DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to applicant’s amendment filed, 22 December 2025, of application filed, with the above serial number, on 23 December 2023 in which claims 1, 11, 14, 17, 19-20 have been amended, and claims 26-27 have been added. Claims 1-4, 6-27 are pending in the application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 26-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. The added claims recite in claim 26 ‘wherein the Al processing context is configured to be updated based on the configurable data structure’ and in claim 27 ‘wherein the Al processing context is configured to perform an alteration of the data associated with the configurable data structure.’ Applicant remarks on p. 10 that support is found in par. 42, 44, 71, 78 and 86. However, these paragraphs and the remainder of the specification do not appear to support the Al processing context being updated or performing an alteration. Thus, it is not clear there is support for the amendment in the specification.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Based on above, it is indefinite what is being claimed with, for example in claim 26, the Al processing context being updated based on the configurable data structure. Claim 1 recites the Al processing context is received for the platform element that has a configurable data structure, it is not clear if the Al processing context is received or received and updated or updated instead of received etc.
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, 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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-20, 23-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chivukula (hereinafter “Chivukula”, 2022/0121478) in view of Sohum (hereinafter “Sohum”, 2021/0117893).
As per Claim 1, Chivukula discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that when executed by at least one processor cause the at least one processor to perform operations for building an application incorporating artificial intelligence (Al) functionality, the operations comprising:
enabling access to a developer application framework associated with a software as a service (SaaS) platform (at least paragraph 4, 21; DevOps platform for building pipelines across SaaS applications);
receiving application code (template) for generating an application in the SaaS platform and at least one of a plurality of SaaS platform elements, wherein the at least one of the plurality of SaaS platform elements has a configurable data structure (at least paragraph 46-47; UI allowing template customization or pipeline build; selecting and modifying workflows);
receiving, for the at least one of the plurality of SaaS platform elements, a selection of an add-on provided by the SaaS platform (at least paragraph 43-46; eg. user can utilize drag and drop and/or plug and play functionality to add DevOps tools to and/or remove DevOps tools from templates and workflows);
establishing a link between the selected add-on, and the at least one of the plurality of SaaS platform elements (at least paragraph 53; Each pipeline activity can be stand alone and can include (but are not limited to): tool configuration, trigger logic, API connection details);
enabling implementation of permissions for providing access to data from the at least one of the plurality of linked SaaS platform elements (at least paragraph 50; Roles include a user ID and role definition defining who has access to perform what tasks on this specific pipeline);
based on the implemented permissions, configuring a transfer of at least one of structured data or unstructured data from the at least one of the plurality of linked SaaS platform elements (at least paragraph 38, 50, 54; For AI/ML pipelines, DevOps tools can fit into one or more categories supporting additional DevOps initiatives including fetching data and/or code from various sources (e.g., source code, databases, unstructured data, NO SQL DB, data warehousing databases, etc.), preparing the data, training models, packaging models, validating models, deploying models, and monitoring models; catalog 238 can expose templates 237 based on user roles/needs and allows a user to “one click deploy” a workflow into a full Pipeline Orchestration Model);
receiving Al integration code including at least one reference to the transferred at least one of structured data or unstructured data (at least paragraph 37, 55-57, 62; workflow with data source configured into pipeline; AI/ML pipelines included); and
publishing the application for selective use with at least one of the SaaS platform elements, wherein in use, the published application is configured to exchange data with the at least one of the plurality of SaaS platform elements (at least paragraph 54, 48, 66; template shared in a catalog).
Chivukula fails to explicitly disclose the add-on being an AI assistant, receiving AI processing context, establishing a link between the selected AI assistant add-on and the AI processing context, wherein the AI processing context is configured to instruct how the selected AI assistant add-on handles data associated with the configurable data structure from the at least one of the plurality of SaaS platform elements, by mapping the configurable data structure to the AI assistant add-on and the received at least one call to an AI agent associated with the AI assistant add-on, wherein the AI agent is selectable from a plurality of AI agents maintained by at least one external third-party application provider communicatively coupled to the at least one processor. However, the use and advantages for using such a system was well known to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention as evidenced by the teachings of Sohum.
Sohum discloses, in an analogous art, an online chatbot marketplace being created wherein external vendors can upload intelligent conversational AI agents that specialize in certain fields that are then integrated into a mega bot, the system receives data, context, and queries and based on analysis of the data and queries, a particular agent is called and selected to respond (at least paragraph 26-27, 61-71, 78-80, 92, 111).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the use of Sohum’s multiple chatbot agents selection with Chivukula, as Sohum discloses the chatbot switching allowing a suitable agent to be chosen and provides a seamless experience to the users and would be an obvious addition to the pipeline of Chivukula being developed with the tools being added to the pipeline being AI chatbot agents.
As per Claim 2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the at least one of a plurality of SaaS platform elements includes at least one sub-element of at least one SaaS platform element of the plurality of SaaS platform elements (at least paragraph 54; detail including metadata of template).
As per Claim 3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the at least one of a plurality of SaaS platform elements includes at least one sub-element of one of the plurality of SaaS platform elements (at least paragraph 54; detail including metadata of template).
As per Claim 4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the at least one sub-element of one of the plurality of SaaS platform elements is a plurality of sub-elements, and wherein establishing the link further includes enabling selection of the at least one of the plurality of sub-elements for linking (at least paragraph 54; details and allows a user to “one click deploy” a workflow into a full Pipeline Orchestration Model).
As per Claim 6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further include selecting the Al agent from the plurality of available Al agents by analyzing application code, context, developer information, user information, or a combination thereof (at least paragraph 48; Templates can include various amounts of detail based on the user's requirements. A template can follow a data model including various properties, such as, for example, Project, Roles, Type, Tags, Workflow, Plan, etc., and can include additional metadata, such as, for example, Name, ID, Owner, dates, etc.).
As per Claim 7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the analyzing the application code is performed by a predetermined AI agent (at least paragraph 51; Sohum paragraph 65-66).
As per Claim 8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the application code is template code from a template database associated with the SaaS platform (at least paragraph 46-48; template).
As per Claim 9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the application code is received from a developer (at least paragraph 3-4; development team of DevOps pipeline build).
As per Claim 10. The non-transitory computing medium of claim 1, wherein a programming language of the application code is different from a programming language of the SaaS platform (at least paragraph 37-38, 5; Multilanguage pipelines).
As per Claim 11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the selection of the predetermined AI assistant add-on is performed from a library of Al assistant add-ons associated with the SaaS platform (at least paragraph 43, 48; Pipeline manager 201 can provide a catalog of available tools; shared template catalog).
As per Claim 12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further include maintaining the library of AI assistant add-ons (at least paragraph 43, 48).
As per Claim 13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein each of the AI assistant add-ons in the library is preconfigured to be linked to the at least one of the plurality of SaaS platform elements (at least paragraph 43, 48; template with workflow in catalog).
As per Claim 14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the selection of the predetermined Al assistant add-on is made from a plurality of Al assistant add-ons (at least paragraph 57; a user can select a workflow template from catalog; Sohum par. 27, Fig. 2).
As per Claim 15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the receipt of the application code for generating the application in the SaaS platform includes receiving a first selection of a first AI assistant add-on for use with a first SaaS platform element and a second selection of a second Al assistant add-on for use with a second SaaS platform element different from the first SaaS platform element (at least paragraph 43, 48, 57).
As per Claim 16. The non-transitory computing medium of claim 1, wherein receiving permissions to access the data from the at least one of the plurality of linked SaaS platform elements includes initiating an authentication flow with the at least one of the plurality of linked SaaS platform elements (at least paragraph 63, 68, claim 4; login and authentication; RBAC).
As per Claim 17. The non-transitory computing medium of claim 1, wherein the operations further include running a compliance check on the received selection of the predetermined AI assistant add- on, using a compliance check plug-in tool (at least paragraph 20, 22, 102; microservice send logs to pipeline manager API to push to compliance folder).
As per Claim 18. The non-transitory computing medium of claim 1, wherein enabling the implementation of permissions for providing access to the data from the at least one of the plurality of linked SaaS platform elements includes displaying a user interface configured to: enable a user to implement permissions for providing access to the data from the at least one of the plurality of linked SaaS platform elements; and visualize the implemented permissions (at least paragraph 22, 48, 54, 68; intelligent dashboard helping users make informed decision across elements including security; wherein roles are part of UI and RBAC to control access).
As per Claim 23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the published application is further configured to be available to the Al agent (at least Chivukula paragraph 54, 48, 66; template shared in a catalog; Sohum par. 60-62; vendors providing chatbots to be available in marketplace).
Claims 19-20 do not, in substance, add or define any additional limitations over claim 1 and therefore are rejected for similar reasons, supra.
As per Claim 24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of SaaS platform elements is written in a first programming language and the Al agent is written in a second programming language different from the first programming language (at least paragraph 37-38, 5; Multilanguage pipelines).
As per Claim 25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the integration code includes point-to-point integration or hub-and-spoke integration (at least Sohum Fig. 2; paragraph 62).
As per Claim 26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the Al processing context is configured to be updated based on the configurable data structure (at least Sohum par. 64, 72, 78; context being changed based on queries in conversation).
As per Claim 27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the Al processing context is configured to perform an alteration of the data associated with the configurable data structure (at least Sohum par. 81-85; switching of chatbots based on different query and context).
Claim(s) 21-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chivukula in view of Sohum, further in view of Adams (hereinafter “Adams”, 2024/0283759)
As per Claim 21. Chivukula and Sohum fail to explicitly disclose wherein implementing permissions by the user comprises choosing permissions for the Al agent to access the data. However, the use and advantages for using such a system was well known to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention as evidenced by the teachings of Adams (at least paragraph 99). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the use of Adams’ AI agent permission with Chivukula/Sohum as Adams teaches it being well known to restrict AI agents to certain data and Adams teaches a reason being such that the AI agent not share particular personal information or participate in agreements on behalf of the user.
As per Claim 22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the implementing permissions further comprises receiving a prompt from the user (at least paragraph 99 of Adams).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 22 December 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Chivukula and Sohum fail to disclose the amendment to claim 1 “receiving application code (template) for generating an application in the SaaS platform and at least one of a plurality of SaaS platform elements, wherein the at least one of the plurality of SaaS platform elements has a configurable data structure”.
However, Chivukula discloses in at least paragraph 46-47, a UI allowing template customization or pipeline build and further selecting and modifying workflows. The specification par. 57-59 as published indicates that such “platform element is a component or building block that works together with other elements to deliver software applications and/or services over a network such as the Internet. Examples of such elements may include application software, infrastructure, and/or user interface. For example, a platform may offer project management capabilities to its users via dashboards, tables, text documents, a workflow manager or diverse applications offered on a marketplace, all of which constitute building blocks and therefore elements of the platform”. And “different permutations of SaaS platform elements such as a plurality of tables, text documents, dashboards, marketplace applications or workflows (not shown in FIG. 1) in association with the above-mentioned SaaS platform elements”. Thus, Chivukula’s modifiable workflows clearly anticipate the claimed plurality of SaaS platform elements has a configurable data structure as the specification outlines such platform elements to simply be software or workflows, and being configurable is equivalent to being modifiable as Chivukula teaches.
Applicant also argues that Chivukula and Sohum fail to disclose the amendment to claim 1 “wherein the AI processing context is configured to instruct how the selected AI assistant add-on handles data associated with the configurable data structure from the at least one of the plurality of SaaS platform elements, by mapping the configurable data structure to the AI assistant add-on”.
However, Chivukula teaches a user using a DevOps tool to build an application with a workflow editor allowing for configuration of application add-on’s including pipeline and workflow configuration options including connection information such as URLs and IP addresses (at least paragraph 62). The specification does not use the term ‘mapping’ or ‘configurable data structure’ but as the amendment is part of the link establishing limitation, it is assumed to be as described in, for example, par. 96 ‘the link to SaaS platform elements may include an address for the unique identifier of the at least one of a plurality of said SaaS platform elements, or a portion thereof’. Chivukula clearly discloses such linking with the connection information being IPs (addresses) or URLs. Sohum, on the other hand, teaches a chatbot marketplace that supports SaaS cloud deployments of the chatbot switching system (at least paragraph 26-27, 61-71, 78-80, 92, 111). Sohum teaches analyzing context of user queries in order to determine the chatbot Ai assistant add-on that is best for the user query. Vendors or developers create the AI chatbots and upload them for use in the chatbot marketplace along with context and metadata on the use cases for the chatbot. And it would be an obvious addition to have Sohum’s chatbot switching system and marketplace be a marketplace that Chivukula’s developer could use to select individual chatbots to add to the workflows or have Sohum ‘mega bot’ be integrated into the application developed by Chivukula’s developer and using the context of user input in the application to choose the next chatbot based on context within the Chivukula application in real-time. Sohum specifying that the chatbot system supports SaaS clearly offers that Sohum and Chivukula are compatible to be used together and one would be motivated to add AI chatbots to Chivukula’s application as AI becomes more commonplace as outlined in Sohum.
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., enabling a more flexible and intelligent integration between SaaS platform elements and Al agents. By introducing a configurable data structure and a processing context that semantically maps this structure to an Al agent, the system allows the Al to directly interpret and operate on the unique internal schema of each application element. This approach supports dynamic, data-aware Al functionality that can adapt to a wide variety of use cases and data models, facilitating more accurate and effective data processing, and application flexibility as new types of elements or Al capabilities are introduced) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/GREGORY TODD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2443
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