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 .
Claims 1-20 are pending in the present application and are under examination on the merits. This communication is the first action on the merits (FAOM).
Information Disclosure Statement
No Information Disclosure Statement has been filed in regard to this application. As such, no IDS has yet been considered for this application.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 6/17/2023 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 1-20 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 obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program. 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 13-20).
Step 2A - Prong 1: The claims are found to recite limitations that set forth the abstract idea(s), namely, regarding claim 1:
A … method for obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program, comprising: providing the application program for carrying out the method;
assigning a work schedule to the end-user, the work schedule comprising a first list of days and hours for each of the respective days in which the end-user should be using the application program;
indexing and storing data and information … for one or more activities completed by the end-user during the work schedule wherein the data and information comprises a description, a start time, an end time, and a duration for each respective activity of the one or more activities;
assigning each respective activity to one or more status categories, the one or more status categories comprising first active, second active, phone calls, and logout;
calculating one or more productivity scores for the end-user, the one or more productivity scores comprising a current month score spanning from an first selected day of a current month to a second selected day of the current month wherein the calculating is based on the duration for the one or more activities in the first active status category and the first list of days and hours in the work schedule for the current month:
… the one or more status categories assigned to each of the one or more activities, and the one or more productivity scores to an administrator of the application program;
the activity summary, comprising a chronological history for each of the one or more status categories, wherein the chronological history includes at least a portion of the work schedule
a first register comprising each of the one or more activities completed by the end-user during the work schedule, the one or more status categories assigned to each respective activity of the one or more activities completed by the end-user during the work schedule, and the description of each respective activity of the one or more activities completed by the end-user during the work schedule;
and the one or more productivity scores for the end-user.
Independent claim 13 recites substantially similar claim language.
Dependent claims 2-12, and 14-20 recite the same or similar abstract idea(s) as independent claims 1 and 13 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 1-20 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 obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program 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 obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program, which is capable of being performed mentally and/or using pen and paper.
Step 2A - Prong 2: Claims 1-20 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:
"displaying a user interface for the administrator, the user interface comprising: " (claim 1, 13) " wherein the user interface further comprises a text input window for inputting a question to the end-user, and a first call-to-action button for transmitting the question to the end-user" (claim 9), " wherein the user interface further comprises a text input window for inputting a phone call record, and a second call-to-action button for transmitting the phone call record to the database. " (claim 10), " wherein the user interface further comprises a drop-down menu for selecting a specific status category and a third call-to-action button for displaying a second register comprised of only the specific status category selected" (claim 12), however the aforementioned elements directed to the receiving of user input/selection of data to view via a dashboard and displaying corresponding data via the dashboard merely amount to generic GUI elements of a general purpose computer used to "apply" the abstract idea (MPEP 2106.05(f)) and/or is merely an attempt at limiting the abstract idea of obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program to a particular field of use/technological environment of a GUI dashboard (MPEP 2106.05(h)) and therefore the GUI dashboard input and display of data fails to integrate the abstract idea into a practical application;
" A computer implemented method… indexing and storing data and information in a database for one or more activities completed by the end-user during the work schedule,” (claim 1). “A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer processor to cause the computer processor to perform a method, comprising" (claim 13) 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 "database" 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;
" transmitting the indexed and stored data and information for the one or more activities, the one or more status categories assigned to each of the one or more activities, and the one or more productivity scores to an administrator of the application program" (claims 1 and 13) however the sending and 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 1-20 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 obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program by a "computer " via a GUI "interface", 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 obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program.
Claims 1-20 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
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2024/0112122 to Khan et al. (hereafter referred to as Khan) in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2014/0229614 to Aggarwal et al. (hereafter referred to as Aggarwal).
As per claim 1, Khan teaches:
A computer implemented method for obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program, comprising: providing the application program for carrying out the method (Paragraph Number [0065] teaches the system 200 employs a plurality of methods to track the real-time progress of the tasks. The system interfaces with external systems to track the engagement levels of the workers on a real-time basis at any given time. This includes tracking specific task scheduled start times, the progress of the task after it has commenced, and a completion of the task. The worker may also be provided with voice or PED based application that tracks and collects information directly from the worker on the progress made).
assigning a work schedule to the end-user, the work schedule comprising a first list of days and hours for each of the respective days in which the end-user should be using the application program (Paragraph Number [0059] teaches system 200 can also include a networked warehouse system of record 220a-n, including components and databases such as but not limited to sites (e.g., locations, benchmarks, performance service level, etc.), labor (e.g., schedule, shifts, certification, skills, etc.), operations (e.g., plans, equipment, inventory type, throughput, etc.), assets (e.g., sortation, palletizers, robots, etc.), and workers (e.g., trends, profiles, task performance such as sorters, pickers, maintenance works, etc.) Paragraph Number [0121] teaches scorecard dashboard 1412 can provide or otherwise present individual worker profiles to facilitate viewing worker task assignments in alignment with individual worker profiles, preferences, career incentives, career promotions, etc. Profile attributes, which can be tracked and used to populate worker profiles and related profile insights, include but are not limited to worker profile picture, name, salary, role, functional area, work schedule, days at a job, preferences, work groups, certifications, hours active, location preference, career trajectory, seniority, etc.).
indexing and storing data and information in a database for one or more activities completed by the end-user during the work schedule (Paragraph Number [0047] teaches filter and analyze real-time and stored data collected from other edge systems, warehouse systems, gateway systems, and/or operations center(s), and generate events based on the analysis; Paragraph Number [0097] teaches API 1120 can be communication with model store 1126 whereby model store 1126 can include models such as worker models, asset models, operational models, task models, event models, workflow models, and the like).
wherein the data and information comprises a description, a start time, an end time, and a duration for each respective activity of the one or more activities (Paragraph Number [0072] teaches a user can toggle dashboard 430 to investigate more information related to the user previously summarized in dashboard 430 to initiate presentation of dashboard 435. Dashboard 435 can include more real-time task-related performance metrics, such as specific metrics (e.g., minutes or percentage of shift time) the respective worker has dedicated doing specific tasks (e.g., picking, shipping, packing, etc.) across a period of time (e.g., a shift, a day, a week, a year, an entirety of the worker's time spent with a company, etc.). Paragraph Number [0112] teaches an idle worker scorecard 1314 can be included with scorecard dashboard 1310. Similar to module 1312, scorecard 1314 can receive and aggregate data from the sensor devices and the worker computing devices. Scorecard 1314 can track one or more workers or one or more teams of workers to view all on-shift workers who have not scanned or otherwise provided a task update (e.g., worked tasks, scanned task, completed task, etc.) in a predetermined amount of time (e.g., the previous 5 minutes, the previous 10 minutes, the last hour, a duration of the current shift)).
assigning each respective activity to one or more status categories, the one or more status categories comprising first active, second active (Paragraph Number [0144] teaches the data analysis may determine performance scores for each of the one or more performance categories, and calculate an overall worker performance score. The worker performance score for each category of this disclosure may be displayed on a dashboard and/or related scorecards. In some aspects, one or more functions are used to calculate scores (e.g., assigning a coefficient factor to values of categories such as time on task, time between tasks, number of tasks completed, idle state, etc.). The coefficient factor may be determined from a comparison value based on some predetermined standard and/or worker performance historical data of the one or more categories).
calculating one or more productivity scores for the end-user, the one or more productivity scores comprising a current month score spanning from an first selected day of a current month to a second selected day of the current month (Paragraph Number [0112] teaches an idle worker scorecard 1314 can be included with scorecard dashboard 1310. Similar to module 1312, scorecard 1314 can receive and aggregate data from the sensor devices and the worker computing devices. Scorecard 1314 can track one or more workers or one or more teams of workers to view all on-shift workers who have not scanned or otherwise provided a task update (e.g., worked tasks, scanned task, completed task, etc.) in a predetermined amount of time (e.g., the previous 5 minutes, the previous 10 minutes, the last hour, a duration of the current shift). Paragraph Number [0144] teaches the data analysis may determine performance scores for each of the one or more performance categories, and calculate an overall worker performance score. The worker performance score for each category of this disclosure may be displayed on a dashboard and/or related scorecards. In some aspects, one or more functions are used to calculate scores (e.g., assigning a coefficient factor to values of categories such as time on task, time between tasks, number of tasks completed, idle state, etc.). The coefficient factor may be determined from a comparison value based on some predetermined standard and/or worker performance historical data of the one or more categories).
wherein the calculating is based on the duration for the one or more activities in the first active status category and the first list of days and hours in the work schedule for the current month (Paragraph Number [0072] teaches a user can toggle dashboard 430 to investigate more information related to the user previously summarized in dashboard 430 to initiate presentation of dashboard 435. Dashboard 435 can include more real-time task-related performance metrics, such as specific metrics (e.g., minutes or percentage of shift time) the respective worker has dedicated doing specific tasks (e.g., picking, shipping, packing, etc.) across a period of time (e.g., a shift, a day, a week, a year, an entirety of the worker's time spent with a company, etc.). Paragraph Number [0112] teaches, an idle worker scorecard 1314 can be included with scorecard dashboard 1310. Similar to module 1312, scorecard 1314 can receive and aggregate data from the sensor devices and the worker computing devices. Scorecard 1314 can track one or more workers or one or more teams of workers to view all on-shift workers who have not scanned or otherwise provided a task update (e.g., worked tasks, scanned task, completed task, etc.) in a predetermined amount of time (e.g., the previous 5 minutes, the previous 10 minutes, the last hour, a duration of the current shift)).
transmitting the indexed and stored data and information for the one or more activities, the one or more status categories assigned to each of the one or more activities, and the one or more productivity scores to an administrator of the application program (Paragraph Number [0061] teaches database 232 can include one or more telemetry components operatively coupled to features of distribution center environment 100 so as to process and transmit control information generated subscribing to incoming control information for consumption by one or more controllers of system 240 over a network. Database 232 can be configured for data validation and modification for incoming telemetry or attributes before saving to the database; copy telemetry or attributes from devices to related assets so you can aggregate telemetry, e.g., data from multiple subsystems can be aggregated in related asset; create/update/clear alarms based on defined conditions; trigger actions based on edge life-cycle events, e.g., create alerts if device is online/offline; load additional data required for processing, e.g., load threshold value for a device that is defined in a user, device, and/or employee attribute; raise alarms/alerts when complex event occurs and use attributes of other entities inside email template; and/or consider user preferences during event processing. In some aspects, messages transmitted from database 232, such as triggers and/or alerts, can be configured for transmitting information to an end user (e.g., site lead, crew in the control tower, etc.) for optimization purposes).
displaying a user interface for the administrator, the user interface comprising (Paragraph Number [0068] teaches an example user interface dashboard 410 associated with the worker performance database of EPM control tower 210a-n. As shown, dashboard 410 can present information related to overall worker utilization including utilization from a plurality of locations (e.g., picking location, shipping location, packing location, etc.) of a job site and/or multiple job sites. Dashboard 410 can present inferences from processed data associated with the plurality of locations, including operational status as to current and planned events, total workers, labor efficiency rates (e.g., cartons per labor/min) and effective throughput metrics (e.g., cartons/worker or some other worker specific metric to measure performance)).
the activity summary, comprising a chronological history for each of the one or more status categories, wherein the chronological history includes at least a portion of the work schedule (Paragraph Number [0077] teaches user interface 610 can be used to oversee worker execution of a work-related plan (e.g., daily plan, a weekly plan, a monthly plan, a quarterly plan, etc.) so as to encourage and remain present to advise and address issues that prevent employees from completing tasks. In some aspects, user interface 710 is used to optimize workplace performance by automatically assigning and/or scheduling the appropriate tasks for the appropriate employee at the appropriate time (e.g., based on one or more relationships determined as between detected criteria such as employee skills, availability, experience, history, and/or the like). Paragraph Number [0121] teaches scorecard dashboard 1412 can provide or otherwise present individual worker profiles to facilitate viewing worker task assignments in alignment with individual worker profiles, preferences, career incentives, career promotions, etc. Profile attributes, which can be tracked and used to populate worker profiles and related profile insights, include but are not limited to worker profile picture, name, salary, role, functional area, work schedule, days at a job, preferences, work groups, certifications, hours active, location preference, career trajectory, seniority, etc.).
a first register comprising each of the one or more activities completed by the end-user during the work schedule, the one or more status categories assigned to each respective activity of the one or more activities completed by the end-user during the work schedule, and the description of each respective activity of the one or more activities completed by the end-user during the work schedule (Paragraph Number [0059] teaches system 200 can also include a networked warehouse system of record 220a-n, including components and databases such as but not limited to sites (e.g., locations, benchmarks, performance service level, etc.), labor (e.g., schedule, shifts, certification, skills, etc.), operations (e.g., plans, equipment, inventory type, throughput, etc.), assets (e.g., sortation, palletizers, robots, etc.), and workers (e.g., trends, profiles, task performance such as sorters, pickers, maintenance works, etc.) Paragraph Number [0068] teaches an example user interface dashboard 410 associated with the worker performance database of EPM control tower 210a-n. As shown, dashboard 410 can present information related to overall worker utilization including utilization from a plurality of locations (e.g., picking location, shipping location, packing location, etc.) of a job site and/or multiple job sites. Dashboard 410 can present inferences from processed data associated with the plurality of locations, including operational status as to current and planned events, total workers, labor efficiency rates (e.g., cartons per labor/min) and effective throughput metrics (e.g., cartons/worker or some other worker specific metric to measure performance). Paragraph Number [0121] teaches scorecard dashboard 1412 can provide or otherwise present individual worker profiles to facilitate viewing worker task assignments in alignment with individual worker profiles, preferences, career incentives, career promotions, etc. Profile attributes, which can be tracked and used to populate worker profiles and related profile insights, include but are not limited to worker profile picture, name, salary, role, functional area, work schedule, days at a job, preferences, work groups, certifications, hours active, location preference, career trajectory, seniority, etc.).
the one or more productivity scores for the end-user (Paragraph Number [0107] teaches scorecard dashboard 1310 can include objective information related to one or more worker performance parameters. For example, based on information from an insight module of the connected warehouse, scorecard dashboard 1310 can present a smart warehouse score on a numeric scale or present a color rating summarizing workforce performance scores in real-time. It is understood that an insight module of or associated with scorecard dashboard 1310 can include aspects of any herein disclosed connected warehouse, including connected warehouse system 1000 and its warehouse system services 1212a-n, performance management system 1214a-n, LMS 1216, gateway, and/or the like, whereby data can be aggregated from corresponding sensor devices, worker computing devices, and connected systems to calculate one or more worker performance scores).
Khan teaches obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program but does not explicitly teach assigning categories for or gathering information specifically related to phone calls or logouts which is taught by the following citations from Aggarwal:
the one or more status categories comprising... phone calls (Paragraph Numbers [0276]-[0294] teaches depending on implementation, the monitoring service can be used monitor a variety communications, including one or more of the following: login to the UC infrastructure; set the users presence, and obtain presence for the users contacts; send and receive internal IMs; start and receive incoming P2P audio calls, with audio of acceptable quality; schedule/invite users to/join a conference, with audio of acceptable quality; send and receive conference data, such as shared whiteboards and application data; manage conference participants; dial and connect to standard telephones at various locations, with acceptable quality; receive calls from standard telephones various locations, with acceptable quality; forward and receive calls by unified messaging service, with acceptable quality; receive voicemail from roaming users, federated users, or standard telephone users; set local presence and receive presence information from an external IM service; send and receive IM via an external IM service; set local presence and receive presence information from a federated contact; send IMs to and receive IMs from a federated contact; join and participate in conference as an anonymous user, with acceptable quality; receive calls (including from RGS numbers) at standard telephones, with acceptable quality (RGS (Response Group Service) is an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) feature of Microsoft Lync Server, and is similar to a small helpdesk application or reception desk capability, where customers, as an example, call the company number, are prompted for which department they wish to talk to, and are routed to a company employee in that department or receive a basic message if the call is occurring when no one is available (e.g., after business hours); call from standard telephones (including calling unassigned numbers, and receiving associated announcements)).
the one or more status categories comprising… logout (Paragraph Number [0234] teaches the user interface can be used for multiple organizations or companies, as shown in the "Select Company" drop-down box. The user interface can include features for securely viewing such information (see the "Log Out" and "Change Password" links). The user interface can be presented in a Web browser or as part of a dedicated, custom application).
Both Khan and Aggarwal are directed to employee task monitoring. Khan discloses obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program. Lee improves upon Khan by disclosing assigning categories for or gathering information specifically related to phone calls or logouts. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to further include assigning categories for or gathering information specifically related to phone calls or logouts, to efficiently aggregate and compile specific types of information so that it can be better analyzed.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system and method of obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program in Khan to further utilize assigning categories for or gathering information specifically related to phone calls or logouts as disclosed in Aggarwal, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
As per claim 13, Khan teaches:
A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer processor to cause the computer processor to perform a method, comprising: (Paragraph Number [0009] teaches one embodiment provides a system for exchanging real-time worker performance data in a connected warehouse, comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: determine, by an insight module, dynamic allocation of workers of the warehouse according to locations within the warehouse, wherein the insight module is configured to aggregate and analyze data from a plurality of sensor devices located throughout the warehouse and connected over a network and a plurality of worker computing devices, each worker computing device corresponding to at least one of a plurality of workers of the warehouse).
The remainder of the claim limitations are substantially similar to claim 1 and are rejected for the same reasons put forth in regard to claim 1.
As per claims 2 and 14, the combination of Khan and Aggarwal teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 13 respectively.
In addition, Khan teaches:
wherein the one or more activities comprises website visited, hyperlink clicked, phone call, application program log-in, application program log-off, and inactivity. (Paragraph Number [0074] teaches interface 500 can be configured to communicate an idle worker summary, such as a dashboard 510 showing real-time statistics about the total number of workers available and the total number of workers idle, the percentage of idle time per worker, and the total amount of idle time accumulated so far for the work period. Dashboard 520 may show the real-time number of current workers in an area, and the planned number of workers in that area, and of those workers how many are above or below a standard idle time. Dashboard 530 may provide a more focused view of total idle team for a specific subset of workers, and may be toggled between top idle time per worker and least idle time per worker, again shown in real-time. Dashboard 540 may provide a more detailed list of idle time per worker, with information about departments or areas of workers, for example. (Examiner asserts that this teaches at least the alternative of inactivity)).
As per claims 3 and 15, the combination of Khan and Aggarwal teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 2, and 13 and 14 respectively.
In addition, Khan teaches:
wherein the first active status category comprises website visited, hyperlink clicked, and application program login (Paragraph Number [0094] teaches common services 1052a-n can include one or more API gateways as well as components for logging and monitoring, application hosting, identify management, access management, tenant management, entitlements catalogues, licensing, metering, subscription billing, user profiles, and/or secret store. Paragraph Number [0112] teaches other performance indicators tracked and used to determine individual performance metrics and related dynamic individual performance insights include but are not limited to overall performance against a predetermined plan (e.g., time worked versus number of units moved), “on standard” which is understood as time worked versus site goal per task (e.g., a KPI task target deviation, a task performance standard, etc.), percent effectiveness (e.g., time worked versus planned breaks), attendance, engagement (e.g., determined objectively from worker computing devices), clicks per hour by the individual worker, time spent with eyes on a display screen, etc.).
As per claims 4 and 16, the combination of Khan and Aggarwal teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 2, and 13 and 14 respectively.
In addition, Khan teaches:
wherein the second active status category comprises inactivity, wherein the inactivity is defined by a first predetermined period in which the end-user is not engaged in another activity of the one or more activities. (Paragraph Number [0125] teaches an idle worker advisor dashboard 1522 can also be included similar to previously discussed idle worker scorecard 1314. Dashboard 1522 can track one or more workers or one or more teams of workers to view all on-shift workers who have not scanned or otherwise provided a task update (e.g., worked tasks, scanned task, completed task, etc.) in a predetermined amount of time (E.g., the previous 5 minutes, the previous 10 minutes, the last hour, a duration of the current shift). Dashboard 1522 can include an idle worker monitor engine 1532 configured to actively monitor for workers who are performing below performance standards (e.g., worker(s) who have not scanned or completed task(s) in some predetermined time range). Engine 1532 can be configured to track and present insights such as impact of idle time per worker(s)).
As per claims 5 and 17, the combination of Khan and Aggarwal teaches each of the limitations of claims 1, 2, and 4, and 13, 14, and 16 respectively.
In addition, Khan teaches:
wherein the one or more status categories further comprises a third active; wherein the third active status category comprises inactivity; wherein the inactivity is defined by a second predetermined period in which the end-user is not engaged in another activity of the one or more activities; and wherein the second predetermined period is greater than the first predetermined period. (Paragraph Number [0075] teaches an interface with several idle worker specific dashboards. Dashboard 610 demonstrates notifications regarding the total idle time for the day, and the financial and business ramifications of the idle time, to aid a supervisor or manager in interpreting the costs of the idle time. Dashboard 620 demonstrates the amount of idle time over the course of the day. This is useful in determining the amount of idle time in relation to events and a baseline figure, as some idle time is likely inherent or at least to be expected based on events, e.g., shift start up or tool changes. Dashboard 630 gives a supervisor or manager an insight into the workers that have the most accumulated idle time, and may be toggled to show the workers with the least accumulated idle time. Dashboard 640 shows areas with the most or least idle time, such that a supervisor or manager may make decisions as to how to reallocate workers. Alternatively, the system may make the recommendation to reallocate itself. Paragraph Number [0125] teaches an idle worker advisor dashboard 1522 can also be included similar to previously discussed idle worker scorecard 1314. Dashboard 1522 can track one or more workers or one or more teams of workers to view all on-shift workers who have not scanned or otherwise provided a task update (e.g., worked tasks, scanned task, completed task, etc.) in a predetermined amount of time (E.g., the previous 5 minutes, the previous 10 minutes, the last hour, a duration of the current shift). Dashboard 1522 can include an idle worker monitor engine 1532 configured to actively monitor for workers who are performing below performance standards (e.g., worker(s) who have not scanned or completed task(s) in some predetermined time range). Engine 1532 can be configured to track and present insights such as impact of idle time per worker(s)).
As per claims 6 and 18, the combination of Khan and Aggarwal teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 13 respectively.
In addition, Khan teaches:
wherein the one or more status categories further comprises a calendar; wherein the calendar comprises a second list of days and hours for each of the respective days in which the end-user should not be using the application program. (Paragraph Number [0071] teaches is an example user interface summary dashboard 430 associated with the worker performance database of EPM control tower 210a-n. As shown, dashboard 430 can be in communication with an insight module to present summary information related to a worker scorecard. Through dashboard 430, a user can observe or otherwise track performance metrics of interest, including but not limited to worker productivity, and match preferences of a respective worker to work-related tasks. By so dynamically matching, churn or wasteful time allocation can be minimized, and insights into worker coaching-related needs can be determined. As can be seen, dashboard 430 can present information such as worker name, worker address, worker status (e.g., on duty, off duty, etc.), schedule summary (e.g. at a location on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), how long the worker has been active in the system, worker preferences, and worker job title. Paragraph Number [0125] teaches an idle worker advisor dashboard 1522 can also be included similar to previously discussed idle worker scorecard 1314. Dashboard 1522 can track one or more workers or one or more teams of workers to view all on-shift workers who have not scanned or otherwise provided a task update (e.g., worked tasks, scanned task, completed task, etc.) in a predetermined amount of time (E.g., the previous 5 minutes, the previous 10 minutes, the last hour, a duration of the current shift). Dashboard 1522 can include an idle worker monitor engine 1532 configured to actively monitor for workers who are performing below performance standards (e.g., worker(s) who have not scanned or completed task(s) in some predetermined time range). Engine 1532 can be configured to track and present insights such as impact of idle time per worker(s)).
As per claims 7 and 19, the combination of Khan and Aggarwal teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 2, and 13 and 14 respectively.
Khan teaches obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program but does not explicitly teach assigning categories for or gathering information specifically related to phone calls or logouts which is taught by the following citations from Aggarwal:
wherein the application program log-off is defined by an end-user instruction to end access to the application program (Paragraph Number [0234] teaches the user interface can be used for multiple organizations or companies, as shown in the "Select Company" drop-down box. The user interface can include features for securely viewing such information (see the "Log Out" and "Change Password" links). The user interface can be presented in a Web browser or as part of a dedicated, custom application).
One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to combine these references as described in regard to claim 1.
As per claims 8 and 20, the combination of Khan and Aggarwal teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 13 respectively.
In addition, Khan teaches:
wherein the one or more productivity scores further comprises a total score spanning from the first selected day of an initial month to the second selected day of the current month, the initial day being when the end user started using the application program (Paragraph Number [0072] teaches a user can toggle dashboard 430 to investigate more information related to the user previously summarized in dashboard 430 to initiate presentation of dashboard 435. Dashboard 435 can include more real-time task-related performance metrics, such as specific metrics (e.g., minutes or percentage of shift time) the respective worker has dedicated doing specific tasks (e.g., picking, shipping, packing, etc.) across a period of time (e.g., a shift, a day, a week, a year, an entirety of the worker's time spent with a company, etc.).).
wherein the calculating is based on the duration for the one or more end-user activities in the first active status category and the first list of days and hours in the work schedule for each month since the initial month (Paragraph Number [0112] teaches an idle worker scorecard 1314 can be included with scorecard dashboard 1310. Similar to module 1312, scorecard 1314 can receive and aggregate data from the sensor devices and the worker computing devices. Scorecard 1314 can track one or more workers or one or more teams of workers to view all on-shift workers who have not scanned or otherwise provided a task update (e.g., worked tasks, scanned task, completed task, etc.) in a predetermined amount of time (e.g., the previous 5 minutes, the previous 10 minutes, the last hour, a duration of the current shift). Paragraph Number [0144] teaches the data analysis may determine performance scores for each of the one or more performance categories, and calculate an overall worker performance score. The worker performance score for each category of this disclosure may be displayed on a dashboard and/or related scorecards. In some aspects, one or more functions are used to calculate scores (e.g., assigning a coefficient factor to values of categories such as time on task, time between tasks, number of tasks completed, idle state, etc.). The coefficient factor may be determined from a comparison value based on some predetermined standard and/or worker performance historical data of the one or more categories. (See also Paragraph Number [0072])).
As per claim 9, the combination of Khan and Aggarwal teaches each of the limitations of claim 1.
In addition, Khan teaches:
wherein the user interface further comprises a text input window for inputting a question to the end-user, and a first call-to-action button for transmitting the question to the end-user. (Paragraph Number [0080] teaches the status can be manually updated and/or communicated (e.g., the employee can manually enter into a computing device that she has returned, that the load has been sorted, etc.). In some aspects, task updates can be semi-automated and/or automated based on input from one or more feedback mechanisms such as voice input, scanning, device usage, network activity, location-based events, visual recognition events, etc. Paragraph Number [0133] teaches an example user enterprise warehouse management interface 1600 including a plurality of selectable dashboards. The dashboards of interface 1600 can include a warehouse performance management dashboard 1602, a site operations dashboard 1603, an asset performance dashboard 1604, a trends and events dashboard 1605, a worker dashboard 1606 which can include a worker performance dashboard 1640, and a worker overview performance dashboard 1610. In some aspects, one or more of the plurality of dashboards of interface 1600 can be positioned in a single frame or multiple frames. In certain aspects, each of the dashboards of interface 1600 can be positioned as tiles capable of being toggled to enlarge or otherwise accessed by user. Interface 1600 can also present sub-dashboards key performance indicator (KPI) summaries (e.g., with names and/or one or more KPI summaries and related metrics)).
As per claim 10, the combination of Khan and Aggarwal teaches each of the limitations of claim 1.
In addition, Khan teaches:
wherein the user interface further comprises a text input window for inputting a... record, and a second call-to-action button for transmitting the phone call record to the database. (Paragraph Number [0059] teaches a diagram of architecture associated with of a connected warehouse system 200 of this disclosure. System 200 can include enterprise performance management (EPM) control tower 210a-n, including components and databases such as but not limited to global operations, labor optimization, site operations, asset performance, and worker performance. System 200 can also include a networked warehouse system of record 220a-n, including components and databases such as but not limited to sites (e.g., locations, benchmarks, performance service level, etc.), labor (e.g., schedule, shifts, certification, skills, etc.), operations (e.g., plans, equipment, inventory type, throughput, etc.), assets (e.g., sortation, palletizers, robots, etc.), and workers (e.g., trends, profiles, task performance such as sorters, pickers, maintenance works, etc.). EPM control tower 210a-n and networked warehouse system of record 220a-n can reside in a cloud based computing system 242 (e.g., a cloud computing network, one or more remote servers) and be communicatively coupled to a data transformation and integration layer 230. (Examiner asserts that this section teaches at least a user interface that includes interface windows for inputting information and action icons for transmitting or recalling information from databases)).
Khan teaches obtaining one or more productivity scores and an activity summary for an end-user of an application program but does not explicitly teach assigning categories for or gathering information specifically related to phone calls or logouts which is taught by the following citations from Aggarwal:
a phone call record (Paragraph Numbers [0276]-[0294] teaches depending on implementation, the monitoring service can be used monitor a variety communications, including one or more of the following: login to the UC infrastructure; set