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 .
The Amendment filed on 02/25/26 has been received and entered. Application No. 18/486,300 of which claims 25 and 26 are added. Claims 1-26 are pending in the application, all of which are ready for examination by the examiner.
Continued Examination under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/25/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment necessitated new grounds of rejection.
Applicant’s response, filed on 02/25/26, with respect to 101 rejections directed to an abstract idea of claims 1-24 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections are withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to 35 USC § 103 rejections of claims 1-24 have been fully considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
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 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 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.
Claims 1-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Edwards et al. (U.S. PGPub 2019/0188802; hereinafter “Edwards”) in view of Lessing et al. (U.S. PGPub 2009/0172035; hereinafter “Lessing”) and further in view of Celikyilmaz et al. (U.S. PGPub 20150356690; hereinafter “Celikyilmaz”).
As per claims 1, 10 and 17, Edwards discloses a method implemented by a data processing system for performing real-time segmentation based on receipt of data, said method including: accessing, from a hardware storage device, one or more segmentation rules, wherein a segmentation rule specifies: (See Figs. 1-2, 5, 14, paras. 36, 45-47, wherein segmentation logic, analysis are disclosed, also See Figs. 12-13, para. 61, 72, wherein rules incorporated with segmentation engine are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
a segment that represents one or more predetermined attributes describing an entity; (See paras. 88, 93-94, wherein segment attribute are disclosed, also See Figs. 12-13, paras. 61, 72, wherein rules incorporated with segmentation engine are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
and one or more conditions for associating an entity with the segment; (See Figs. 4, 13, paras. 34-36, wherein rules associated with various rules are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
receiving, by the data processing system, one or more data items associated with an entity; (See Figs. 2, 4, 6, paras. 5, 53, wherein receiving data indicative of various claims, data attributes are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
responsive to the detecting, accessing memory that stores data records for a plurality of entities; (See paras. 41, 44-46, wherein verification data process are disclosed, also Fig. 2, paras. 101, wherein claim transaction data, verifying process are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
retrieving, from the memory, a data record for the entity; (See paras. 35, 40, 105, wherein retrieving information process are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
executing the one or more segmentation rules on the updated data record; (See paras. 48, wherein executing segmentation logic are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
determining that the updated data record satisfies one or more conditions of at least one of the one or more segmentation rules. (See Fig. 21, para. 38, wherein update features are disclosed, also See paras. 88-89, 93-94, wherein overflow segment, overflow threshold features are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
However, Edwards fails to disclose and outputting, by the data processing system, a notification of the one or more segments associated with the entity; wherein the notification provides for performance of one or more actions for the entity in near real-time relative to the occurrence of the transaction and prior to the subsequent transaction occurring for the entity, with the one or more actions being in accordance with one or more predetermined attributes of the one or more segments.
On the other hand, Lessing teaches outputting, by the data processing system, a notification of the one or more segments associated with the entity; (See Fig. 2, Appendix A, Table 4, paras. 50-51, 117-118, 141, wherein segments, notifications are disclosed; as taught by Lessing.)
wherein the notification provides for performance of one or more actions for the entity in near real-time relative to the occurrence of the transaction and prior to the subsequent transaction occurring for the entity, with the one or more actions being in accordance with one or more predetermined attributes of the one or more segments. (See Fig. 2, Appendix A, Table 4, paras. 50-51, 117-118, 141, wherein segments, transactions timelines, notifications, real-time game monitoring process are disclosed; as taught by Lessing.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the Lessing teachings in the Edwards system. Skilled artisan would have been motivated to incorporate a method for capturing and storing casino information in a relational database system taught by Lessing in the Edwards system for efficient segmentation and balancing system. In addition, both of the references (Edwards and Lessing) teach features that are directed to analogous art and they are directed to the same field of endeavor, such as, data conversion. This close relation between both of the references highly suggests an expectation of success.
However, the combination of Edwards and Lessing fails to disclose detecting, in the one or more received data items, an occurrence of a transaction associated with the entity, the transaction specifying one or more data processing actions; and performing, in near real-time relative to the occurrence of the transaction and prior to a subsequent transaction occurring for the entity; updating the retrieved data record in accordance with the one or more data processing actions specified by the transaction; based on results of the determining, associating the entity for the updated data record with one or more segments specified by the at least one of the one or more segmentation rules.
On the other hand, Celikyilmaz teaches detecting, in the one or more received data items, an occurrence of a transaction associated with the entity, the transaction specifying one or more data processing actions; (See paras. 38, 62, 65, wherein transaction handler features on detecting transaction and processing data in connection with detected transactions are disclosed; as taught by Celikyilmaz.)
and performing, in near real-time relative to the occurrence of the transaction and prior to a subsequent transaction occurring for the entity; (See paras. 68, 74, wherein transaction processing parameters associated with entities are disclosed, also See Fig. 9, paras. 88, 94, 111, wherein updating data in real-time process in which “incremental changes in some of the transaction processing parameters (507) can be detected with great certainty and updated automatically in real time with the changes. For example, the rule engine (519) is configured in one embodiment to detect the relocation of a transaction terminal from one store to another, in response to a determination that the terminal ID…” [0088] are disclosed, as taught by Celikyilmaz.)
updating the retrieved data record in accordance with the one or more data processing actions specified by the transaction; (See paras. 68, 74, wherein transaction processing parameters associated with entities are disclosed, also See Fig. 9, paras. 88, 94, wherein updating data in real-time process in which “incremental changes in some of the transaction processing parameters (507) can be detected with great certainty and updated automatically in real time with the changes. For example, the rule engine (519) is configured in one embodiment to detect the relocation of a transaction terminal from one store to another, in response to a determination that the terminal ID…” [0088] are disclosed, as taught by Celikyilmaz.)
based on results of the determining, associating the entity for the updated data record with one or more segments specified by the at least one of the one or more segmentation rules. (See paras. 114-115, 128, wherein specified rules on monitoring transactions and transaction handler functions in which facilitating monitoring of transaction which “transaction handler (103) is configured to match the identities of the merchants as known to the remote computing device, such as the merchant aggregator, with the identities of the merchants as known to the transaction handler (103), to facilitate the monitoring of transactions of the merchants and to generate the real-time information about the transactions between the respective merchants and enrolled customers (e.g., user” [0114] are disclosed, also See paras. 215-216, 218, wherein rules and segmentations are disclosed; as taught by Celikyilmaz.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the Celikyilmaz teachings in the combination of Edwards and Lessing system. Skilled artisan would have been motivated to incorporate a method to detect changes in merchant identification information taught by Celikilmaz in the combination of Edwards and Lessing system for efficient segmentation and balancing system. In addition, both of the references (Edwards, Lessing, and Celikyilmaz) teach features that are directed to analogous art and they are directed to the same field of endeavor, such as, data conversion. This close relation between both of the references highly suggests an expectation of success.
As per claims 2, 11 and 18, the combination of Edwards and Celikyilmaz fails to disclose generating a push notification to instruct a transaction processing system to update the data record associated with the updated data record when at least one segment associated with the updated data record is changing from a previous segment.
On the other hand, Lessing teaches generating a push notification to instruct a transaction processing system to update the data record associated with the updated data record when at least one segment associated with the updated data record is changing from a previous segment. (See paras. 85-86, 112, wherein tracking process are disclosed, also See Appendix A, B, C, paras. 115-116, wherein alert process are disclosed; as taught by Lessing.)
See claims 1, 10, and 17 for motivation above.
As per claims 3, 12 and 19, the combination of Edwards, Lessing, and Celikyilmaz discloses receiving a request for a real-time segment associated with the updated data record as a service; (See Fig. 21, paras. 35, 38, wherein services, update features are disclosed, also See paras. 62-64, wherein updating process are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
and in response to receiving the request and in real-time, sending the one or more segments associated with the updated data records to a system that sent the request. (See Figs. 4, 6, paras. 38-40, wherein outputting appropriate segment process are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
As per claims 4, 13 and 20, the combination of Edwards, Lessing, and Celikyilmaz discloses providing a user interface for defining the one or more rules prior to determination of the one or more segments. (See Figs. 5, 14, para. 123, wherein user interface, segmentation report are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
As per claims 5, 14 and 21, the combination of Edwards and Celikyilmaz fails to disclose wherein the notification comprise an offer that is exclusive to one of the one or more segments.
On the other hand, Lessing teaches wherein the notification comprise an offer that is exclusive to one of the one or more segments. (See Fig. 2, Appendix A-C, paras. 50-51, 117-119, 141, wherein promo offers, segments, notifications are disclosed; as taught by Lessing.)
See claims 1, 10, and 17 for motivation above.
As per claims 6, 15 and 22, the combination of Edwards and Celikyilmaz discloses determining that the updated data record is associated with at least two segments; (See Fig. 21, para. 38, wherein update features are disclosed, also See paras. 62-64, wherein updating process are disclosed, also See Figs. 1-2, 5, 14, paras. 36, 45-47, wherein segmentation logic, analysis are disclosed, also See Figs. 12-13, para. 61, 72, wherein rules incorporated with segmentation engine are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
However, the combination of Edwards and Celikyilmaz fails to disclose generating, based on the determining, a notification for performing, by a remote computing system, at least two actions.
On the other hand, Lessing teaches generating, based on the determining, a notification for performing, by a remote computing system, at least two actions. (See Fig. 2, Appendix A, B, paras. 50-51, 117-118, 141, wherein segments, notifications, real-time game monitoring process are disclosed; as taught by Lessing.)
See claims 1, 10, and 17 for motivation above.
As per claims 7, 16 and 23, the combination of Edwards and Celikyilmaz fails to disclose wherein updating the data record with data in accordance with the one or more data items received specifying the occurrence of the transaction includes: accessing, from volatile memory, a batch data record associated with the updated data record, wherein the batch data record includes historic batch data; generating a virtual record that includes at least a portion of the one or more data items received specifying the occurrence of the transaction and at least a portion of the historic batch data of the batch data record associated with the updated data record; and determining the one or more segments associated with the updated data record based on the virtual record.
On the other hand, Lessing teaches wherein updating the data record with data in accordance with the one or more data items received specifying the occurrence of the transaction includes: accessing, from volatile memory, a batch data record associated with the updated data record, wherein the batch data record includes historic batch data; (See Appendix A, B, C, wherein batch data, ledger batch, entity groups are disclosed; as taught by Lessing.)
generating a virtual record that includes at least a portion of the one or more data items received specifying the occurrence of the transaction and at least a portion of the historic batch data of the batch data record associated with the updated data record; (See Appendix A, B, C, paras. 49, 112, 116, wherein batch data, virtual items, historical trends are disclosed; as taught by Lessing.)
and determining the one or more segments associated with the updated data record based on the virtual record. (See Appendix A, B, C, wherein batch data, virtual items are disclosed; as taught by Lessing.)
See claims 1, 10, and 17 for motivation above.
As per claim 8, the combination of Edwards and Celikyilmaz fails to disclose retrieving, from a data warehouse, the historic batch data and loading the retrieved historic batch data into the volatile memory.
On the other hand, Lessing teaches retrieving, from a data warehouse, the historic batch data and loading the retrieved historic batch data into the volatile memory. (See Fig. 1, paras. 33-34, 49, 112, wherein data warehouse, historical trends are disclosed, also See Appendix A, B, C, wherein batch data are disclosed; as taught by Lessing.)
As per claim 9, the combination of Edwards, Lessing, and Celikyilmaz discloses wherein the determining of one or more segments associated with the updated data record is executed in response to determining that the updated record is likely to change a segment for the updated data record. (See Fig. 21, para. 38, wherein update features are disclosed, also See paras. 62-64, wherein updating process are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
As per claim 24, Edwards discloses a method implemented by a data processing system for performing real-time segmentation by updating a data record based on receipt of real-time data, wherein an item of real-time data represents a transaction, detecting that the updated data record satisfies criteria for performing real-time segmentation, and performing real-time segmentation on the updated, data record, wherein real-time is relative to when a transaction represented in the updated data record occurs, including: receiving, by a data processing system, one or more data items associated with a given key; (See Figs. 2, 4, 6, paras. 5, 53, wherein receiving data indicative of various claims, data attributes are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
responsive to the detecting, accessing volatile memory that stores data records for a plurality of keys; (See paras. 41, 44-46, wherein verification data process are disclosed, also Fig. 2, paras. 101, wherein claim transaction data, verifying process are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
retrieving, from the volatile memory, a data record for the given key; (See paras. 35, 40, 105, wherein retrieving information process are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
executing one or more rules on the updated data record, with a rule being associated with a segment, with the rule specifying one or more conditions, and with the rule further specifying that upon satisfaction of the one or more conditions by data of the updated data record to associate the data record for the given key with the segment. (See paras. 48, wherein executing segmentation logic are disclosed, also See Fig. 21, para. 38, wherein update features are disclosed, also See paras. 88-89, 93-94, wherein overflow segment, overflow threshold features are disclosed; as taught by Edwards.)
However, Edwards fails to disclose outputting, by the data processing system, instructions specifying one or more actions associated with the one or more segments determined.
On the other hand, Lessing teaches outputting, by the data processing system, instructions specifying one or more actions associated with the one or more segments determined. (See paras. 111-112, wherein specific configuration of sessions are disclosed, also See Fig. 2, Appendix A, paras. 50-51, 117-118, 141, wherein segments, specific data items, notifications are disclosed; as taught by Lessing.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the Lessing teachings in the Edwards system. Skilled artisan would have been motivated to incorporate a method for capturing and storing casino information in a relational database system taught by Lessing in the Edwards system for efficient segmentation and balancing system. In addition, both of the references (Edwards and Lessing) teach features that are directed to analogous art and they are directed to the same field of endeavor, such as, data conversion. This close relation between both of the references highly suggests an expectation of success.
However, the combination of Edwards and Lessing fails to disclose detecting, in the one or more received data items, an occurrence of a transaction associated with the key, the transaction specifying one or more data processing actions; performing, in near real-time relative to the occurrence of the transaction and prior to a subsequent transaction occurring for the key; updating the data record with data in accordance with the one or more data processing actions specified by the transaction; based on the executing, determining one or more segments associated with the updated data record.
On the other hand, Celikyilmaz teaches detecting, in the one or more received data items, an occurrence of a transaction associated with the key, the transaction specifying one or more data processing actions; (See paras. 38, 62, 65, wherein transaction handler features on detecting transaction and processing data in connection with detected transactions are disclosed, also See paras. 139, 149, wherein merchant ID associated with transaction terminal (analogous to transaction associated with key) are disclosed; as taught by Celikyilmaz.)
performing, in near real-time relative to the occurrence of the transaction and prior to a subsequent transaction occurring for the key; (See paras. 68, 74, wherein transaction processing parameters associated with entities are disclosed, also See Fig. 9, paras. 88, 94, 111, wherein updating data in real-time process in which “incremental changes in some of the transaction processing parameters (507) can be detected with great certainty and updated automatically in real time with the changes. For example, the rule engine (519) is configured in one embodiment to detect the relocation of a transaction terminal from one store to another, in response to a determination that the terminal ID…” [0088] are disclosed, also See paras. 139, 149, wherein merchant ID associated with transaction terminal (analogous to transaction associated with key) are disclosed, as taught by Celikyilmaz.)
updating the data record with data in accordance with the one or more data processing actions specified by the transaction; (See paras. 68, 74, wherein transaction processing parameters associated with entities are disclosed, also See Fig. 9, paras. 88, 94, wherein updating data in real-time process in which “incremental changes in some of the transaction processing parameters (507) can be detected with great certainty and updated automatically in real time with the changes. For example, the rule engine (519) is configured in one embodiment to detect the relocation of a transaction terminal from one store to another, in response to a determination that the terminal ID…” [0088] are disclosed, as taught by Celikyilmaz.)
based on the executing, determining one or more segments associated with the updated data record. (See paras. 114-115, 128, wherein specified rules on monitoring transactions and transaction handler functions in which facilitating monitoring of transaction which “transaction handler (103) is configured to match the identities of the merchants as known to the remote computing device, such as the merchant aggregator, with the identities of the merchants as known to the transaction handler (103), to facilitate the monitoring of transactions of the merchants and to generate the real-time information about the transactions between the respective merchants and enrolled customers (e.g., user” [0114] are disclosed, also See paras. 215-216, 218, wherein rules and segmentations are disclosed; as taught by Celikyilmaz.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the Celikyilmaz teachings in the combination of Edwards and Lessing system. Skilled artisan would have been motivated to incorporate a method to detect changes in merchant identification information taught by Celikilmaz in the combination of Edwards and Lessing system for efficient segmentation and balancing system. In addition, both of the references (Edwards, Lessing, and Celikyilmaz) teach features that are directed to analogous art and they are directed to the same field of endeavor, such as, data conversion. This close relation between both of the references highly suggests an expectation of success.
As per claim 25, the combination of Edwards and Lessing fails to disclose wherein performing the operations in real-time includes: receiving a request, from a remote device, to determine the one or more segments; and while the transaction is being processed by the remote device: performing the operations; and outputting the notification that provides for performance of the one or more actions by the remote device.
On the other hand, Celikyilmaz teaches wherein performing the operations in real-time includes: receiving a request, from a remote device, to determine the one or more segments; (See paras. 24, 31-33, wherein receiving a request in which “when data fields of an authorization request contain data matching the set of transaction parameters represented by the identifier, the authorization request can be determined to be relevant to the items that are associated with the identifier representing the set of transaction parameters” [0024] are disclosed, also See paras. 111-112, wherein remote computing device are disclosed; as taught by Celikyilmaz.)
and while the transaction is being processed by the remote device: performing the operations; (See paras. 31-33, wherein portal searching operation for the transaction record process are disclosed, also See paras. 111-112, wherein remote computing device are disclosed; as taught by Celikyilmaz.)
and outputting the notification that provides for performance of the one or more actions by the remote device. (See paras. 263, wherein output device are disclosed, also See Fig. 6, paras. 94-95, 132, 140, wherein confirming notification to merchant are disclosed; as taught by Celikyilmaz.)
See claim 1 for motivation above.
As per claim 26, the combination of Edwards and Lessing fails to disclose wherein that the data record comprises one or more batch fields comprising prior transaction data and one or more near real-time fields comprising current transaction data, wherein updating the data record comprises retrieving one or more values for the one or more near real-time fields for updating the one or more near real-time fields, and wherein determining that the updated data record satisfies one or more conditions of
at least one of the one or more segmentation rules comprises determining that the one or more values of the updated data record satisfy the one or more conditions of at least the one of the one or more segmentation rules.
On the other hand, Celikyilmaz teaches wherein that the data record comprises one or more batch fields comprising prior transaction data and one or more near real-time fields comprising current transaction data, wherein updating the data record comprises retrieving one or more values for the one or more near real-time fields for updating the one or more near real-time fields, and wherein determining that the updated data record satisfies one or more conditions of at least one of the one or more segmentation rules comprises determining that the one or more values of the updated data record satisfy the one or more conditions of at least the one of the one or more segmentation rules. (See paras. 114-115, 128, wherein specified rules on monitoring transactions and transaction handler functions in which facilitating monitoring of transaction which “transaction handler (103) is configured to match the identities of the merchants as known to the remote computing device, such as the merchant aggregator, with the identities of the merchants as known to the transaction handler (103), to facilitate the monitoring of transactions of the merchants and to generate the real-time information about the transactions between the respective merchants and enrolled customers (e.g., user” [0114] are disclosed, also See paras. 215-216, 218, wherein rules and segmentations are disclosed, also See Fig. 9, paras. 88, 94, wherein updating data in real-time process in which “incremental changes in some of the transaction processing parameters (507) can be detected with great certainty and updated automatically in real time with the changes. For example, the rule engine (519) is configured in one embodiment to detect the relocation of a transaction terminal from one store to another, in response to a determination that the terminal ID…” [0088] are disclosed; as taught by Celikyilmaz.)
See claim 1 for motivation above.
Conclusion
1. The examiner requests, in response to this Office action, support be shown for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line no(s) in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist the examiner in prosecuting the application.
2. When responding to this office action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections See 37 CFR 1.111(c).
POINT OF CONTACT
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LIN LIN M HTAY whose telephone number is (571)272-7293. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F, 7am-3pm, PST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kavita Stanley can be reached on (571)272-8352. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/L. L. H./
Examiner, Art Unit 2153
/KAVITA STANLEY/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2153
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