DETAILED ACTION
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 § 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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) 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Belvin et al (U.S. 7831433) and further in view of Gizzi Giaimo (U.S.PGPUB 2019/0179860).
1. As per claims 1 and 15 Belvin disclosed a method for operating a digital assistance system, the method being performed by a processing circuit in which link information for at least two selectable retrieval systems is provided, the method comprising: receiving a search query that requests answer data as an answer to the search query,
wherein the search query concerns a travel route and/or a travel destination and/or a point of interest, POI (col. 5, lines 22-51),
recognizing in the search query, (16) at least one keyword describing the search query, generating feature data that describes the at least one keyword and/or the search query,
selecting at least one selected retrieval system that is to retrieve the answer data among the at least two selectable retrieval systems based on the feature data; and sending the feature data to the at least one selected retrieval system, (21) wherein the selecting includes providing selection data to a mapping function (13) of the processing circuit as an input (col. 16, lines 1-26),
wherein the mapping function (13) maps the selection data (23) to the link information and/or to score data of more of the at least two selectable retrieval systems to identify the at least one selected retrieval system (col. 12, lines 18-60),
and
wherein the selection data contain the search query and/or the at least one keyword and/or at least-a part or all of the feature data and/or additional situation data indicative of a current environment in which the answer data is requested (col.9, lines 36-55).
However, Belvin did not explicitly disclose wherein the score data describe a score of a quality measure for each of the at least two selectable retrieval systems, wherein the score data are based on historic search queries sent to each of the at least two selectable retrieval systems before the feature data is sent to the at least one selected retrieval system.
In the same field of endeavor Gizzi disclosed, “the scoring module 206 may be configured to arrange the one or more search results in an order. In an embodiment of the present invention, the scoring module 206 may be configured to provide a score to each of the search results based on the relevancy to a search query. The scoring module 206 may arrange the one or more search results based on the various parameters such as relevancy of the search result with respect to the query, the level of urgency of the search results and the level of privacy of the search results. The scoring module 206 may then arrange the search results in either ascending or descending order. For example, the scoring module 206 provide a score ‘9’ to a medical practitioner who provide home consultancy as compared a medical practitioner sitting at a hospital is provided with a score ‘4’ for a query of a user relating to medical help at home (Paragraph. 0054). Gizzi further disclosed, “At step 408, the server 104 retrieves one or more search results from one or more resource directories 108 in accordance with the one or more search queries and the location parameters of the user terminal 102. In some embodiments of the present invention, the server 104 may parse the one or more search queries to determine query parameters such as, data retrieval filters, the display options, the level of urgency and the level of privacy for retrieving the one or more search results. In an embodiment of the present invention, the location parameters of the user terminal 102 define a geographical region associated with the user terminal 102. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the one or more search results are related to public information and social services of the geographical region defined by the location parameters of the user terminal 102. In other embodiments of the present invention, the server 104 may transform the one or more search results in a predefined format and may define or modify the predefined format. The predefined format may be defined or modified based on user's preferences. In other embodiments of the present invention, server 104 may implement various algorithms to convert or transform the one or more search results including, but not limited to, statistical methods, probabilistic methods, and so forth” (Paragraph. 0068).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date was made to have incorporated the scoring module 206 may be configured to arrange the one or more search results in an order. In an embodiment of the present invention, the scoring module 206 may be configured to provide a score to each of the search results based on the relevancy to a search query. The scoring module 206 may arrange the one or more search results based on the various parameters such as relevancy of the search result with respect to the query, the level of urgency of the search results and the level of privacy of the search results. The scoring module 206 may then arrange the search results in either ascending or descending order. For example, the scoring module 206 provide a score ‘9’ to a medical practitioner who provide home consultancy as compared a medical practitioner sitting at a hospital is provided with a score ‘4’ for a query of a user relating to medical help at home. At step 408, the server 104 retrieves one or more search results from one or more resource directories 108 in accordance with the one or more search queries and the location parameters of the user terminal 102. In some embodiments of the present invention, the server 104 may parse the one or more search queries to determine query parameters such as, data retrieval filters, the display options, the level of urgency and the level of privacy for retrieving the one or more search results. In an embodiment of the present invention, the location parameters of the user terminal 102 define a geographical region associated with the user terminal 102. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the one or more search results are related to public information and social services of the geographical region defined by the location parameters of the user terminal 102. In other embodiments of the present invention, the server 104 may transform the one or more search results in a predefined format and may define or modify the predefined format. The predefined format may be defined or modified based on user's preferences. In other embodiments of the present invention, server 104 may implement various algorithms to convert or transform the one or more search results including, but not limited to, statistical methods, probabilistic methods, and so forth as taught by Gizzi in the method and system of Belvin to optimize a system that retrieves relevant information in response to a query.
2. As per claim 2 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed wherein the mapping function includes a look-up table and/or an artificial neural network that associates several different
possible inputs to respective link information or to the score data (Belvin, col. 10, lines 20-39).
3. As per claims 3 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed wherein the mapping function includes a k-means clustering algorithm in which each of a plurality of query classes that represents several different possible sets of selection data as single common class is modeled as one of a plurality of clusters in a feature space and the input is mapped into the feature space (Belvin, col. 10, lines 39-67) and one of the clusters that is closest to a mapped input determines one of the query classes that is associated with the search query on which input is based, and wherein at least one of the at least two selectable retrieval systems associated with the one of the query classes is selected as the at least one selected retrieval system (Belvin, Paragraph. 18-60).
4. As per claim 4 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed wherein the selection data contained in the input describe different parameters for mapping the input into the feature space and each respective value of the different parameters is used as a coordinate value in the feature space (Belvin, col. 12, lines 18-60).
5. As per claim 5 Belvin-Gizzi Giaimo wherein the situation data describes at least one of:-a current position of the digital assistance system, the current position being expressed by geo-coordinates and/or by indicating a region and/or region type in which the digital assistance system is positioned; -a time of day and/or a season of a year; -a current weather and/or estimated future weather as signaled by a weather station; and-a-current traffic and/or an estimated future traffic as indicated by a traffic system (Melvin, col. 2, lines 6-15).
6. As per claim 6 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed wherein the generating the feature data includes adding the situation data as a part of the feature data (Belvin, col. 5, lines 41-57).
7. As per claim 7 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed wherein the digital assistance system is operated in a vehicle (Belvin, col. 8, lines 19-54).
8. As per claim 8 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed wherein the processing circuit is operated as part of the digital assistance system or wherein the processing circuit is provided as a distributed circuit that is partly operated in the digital assistance system and partly operated in a stationary server (Belvin, col. 6, lines 23-44).
9. As per claim 9 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed wherein the recognizing the at least one keyword includes reorganizing, in the received speech signal the at least one keyword contained in the speech signal (Belvin, col. 6, lines 24-43).
10. As per claim 10 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed (Belvin, col. 16, lines 1-26); applying(Gizzi, Paragraph. 0055-0056); and(Belvin, col. 12, lines 18-60). Claim 10 has the same motivation to as to claims 1 and 15.
11. As per claim 11 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed wherein the quality measure(Belvin, col. 16, lines 41-67).
12. As per claim 12 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed wherein the quality measure(Belvin, col. 12, lines 18-60).
13. As per claim 13 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed wherein the quality measure(Belvin, col. 12, lines 31-60).
14. As per claim 14 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed `wherein the method(Belvin, col. 12, lines 18-60).
15. As per claims 16, 17 Belvin-Gizzi disclosed wherein the link information includes at least first link information for a first one of the at least two selectable retrieval systems and second link information for a second one of the at least two selectable retrieval systems (Gizzi, Paragraph. 0062), wherein the first link information includes a first unified resource locator and/or a first Internet Protocol (IP) address and/or a first Application Programming Interface (API) for the first one of the at least two selectable retrieval systems (Gizzi, Paragraph. 0059), and wherein the second link information includes a second unified resource locator and/or a second IP address and/or a second API for the second one of the at least two selectable retrieval systems (Gizzi, Paragraph. 0062). Examiner interpreted the selected links as multiple addresses/ API interfaces. Claims 16 and 17 have the same motivation as to claim 1.
Response to Arguments
16. Applicant's arguments filed 09/08/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Response to applicant’s argument is as follows.
A. Applicant argued that prior art did not disclose, “wherein the score data describe a score of a quality measure for each of the at least two selectable retrieval systems, wherein the score data are based on historic search queries sent to each of the at least two selectable retrieval systems before the feature data is sent to the at least one selected retrieval system”.
As to applicant’s argument, Examiner interpreted the above limitations as the system compose scores for different search databases using the statistics from the past search query logs and get selected. Gizzi disclosed, “At step 408, the server 104 retrieves one or more search results from one or more resource directories 108 in accordance with the one or more search queries and the location parameters of the user terminal 102. In some embodiments of the present invention, the server 104 may parse the one or more search queries to determine query parameters such as, data retrieval filters, the display options, the level of urgency and the level of privacy for retrieving the one or more search results. In an embodiment of the present invention, the location parameters of the user terminal 102 define a geographical region associated with the user terminal 102. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the one or more search results are related to public information and social services of the geographical region defined by the location parameters of the user terminal 102. In other embodiments of the present invention, the server 104 may transform the one or more search results in a predefined format and may define or modify the predefined format. The predefined format may be defined or modified based on user's preferences. In other embodiments of the present invention, server 104 may implement various algorithms to convert or transform the one or more search results including, but not limited to, statistical methods, probabilistic methods, and so forth” (Paragraph. 0068).
B. Applicant argued that prior art did not disclose, “applying
As to applicant’s argument Gizzi disclosed, “At step 506, the user terminal 102 transmits the one or more search queries and the location parameters to the assistance platform 112 via the network 106. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the user terminal 102 transmits the one or more search queries and the location parameters to the server 104 via the network 106. In other embodiments of the present invention, the server 104 parses the one or more query to determine the data retrieval filters, the display options, the level of urgency and the level of privacy associated with the one or more search queries. The server 104 may parse the one or more query to determine the data retrieval filters, the display options, the level of urgency and the level of privacy associated with the one or more search queries. [0074] At step 508, the server 104 retrieves one or more search results from one or more resource directories 108 in accordance with at least one of the data retrieval filters and the level of urgency associated with the one or more search queries and the location parameters of the user terminal 102 (Paragraph. 0073-0074).
C. Applicant argued that prior art did not disclose, “the processing module 204 and/or the scoring module 206 applies an evaluation function that compares replies to the one or more search queries”.
As to applicant’s argument Gizzi disclosed, “In some embodiments, information called analog data is represented by a near continuum of measurable values within a particular range. The computer system 700, or a portion thereof, constitutes a means for performing one or more steps retrieving data from the data source 110 (Paragraph. 0088). Gizzi further disclosed, “In other embodiments of the present invention, the server 104 may identify the one or more search queries and compare the queries received through the query field 304. The one or more search queries may include at least one of query parameters such as, but not limited to, data retrieval filters, display options, a level of urgency of the required resource and/or information and a level of privacy to be attributed to search results. The one or more query fields 304 may include, but not limited to, a drop-down list, a radio button list, a checklist and so forth” (Paragraph. 0059).
Conclusion
17. 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.
18. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communication from the
examiner should be directed to Adnan Mirza whose telephone number is (571)-272-3885.
19. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday during normal
business hours. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the
examiner’s supervisor, Faris Almatrahi can be reached on (313)-446-4821.
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/ADNAN M MIRZA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3667