DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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
2. 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.
3. Claims 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. The claim(s) simply recite a series of limitations including: “receiving a charging data request…”; “generating a charging data record in response to receiving the charging data request…”; and “the charging data record comprises a data identifier of data provided by a data providing apparatus…”. These limitations amount to nothing more than the abstract idea of organizing human activity which includes interactions such as sales activities (see MPEP 2106.04(a)(2), Section II). It is the understanding of the Examiner that the limitations “receiving a charging data request…” and “generating a charging data record…” amount to nothing more than organizing a sales interaction between a provider of a service and a customer which is deemed non-statutory subject matter (organizing human activity). This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the additional generic computer elements (billing domain, first processor, second processor of claim 1) do not add meaningful limitations to the abstract idea because the additional computer elements amount to simply implementing the abstract idea on a computer system. Furthermore, MPEP 2106.04(a)(2) discloses abstract ideas performed on a computer or in a computer environment are still considered an abstract idea. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the recited “data identifier” simply identifies the sales interaction (charging data record) and does not add meaningful limitations to the abstract idea. Therefore, it is the understanding of the Examiner that the claimed invention is directed to the abstract idea of organizing human activity, which includes sales interactions, which is non-statutory subject matter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. Claims 1-4, 7-11, and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Livanos et al. (US 2020/0412880).
Regarding claim 1, Livanos et al. discloses an information processing system, comprising:
a network node (see Figs. 3A and B, block 302); and
a billing domain (see Figs. 3A and 3B, block 152), wherein:
the network node comprises a first processor (CDF 312 as disclosed in sections 0036-0038) configured to execute
receiving a charging data request (as disclosed in section 0036),
generating a charging data record (as disclosed in section 0036) in response to receiving the charging data request, and
transmitting the charging data record to the billing domain (for receipt and processing as disclosed in section 0036),
the billing domain (BD 152) comprises a second processor configured to execute
processing of receiving the charging data record, and
demanding processing or paying processing (by processing the CDR for billing a customer and generating a billing document as disclosed in sections 0052-0056) based on the charging data record, and
the charging data record comprises a data identifier of data (aggregation ID as disclosed in sections 0048-0051) provided by a data providing apparatus.
Regarding claim 2, Livanos et al. discloses wherein the generating the charging data record comprises:
generating a first charging data record including the data identifier (first aggregation ID as disclosed in section 0048) of the data provided by the data providing apparatus and an identifier (first group ID as discloses in section 0047) of the data providing apparatus; and
generating a second charging data record including a data identifier of data (second aggregation ID as disclosed in section 0048) used by a data using apparatus.
Regarding claim 3, Livanos et al. discloses wherein the second charging data record further comprises an identifier of the data using apparatus.
Regarding claim 4, Livanos et al. discloses the second processor of the billing domain is configured to execute paying processing for a user (by processing the CDR for billing a customer/user and generating a billing document as disclosed in sections 0052-0056) of the data providing apparatus.
Regarding claim 7, Livanos et al. discloses a network node (see Figs. 3A and B, block 302) that configures a wireless communication network, comprising a processor (CDF 312 as disclosed in sections 0036-0038) configured to:
receive a charging data request (as disclosed in section 0036); and
generate a charging data record (as disclosed in section 0036) in response to receiving the charging data request, wherein the charging data record comprises a data identifier of data (aggregation ID as disclosed in sections 0048-0051) provided by a data providing apparatus.
Regarding claim 8, Livanos et al. discloses wherein the generating the charging data record comprises:
generating a first charging data record including the data identifier (first aggregation ID as disclosed in section 0048) of the data provided by the data providing apparatus and an identifier (first group ID as discloses in section 0047) of the data providing apparatus; and
generating a second charging data record including a data identifier of data (second aggregation ID as disclosed in section 0048) used by a data using apparatus.
Regarding claim 9, Livanos et al. discloses wherein the second charging data record further comprises an identifier of the data using apparatus.
Regarding claim 10, Livanos et al. discloses the data is sensing data obtained by performing sensing measurement (monitored event triggered aggregation (measurement) as disclosed in section 0045) by the data providing apparatus.
Regarding claim 11, Livanos et al. discloses the data identifier data (aggregation ID as disclosed in sections 0048-0051) is an identifier of an object (chargeable event as disclosed in sections 0057-0058) specified from the sensing data.
Regarding claim 15, Livanos et al. discloses the processor is configured to transmit the charging data record to a billing domain regularly (as disclos or in response to a request (as disclosed in section 0061).
Regarding claim 16, the claimed method includes limitations corresponding to the above rejection of claim 7, the rejection of which is applicable hereto.
Regarding claim 17, Livanos et al. disclose s a non-transitory storage medium (see section 0072) to execute the limitations of claim 7, the rejection of which is applicable hereto.
Conclusion
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CURTIS B ODOM whose telephone number is (571)272-3046. The examiner can normally be reached 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hannah S. Wang can be reached at (571)-272-9018. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CURTIS B ODOM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631 April 14, 2026
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