DETAILED ACTION
This is a Non-Final office action in response to claims on 10/05/2023. Claims 1-19 are pending. The effective filing date is 10/05/2023.
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 10/05/2023 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The independent claim 1 does not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the graphical user interface is not presented as a tangible item.
The statutory categories under MPEP 2106 a process, machine, article of manufacture or a composition of matter. The GUI may be categorized as an article of manufacture if presented with actual tangible elements, but as claimed they are directed to elements on a UI which can be a virtual image for display on a computer screen, and a computer icon is not a physical article of manufacture.
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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-13 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2022/0092680 A1 DeFrancesco et al. (hereinafter DeFrancesco).
Regarding claim 1, DeFrancesco teaches a graphical user interface (GUI) for enabling an inventory check (DeFrancesco Abstract, inventory database; Fig. 7), the graphical user interface comprising:
a first UI element comprising an inventory management screen, the first UI element further comprising a first UI subelement, a second UI subelement, a third UI subelement and a first interactive UI element (DeFrancesco [0044] commerce management engine includes content management, task automation, and support and services);
wherein the first UI subelement of the first UI element displaying a class of inventory items associated with a first user (DeFrancesco [0058] items are grouped into collections, and provided SKU numbers, create collections by grouping classes together);
wherein the second UI subelement of the first UI element displaying a first serial number associated with at least the class of inventory items (DeFrancesco [0058] items are grouped into collections, and provided SKU numbers, create collections by grouping classes together);
wherein the third UI subelement of the first UI element displaying a first subcomponent associated with a first serial number (DeFrancesco [0058] items are grouped into collections, and provided SKU numbers, create collections by grouping classes together);
wherein the first interactive UI subelement of the first UI element is capable of receiving user input to identify a quantity on hand (DeFrancesco [0059] online store, input from a user, may update the quantity of items recorded in the inventory);
wherein once a user completes interaction with the first interactive subelement, the second UI subelement displays at least one of a secondary serial number for a second inventory item associated with the class of inventory items (DeFrancesco [0058] a single product may be associated within similar products) and wherein after input has been received for each first subcomponent for each serial number associated with the class of inventory items, the third UI subelement display changes to at least one secondary subcomponent (DeFrancesco [0066] management server is updated based on the input).
Regarding claim 2, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1, further comprises a database comprising at least the hierarchy tree defining a first user to secondary user relationships, at least one class of inventory items, at least one serial number and associated user, and at least one subcomponent and their associations to the classes of inventory items (DeFrancesco [0036] the products are given a hierarchy).
Regarding claim 3, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth UI subelement of the first UI element displaying the quantity of a subcomponent associated with a first user (DeFrancesco [0059] online store, input from a user, may update the quantity of items recorded in the inventory).
Regarding claim 4, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 3, wherein quantity recorded is stored in an inventory management database associated with the first user (DeFrancesco [0075] data is stored in data storage units).
Regarding claim 5, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1, further comprising a fifth UI subelement of the first UI element displaying the quantity of a subcomponent on order (DeFrancesco [0059] online store, input from a user, may update the quantity of items recorded in the inventory).
Regarding claim 6, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1, further comprising a sixth UI subelement of the first UI element displaying an image of the subcomponent (DeFrancesco [0036] merchant can upload an image for a product).
Regarding claim 7, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1, further comprising a seventh UI subelement of the first UI element displaying textual information on properties of the subcomponent (DeFrancesco [0058] the product may have size and color options, which are properties of the product).
Regarding claim 8, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1, further comprising an eighth UI subelement of the first UI element displaying the quantity of a subcomponent on hand (DeFrancesco [0059] online store, input from a user, may update the quantity of items recorded in the inventory).
Regarding claim 9, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1, wherein the first interactive UI subelement of the first UI element also displays a functional status of the subcomponent (DeFrancesco [0058] the customer may view available products, ‘available’ is a status).
Regarding claim 10, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1, wherein the first interactive UI subelement of the first UI element further comprises a second interactive UI subelement of the first UI element capable of receiving user input to complete the inventory check of the subcomponent (DeFrancesco [0044] commerce management engine includes content management, task automation, and support and services, multiple interactive parts).
Regarding claim 11, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 10, wherein once a user submits/completes interaction with the second interactive subelement of the first UI element, the second UI subelement of the first UI element displays at least one a secondary serial number (DeFrancesco [0058] a single product may be associated within similar products) and after input has been received for each first subcomponent for each serial number associated with the first user, the third UI subelement of the first UI element display changes to at least one a secondary subcomponent (DeFrancesco [0066] management server is updated based on the input).
Regarding claim 12, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 11, further comprising a fourth UI subelement of the first UI element displaying the quantity of a subcomponent associated with a first user (DeFrancesco [0059] online store, input from a user, may update the quantity of items recorded in the inventory); a fifth UI subelement of the first UI element displaying the quantity of a subcomponent on order (DeFrancesco [0059] online store, input from a user, may update the quantity of items recorded in the inventory); an eighth UI subelement of the first UI element displaying the quantity of a subcomponent on hand (DeFrancesco [0059] online store, input from a user, may update the quantity of items recorded in the inventory); wherein once a user submits interaction with the first UI interactive subelement of the first UI element, the fourth and fifth UI subelements of the first UI element change to reflect quantities associated with the second new subcomponent (DeFrancesco [0059] online store, input from a user, may update the quantity of items recorded in the inventory).
Regarding claim 13, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1, wherein the first interactive UI subelement includes an all components are functional selection wherein interaction with the selection fills in the last known quantity in the function box (DeFrancesco [0058] the customer may view available products, ‘available’ is a status that is functional).
Regarding claim 17, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary user is a subordinate of the first user (DeFrancesco [0030] the variety of users include, companied, merchants, customer, service provider, they all interact, and there is a hierarchy to privileges).
Regarding claim 18, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1, wherein the user input on the first interactive UI subelement of the second UI element is capable of displaying the first UI element (DeFrancesco [0056] displaying inventory to online store).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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, 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.
Claims 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DeFrancesco in view of US 2021/0042572 A1 Price et al. (hereinafter Price).
Regarding claim 14, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1. DeFrancesco fails to explicitly disclose wherein the first interactive UI subelement includes a check component type later selection wherein interaction with this selection skips the check of the component. Price is in the field of user interface (Price Abstract, user interface with result icons) and teaches wherein the first interactive UI subelement includes a check component type later selection wherein interaction with this selection skips the check of the component (Price [0125] the inventory search system may choose to skip a step). 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 user interface of DeFrancesco with the skip selection of Price. The motivation for doing so would be to create an improved user interface by integrating all subelements and not requiring the user to scroll through multiple GUIs (Price [0003] GUI condensed to improve the user experience).
Regarding claim 15, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1. DeFrancesco fails to explicitly disclose wherein the first interactive UI subelement includes a check component instance later selection wherein interaction with this selection skips a single check for the component. Price teaches wherein the first interactive UI subelement includes a check component instance later selection wherein interaction with this selection skips a single check for the component (Price [0125] the inventory search system may choose to skip a step). 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 user interface of DeFrancesco with the skip selection of Price. The motivation for doing so would be to create an improved user interface by integrating all subelements and not requiring the user to scroll through multiple GUIs (Price [0003] GUI condensed to improve the user experience).
Claims 16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DeFrancesco.
Regarding claim 16, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1 further comprising: the association set forth in a first data set comprising a hierarchical responsibility tree (DeFrancesco [0036] the products are given a hierarchy), wherein the second UI element comprises first UI subelement, second UI subelement, third UI subelement, fourth UI subelement, and a first interactive UI subelement wherein the first UI subelement of the second UI element displays a class of inventory item (DeFrancesco [0058] items are grouped into collections, and provided SKU numbers, create collections by grouping classes together), wherein the second UI subelement of the second UI element displays at least one serial number associated with the class of inventory item (DeFrancesco [0058] items are grouped into collections, and provided SKU numbers, create collections by grouping classes together), wherein the third UI subelement of the second UI element displays information associated with at least one secondary user (DeFrancesco [0058] items are grouped into collections, and provided SKU numbers, create collections by grouping classes together); wherein the fourth UI subelement of the second UI element displays a group assignment associated with the secondary user wherein the first interactive UI subelement of the second UI element receives user input to indicate serial numbers of interest and perform an inventory check on the indicated serial numbers (DeFrancesco [0059] online store, input from a user, may update the quantity of items recorded in the inventory; [0066] management server is updated based on the input). DeFrancesco fails to explicitly disclose a second UI element displaying at least one class of inventory items that is associated with a first user. DeFrancesco is able to teach all of the elements on a singular UI element, and also teaches that there may be implementation on multiple online stores and webpages (DeFrancesco [0034-0035] multiple pages). Under MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B) when there is a duplication of parts, by having a second UI element with the same subelements as the first UI element, this is duplication of parts which has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced. Based on the claim limitations, there is no requirement for the interaction between the first and second UI elements, and therefore the claims are taught by DeFrancesco.
Regarding claim 19, DeFrancesco teaches the GUI according to claim 1 further comprising: the association set forth in a first data set comprising a hierarchical responsibility tree (DeFrancesco [0036] the products are given a hierarchy), wherein the third UI element comprises first UI subelement, second UI subelement, third UI subelement, and a first interactive UI subelement; wherein the first UI subelement of the third UI element displays a class of inventory item (DeFrancesco [0058] items are grouped into collections, and provided SKU numbers, create collections by grouping classes together); wherein the second UI subelement of the third UI element displays at least one serial number associated with the class of inventory item (DeFrancesco [0058] items are grouped into collections, and provided SKU numbers, create collections by grouping classes together); wherein the third UI subelement of the third UI element displays information associated with at least one secondary user (DeFrancesco [0058] items are grouped into collections, and provided SKU numbers, create collections by grouping classes together); wherein the first interactive UI subelement of the second UI element receives user input to indicate serial numbers of interest and assign responsibility of the indicated serial numbers to the at least one secondary user (DeFrancesco [0059] online store, input from a user, may update the quantity of items recorded in the inventory; [0066] management server is updated based on the input). DeFrancesco fails to explicitly disclose a third UI element displaying at least one class of inventory items that is associated with a first user. DeFrancesco is able to teach all of the elements on a singular UI element, and also teaches that there may be implementation on multiple online stores and webpages (DeFrancesco [0034-0035] multiple pages). Under MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B) when there is a duplication of parts, by having a third UI element with the same subelements as the first UI element, this is duplication of parts which has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced. Based on the claim limitations, there is no requirement for the interaction between the first and third UI elements, and therefore the claims are taught by DeFrancesco.
Conclusion
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/JESSICA E SULLIVAN/ Examiner, Art Unit 3627 /FAHD A OBEID/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3627