DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-8 are pending.
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 .
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.
Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 101 - abstract idea without significantly more:
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Regarding CLAIMS 1-8:
Step 1
Independent claim 1 is drawn to a device, independent claim 8 is drawn to a method- they fall under a statutory category of invention and thus step 1 of the 101 Analysis is satisfied.
Step 2A Prong 1
Claims 1 and 8 recite the following abstract ideas:
Creating a regression model – This step may be easily performed by the human mind or with minimal aid of pen and paper.
Defining a process and excluding a process - This step may be easily performed by the human mind or with minimal aid of pen and paper.
Estimating data using a model - This step may be easily performed by the human mind or with minimal aid of pen and paper.
Step 2A Prong 2
Claims 1 and 8, recite additional elements, but do not integrate the judicial exception into a practical application. The claims further recite steps of: “learning a relationship between data” and “indicating a value via machine learning”. These steps are recited at a high level of generality and not performed in a specific manner which would improve the system. It can be noted that the recited concept of learning as recited in the claims is considered as a step of gathering/utilizing data to refine a model and thus does not provide a practical application.
Step 2B
Claims 1 and 8, do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. If a claim limitation, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components, then it falls within the “Mental Processes” grouping of abstract ideas. The recited generic computer components, or generic components perform computing at a high level of generality.
Regarding dependent CLAIMS 2-7:
It can be noted that the none of the dependent claims add additional element linking the judicial exception into a practical application, or include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. The dependent claims merely recite descriptive data.
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0273582 – relates to printing 3D parts with magnetic support media
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS R ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-3766. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 10:00 am- 6:30 pm.
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/CARLOS R ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2119
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