DETAILED ACTION
This is in reference to communication received 12 December 2025. Cancellation of claim 8 and addition of claims 13 – 19 is acknowledged. Claims 1 – 7, 9 and 11 – 19 are pending for examination. 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.
Claims 1 – 7, 9 and 11 – 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more.
Claims 1 – 7, 9 and 11 – 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more.
Independent claim 11, representative of claims 12, in part is directed toward a statutory category of invention, the claim appears to be directed toward a judicial exception namely an abstract idea. Claim 11 recites invention directed to generating a process-model based on a metamodel (Primitive) and a relation model (Relation) which are pre-stored; perform validation of the generated process-model and distribute the validated process-model.
Independent claim 11, representative of claims 12, in part is directed toward a statutory category of invention, the claim appears to be directed toward a judicial exception namely an abstract idea. Claim 11 recites invention directed to generating a process-model based on a metamodel (Primitive) and a relation model (Relation) which are pre-stored; perform validation of the generated process-model and distribute the validated process-model, compile the generated process-model before it is deployed.
These limitations describe marketing/sales/advertising activities. A marketing-personnel generating a process-model using a using stored metamodel (e.g. an abstraction describing properties) and relationships which are used as basis with generative AI to generate a process-model, validating the output received, and if it meets the criteria, compile the process-model and deploy the compiled process-model as claimed would be part of marketing research. Using a generative AI to generate a process-model for deployment would be the marketing team (or person) generating and updated process-model, verifying that the generated model meet the criteria before it is deployed to update their marketing campaign.
Represented claim 12, which do recite statutory categories (machine, product of manufacture, for example), the same analysis as above applies to these claims since the method steps are the same. However, the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. These claims add the generic computer components (additional elements) of a system comprising one or more hardware processors and modules.
The processor and modules are recited at a high-level of generality such that they amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Accordingly, these additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claims are directed to an abstract idea.
The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of the processor and modules amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. The claims are not patent eligible.
When taken as an ordered combination, nothing is added that is not already present when the elements are taken individually. When viewed as a whole, the marketing activities amount to instructions applied using generic computer components.
As for dependent claims 2 – 7, 9 and 13 - 19, these claims recite limitations that further define the same abstract idea with details regarding descriptions of various data that will be used to generate process model, who will be providing the various data, what specific commercially available technology may utilized to define the model, what capabilities will provided to the user on their User-Interface, defining that the generated model will be tested before it will be deployed, and how the designed model will be presented to the user on their user-interface. Thus, the dependent claims merely provide additional non-structural (and predominantly non-functional) details that fail to meaningfully limit the claims or the abstract idea(s).
Therefore, claims 1 – 7, 9 and 11 – 19 are not drawn to eligible subject matter, as they are directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
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.
Claims 1 – 7, 9 and 11 – 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith US Publication 2021/0089281 in view of Poon et al. US Publication 2015/0220325 and Ivanov et al. US Publication 2016/0004516.
Regarding claim 1, Smith teaches a processor implemented framework providing system and method (Smith teaches system and method for source code generation). Smith teaches systems and methods for generating computer source code from a model such that the resulting source code can be generated in a desired programming language, and the model and generated code form a correspondence to the intended conceptual design [Smith, 0024]. However, Smith does not explicitly teach domain-specific framework. However, Poon teaches system and method that allows multiple teams to develop domain-specific data model in parallel [Poon, 0105].
Therefore, at the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Smith by adopting teachings of Poon to enable a to develop their new applications by reusing their existing software architecture.
Smith in view of Poon teaches a processor implemented domain-specific process framework providing system and method comprising:
generating, by the one or more processors of a process framework providing system, a process model based on a metamodel (Primitive) and a relation model (Relation) which are pre-stored (Smith, A code generating framework generates code for a model Application Program Interface (API). The framework comprises three components: an API code generator, a serialization code generator, and a deserialization code generator.) [Smith, 0012];
Smith in view of Poon does not explicitly teach validation of generated process model. However, Smith teaches their abstraction model is also suitable as input for an automated inference engine for validation or verification purposes prior to, or after, the generation of the computer source code. however, Ivanov teaches code generation framework for application comprising three components: an API code generator, a serialization code generator, and a deserialization code generator.
Therefore, at the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Smith in view of Poon by adopting teachings of Ivanov to validate that the model instance adheres the model specification defined within the metamodel [Ivanov, 0082].
Smith in view of Poon and Ivanov teaches system and method further comprising:
validating, using a validation model by the one or more processors, a process of the generated process model before the generated process model is distributed (Ivanov, Validation functionality was also included within the generated APL Setter functions check the given data or respectively reference types. Additionally, a validation method is provided that checks that a model instance adheres the model specifications ( e.g., cross-references, cardinalities, pattern) defined within the metamodel.) [Ivanov, 0082]; and
distributing, by the one or more processors, the generated process model, based on a result of the validating (Poon, framework allows software application developers to deliver software applications by providing 1) a vertical stack of back end business logic, 2) a domain model and 3) a front end presentation, each of which can be deployed as modular units. The framework of the present disclosure also facilitates dependence management and dynamic deployment, and defines how application components in different layers of the stack should work with each other. These modules can be deployed into the application at run time, to add features, for upgrades, to fix problems or for other suitable purposes) [Poon, 0064];
Regarding claim 2 and representative claim 13, as combined and under the same rationale as above, Smith in view of Poon and Ivanov teaches system and method, wherein the process framework providing system comprises the one or more processors comprising:
a framework driving engine (runtime engine) configured to support the generated process model to be driven in a real business environment (Poon, A software development platform is provided that includes one or more user-selectable modular units containing a vertical stack of back-end business logic, one or more user-selectable modular units containing domain model components, and one or more user-selectable modular units containing front end presentation components. A virtual appliance includes application-specific logic that utilizes one or more of the modular units containing the vertical stack of back-end business logic) [Poon, 0003]; and
a work model driving code generation module (code generator) configured to transform the process model into a code that is executable in the framework driving engine (Poon, framework allows software application developers to deliver software applications by providing 1) a vertical stack of back end business logic, 2) a domain model and 3) a front end presentation, each of which can be deployed as modular units. The framework of the present disclosure also facilitates dependence management and dynamic deployment, and defines how application components in different layers of the stack should work with each other. These modules can be deployed into the application at run time, to add features, for upgrades, to fix problems or for other suitable purposes) [Poon, 0064].
Regarding claim 3 and representative claim 14, as combined and under the same rationale as above, Smith in view of Poon and Ivanov teaches system and method, wherein the generating the process model comprises:
generating the process model based on domain knowledge which is provided from a specific company which intends to drive a process model (Poon, A software development platform is provided that includes one or more user-selectable modular units containing a vertical stack of back-end business logic, one or more user-selectable modular units containing domain model components, and one or more user-selectable modular units containing front end presentation components. A virtual appliance includes application-specific logic that utilizes one or more of the modular units containing the vertical stack of back-end business logic) [Poon, 0003]; and
transforming the generated process model into a code that is executable in the framework driving engine (Poon, framework allows software application developers to deliver software applications by providing 1) a vertical stack of back end business logic, 2) a domain model and 3) a front end presentation, each of which can be deployed as modular units. The framework of the present disclosure also facilitates dependence management and dynamic deployment, and defines how application components in different layers of the stack should work with each other. These modules can be deployed into the application at run time, to add features, for upgrades, to fix problems or for other suitable purposes) [Poon, 0064].
Regarding claim 4 and representative claim 15, as combined and under the same rationale as above, Smith in view of Poon and Ivanov teaches system and method, wherein the metamodel is created in a process modeling language of any one of a domain- specific language (DSL), a business process model and notation (BPMN), and a UML activity diagram (Smith, Working in the conceptual solution space is often assisted in software development by "models," which are represented in a "modeling language." The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is an example which offers a precise formulation of programming features, and offers a graphical representation that makes working with the models easier. In this manner, programmers can communicate the conceptual designs for the solutions they have in mind in a common language and understanding.) [Smith, 0022].
Regarding claim 5 and representative claim 16, as combined and under the same rationale as above, Smith in view of Poon and Ivanov teaches system and method, wherein the process framework providing system further comprises the one or more processors comprising a process development environment providing module configured to provide an edit environment for generating the process model (Smith, The method of the present invention can be accomplished by allowing an engineer or modeler to select from a catalog of abstractions or design patterns when creating or editing their model for the desired system) [Smith, 0061].
Regarding claim 6 and representative claim 17, as combined and under the same rationale as above, Smith in view of Poon and Ivanov teaches system and method, wherein the process development environment providing module is configured to provide at least one edit environment among a first edit environment in which a metamodel (Primitive) is edited based on a process modeling language (Process DSL), a second edit environment in which a relation model (Relation) indicating a connection state between respective metamodels (Primitive) is edited, and a third edit environment in which a form to receive an input from a user is edited (Smith, The method of the present invention can be accomplished by allowing an engineer or modeler to select from a catalog of abstractions or design patterns when creating or editing their model for the desired system) [Smith, 0061].
Regarding claim 7 and representative claim 18, as combined and under the same rationale as above, Smith in view of Poon and Ivanov teaches system and method, wherein the process framework providing system further comprises:
a metamodel repository configured to store the metamodel (Ivanov, framework and the model deployed (stored) in a database) [Ivanov, 0220]; and
a relation model repository configured to store the relation model (Ivanov, framework and the model deployed (stored) in a database) [Ivanov, 0220].
Regarding claim 9 and representative claim 19, as combined and under the same rationale as above, Smith in view of Poon and Ivanov teaches system and method, wherein the process framework providing system further comprises a business process visualization engine configured to visualize the generated process model, wherein the business process visualization engine is configured to visualize components constituting the process model with a line, a graph, or a 3D shape (Smith, see at least Fig. 5, 9 and associated disclosure].
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 – 7, 9 and 11 – 19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Naresh Vig whose telephone number is (571)272-6810. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 06:30a - 04:00p.
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/NARESH VIG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3622
March 10, 2026