] At the user level, customized applications—e.g., reporting applications, visualization applications, enterprise resource planning applications, manufacturing execution systems, etc.—can collect selected subsets of information available in industrial controllers 202 and present this information as formatted data 210 to a user in accordance with data presentation formats defined in the applications 208.). Regarding claim 12, Thomsen disclose: wherein the service communicator component is configured to manage the communication of the data based on a tenant identifier added to the request data by the edge gateway device, the tenant identifier uniquely identifying the customer entity ([0135] When gateway device 402 has BIDT data available to send to the application server system 502, application server interface component 410 of gateway device 402 can send a request to gateway device registry 1904 for permission to create a cloud connector port that will serve as a communication channel between the gateway device 402 and the cloud platform 1806. The request can include, for example, an identification of Gateway Device 1, the physical address of gateway device 402, and an identification of the particular customer-specific cloud platform 1806 to which the connection is requested. The gateway device registry 1904 will grant or deny a certificate to the gateway device 402 for establishing the channel based on information provided in the request.) Regarding claims 13 and 19, Thomsen disclose: a method and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, in response to execution, cause a service mesh device comprising a processor to perform operations ([0005] Also, according to one or more embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided having stored thereon instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system to perform operations), comprising: managing and coordinating, by a service mesh device comprising a processor, communication of data owned by a first customer entity between an edge gateway device and internal services of a manufacturing cloud system, wherein the manufacturing cloud system is a multi-tenant Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) system that executes an industrial manufacturing execution system (MES) on a cloud platform, and the cloud platform comprises a first data center that stores the data for, and is accessible by the first customer entity (See Figs. 1, 4-5, 17-18 and [057] Higher-level systems 126 may carry out functions that are less directly related to control of the industrial automation systems on the plant floor, and instead are directed to long term planning, high-level supervisory control, analytics, reporting, or other such high-level functions. These systems 126 may reside on the office network 108 at an external location relative to the plant facility, or on a cloud platform with access to the office and/or plant networks. Higher-level systems 126 may include, but are not limited to, cloud storage and analysis systems, big data analysis systems, manufacturing execution systems, data lakes, reporting systems, etc. In some scenarios, applications running at these higher levels of the enterprise may be configured to analyze control system operational data, and the results of this analysis may be fed back to an operator at the control system or directly to a controller 118 or device 120 in the control system. ); and in response to receiving, from a second customer entity, request data comprising a request for the data maintained in the first data center; determining, by the service mesh device, a scope of the data permitted to be shared with the second customer entity based on identification of a production-level event that occurred at an industrial facility from which the data originated with a defined time period before receipt of the request and a determination of whether a security model indicated that the production-level event satisfies a criterion ([0196] Within the context of a relationship between an OEM and an end user who purchases a machine 2502 from the OEM, the IDS ecosystem and its associated data security and sharing functions described above can facilitate controlled ongoing data sharing between the two entities after the machine 2502 has been deployed at the end user's plant facility. This data sharing may be part of a service agreement in place between the OEM and the end user. For example, after the OEM's machine 2502 has been shipped to the end user's facility and placed into service, the end user may choose to purchase or subscribe to cloud-based data services or applications 2504 offered by the OEM, as described above. Additionally, the end user may define access permissions 3102 that allow the OEM to access selected subsets of the machine's data via the IDS system 2402 for the purpose of remotely assessing the machine's performance as part of a service agreement between the OEM and the end user. The subset of shared data may be selected such that the OEM receives relevant performance data necessary to assess performance while prohibiting access to more sensitive proprietary operating data generated by the machine 2502. See also [0195].); packaging, by the service mesh device, as a deployment artifact, a subset of the data requested by the request data in accordance with the scope of the data permitted to be shared with the second customer entity ([0196] Within the context of a relationship between an OEM and an end user who purchases a machine 2502 from the OEM, the IDS ecosystem and its associated data security and sharing functions described above can facilitate controlled ongoing data sharing between the two entities after the machine 2502 has been deployed at the end user's plant facility. This data sharing may be part of a service agreement in place between the OEM and the end user. For example, after the OEM's machine 2502 has been shipped to the end user's facility and placed into service, the end user may choose to purchase or subscribe to cloud-based data services or applications 2504 offered by the OEM, as described above. Additionally, the end user may define access permissions 3102 that allow the OEM to access selected subsets of the machine's data via the IDS system 2402 for the purpose of remotely assessing the machine's performance as part of a service agreement between the OEM and the end user. The subset of shared data may be selected such that the OEM receives relevant performance data necessary to assess performance while prohibiting access to more sensitive proprietary operating data generated by the machine 2502. See also [0195]); and routing, by the service mesh device, the deployment artifact to the second data center ([0196] Within the context of a relationship between an OEM and an end user who purchases a machine 2502 from the OEM, the IDS ecosystem and its associated data security and sharing functions described above can facilitate controlled ongoing data sharing between the two entities after the machine 2502 has been deployed at the end user's plant facility.). Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-6 and 8-21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. 1. Adibi, US 2021/0004833, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR QUERYING MULTIPLE INFORMATION SOURCES USING AGENT ASSIST WITHIN A CLOUD-BASED CONTACT CENTER. Disclosed herein are systems and methods for providing a cloud-based contact center solution providing agent automation through the use of e.g., artificial intelligence and the like. 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 MARIA C SANTOS-DIAZ whose telephone number is (571)272-6532. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00AM-5:00PM. 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, Sarah Monfeldt can be reached at 571-270-1833. 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. /MARIA C SANTOS-DIAZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3629
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Prosecution Timeline

Show 2 earlier events
Aug 22, 2025
Response Filed
Oct 01, 2025
Final Rejection mailed — §101, §102, §103
Nov 25, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Dec 19, 2025
Request for Continued Examination
Jan 28, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Feb 10, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §101, §102, §103
May 06, 2026
Response Filed
Jul 09, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §101, §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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

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Prosecution Projections

5-6
Expected OA Rounds
33%
Grant Probability
65%
With Interview (+31.4%)
3y 10m (~8m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 299 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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