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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Status of the Claims
This action is in response to application 18/603,955 filed on 03/13/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending. All pending claims are examined.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
This application is a continuation application of U.S. application No. 17/819,072 filed on 08/11/2022, now U.S. Patent 11,941,652 (“Parent Application”). See MPEP §201.07. In accordance with MPEP §609.02 A. 2 and MPEP §2001.06(b) (last paragraph), the Examiner has reviewed and considered the prior art cited in the Parent Application.
Also in accordance with MPEP §2001.06(b) (last paragraph), all documents cited or considered ‘of record’ in the Parent Application are now considered cited or ‘of record’ in this application. Additionally, Applicant(s) are reminded that a listing of the information cited or ‘of record’ in the Parent Application need not be resubmitted in this application unless Applicant(s) desire the information to be printed on a patent issuing from this application. See MPEP §609.02 A. 2.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of Patent No. 11,941,652, in view of US Pg. Pub. No. 20030083933 (McAlear).
Although the claims at issue are not identical, the limitations have been mixed and matched (see table below). They are not patentably distinct from each other because, for example claim 1 of Patent No. 11,941,652 teaches most of the limitations of the instant Application claim 1 except
transmit the account information associated with the authenticated account to a dedicated application programming interface (API) hosted by an external system;
receive a success message from the external system, the success message indicating that the authenticated account is an authorized account a primary account;
However, McAlear discloses a method for establishing reward benefits (see abstract) and “[0034] The operation of a preferred embodiment of the ODA system is explained in the following with reference to FIGS. 1-10 of the drawings. FIG. 1 is a top level view of the network system architecture for the ODA system. In the preferred embodiment, the account holder's personal computer (PC) 1 is connected with the Internet 2. Similarly, third party PCs 3 may be connected to the Internet 2. An account holder's wireless handset 4 and third parties' handsets 5 on a wireless network 6 are connected to the Internet 2 via a gateway 7 that bridges the wireless network 6 to the Internet 2…”, see Fig. 1 and paragraph 34.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included the teaching of McAlear in the invention claimed in claim 1 of the instant application. One would have been motivated to provide functionality to connect with an external system using a gateway to interface in order to support communications in a network (see McAlear paragraphs 3 and 34)
Below are the differences between the claims in the instant application and Patent No. 11,941,652.
.
Instant Application
Patent No. 11,941,652.
1. A system comprising: a communications module; at least one memory storing instructions for linking loyalty accounts; at least one hardware processor interoperably coupled with the at least one memory and the communications module, wherein the instructions instruct the at least one hardware processor to: receive, via a user interface, credentials associated with a current account; authenticate the current account as an authenticated account associated with a particular loyalty account based on the received credentials; receive, via the user interface, account information associated with the authenticated account; transmit the account information associated with the authenticated account to a dedicated application programming interface (API) hosted by an external system; receive a success message from the external system, the success message indicating that the authenticated account is an authorized account a primary account; and in response to receiving the success message: link the particular loyalty account associated with the authenticated account with a loyalty account associated with the primary account.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the account information is credit account information, and wherein the authenticated account is an authorized account of a credit account of the primary account.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the loyalty account associated with the primary account is associated with a set of earned benefits, wherein, after linking the loyalty account associated with the primary account to the loyalty account associated with the authorized account, the set of earned benefits are applied to the loyalty account associated with the authorized account, and wherein the success message comprises information associated with the account of the primary user, and wherein the particular loyalty account is linked by using the information associated with the account of the primary user.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the set of earned benefits comprise perks, and rewards points, and wherein the rewards points are redeemable for rewards.
5. The system of claim 3, wherein the authorized account of a linked loyalty account earns benefits based on transactions associated with the primary account.
6. The system of claim 1 further comprising: in response to determining the authenticated account is not an authorized account, return a failure message, wherein the failure message comprises an error code, and wherein the loyalty account associated with the authorized account is not linked the loyalty account associated with a particular primary account.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the account information comprises: an account number or partial account number and at least one of: a name on the account; a date of birth of a user of the primary account; or an address associated with the account.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the account information associated with the authorized account is linked to the loyalty account associated with the primary account.
9. A computer-implemented method for linking loyalty accounts performed by one or more processors associated with a loyalty account provider, the method comprising: receiving, via a user interface, credentials associated with a current account; authenticating the current account as an authenticated account associated with a particular loyalty account based on the received credentials; receiving, via the user interface, account information associated with the authenticated account; transmitting the account information associated with the authenticated account to a dedicated application programming interface (API) hosted by an external system; receiving a success message from the external system, the success message indicating that the authenticated account is an authorized account a primary account; and in response to receiving the success message: linking the particular loyalty account associated with the authenticated account with a loyalty account associated with the primary account.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the account information is credit account information, and wherein the authenticated account is an authorized account of a credit account of the primary account.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the loyalty account associated with the primary account is associated with a set of earned benefits, wherein, after linking the loyalty account associated with the primary account to the loyalty account associated with the authorized account, the set of earned benefits are applied to the loyalty account associated with the authorized account, and wherein the success message comprises information associated with the account of the primary user, and wherein the particular loyalty account is linked by using the information associated with the account of the primary user.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of earned benefits comprise perks, and rewards points, and wherein the rewards points are redeemable for rewards.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the authorized account of a linked loyalty account earns benefits based on transactions associated with the primary account.
14. The method of claim 9 further comprising: in response to determining the authenticated account is not an authorized account, returning a failure message, wherein the failure message comprises an error code, and wherein the loyalty account associated with the authorized account is not linked the loyalty account associated with a particular primary account.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein the account information comprises: an account number or partial account number and at least one of: a name on the account; a date of birth of a user of the primary account; or an address associated with the account.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein the account information associated with the authorized account is linked to the loyalty account associated with the primary account.
17. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions executable by a computer and, when executed, cause the computer to: receive, via a user interface, credentials associated with a current account; authenticate the current account as an authenticated account associated with a particular loyalty account based on the received credentials; receive, via the user interface, account information associated with the authenticated account; transmit the account information associated with the authenticated account to a dedicated application programming interface (API) hosted by an external system; receive a success message from the external system, the success message indicating that the authenticated account is an authorized account a primary account; and in response to receiving the success message: link the particular loyalty account associated with the authenticated account with a loyalty account associated with the primary account.
18. The medium of claim 17, wherein the account information is credit account information, and wherein the authenticated account is an authorized account of a credit account of the primary account.
19. The medium of claim 17, wherein the loyalty account associated with the primary account is associated with a set of earned benefits, wherein, after linking the loyalty account associated with the primary account to the loyalty account associated with the authorized account, the set of earned benefits are applied to the loyalty account associated with the authorized account, and wherein the success message comprises information associated with the account of the primary user, and wherein the particular loyalty account is linked by using the information associated with the account of the primary user.
20. The medium of claim 19, wherein the set of earned benefits comprise perks, and rewards points, and wherein the rewards points are redeemable for rewards.
1. A financial institution computing system comprising: a communications module; at least one memory storing instructions for verifying authorized users of credit accounts, a repository storing a plurality of account profiles associated with a plurality of accounts, each account profile associated with a primary user, wherein at least one of the plurality of account profiles is further associated with at least one authorized user; at least one hardware processor interoperably coupled with the at least one memory and the communications module, wherein the instructions instruct the at least one hardware processor to: receive, from a loyalty system managing a plurality of loyalty accounts via a dedicated application programming interface (API), the API hosted on a network by the financial institution computing system, credit account information associated with an authenticated user, wherein the loyalty system is separate and distinct from the financial institution system, wherein an authenticated user is a user who was previously authenticated by the loyalty system, and wherein the credit account information is associated with the financial institution; in response to receiving the credit account information via the dedicated API, automatically initiate a query of the repository of account profiles for accounts associated with the credit account information; identify results from the initiated query and automatically compare the received credit account information associated with the authenticated user with the results from queried repository; determine, by the at least one hardware processor and based on the comparison, whether the authenticated user is an authorized user of a credit account associated with a particular primary user, wherein the particular primary user is different from the authorized user; in response to determining that the authenticated user is an authorized user of the credit account associated with the particular primary user, automatically generate a success message comprising information necessary to link a loyalty account associated with the authorized user with a loyalty account associated with the particular primary user, wherein the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user is managed by the loyalty system and is different than the credit account associated with the particular primary user; and return, via the API, the success message to the loyalty system.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the success message is used by the loyalty system to link the loyalty account associated with the authorized user with the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user, wherein the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user is associated with a set of earned benefits, and wherein, after linking the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user to the loyalty account associated with the authorized user, the set of earned benefits are applied to the loyalty account associated with the authorized user at the loyalty system.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the set of earned benefits comprise perks and rewards points, and wherein the rewards points are redeemable for rewards.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the authorized user of a linked loyalty account earns benefits based on transactions associated with the credit account.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions instruct the at least one hardware processor to: in response to determining the authenticated user is not an authorized user, return a failure message, wherein the failure message comprises an error code, and wherein the loyalty account of the authorized user is not linked to the loyalty account of a particular primary user.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the account information associated with the authenticated user comprises: an account number or partial account number and at least one of: a name on the account; a date of birth of the authenticated user; or an address associated with the account.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the account information associated with the authorized user is linked to the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user.
8. A computer-implemented method for linking loyalty accounts performed by one or more processors associated with a financial institution system, the method comprising: receiving, from a loyalty system managing a plurality of loyalty accounts via a dedicated application programming interface (API), the API hosted on a network by the financial institution computing system, credit account information associated with an authenticated user, wherein the loyalty system is separate and distinct from the financial institution system, wherein an authenticated user is a user who was previously authenticated by the loyalty system, and wherein the credit account information is associated with the financial institution; in response to receiving the credit account information via the dedicated API, automatically initiating a query of a repository of account profiles for accounts associated with the credit account information; identifying results from the initiated query and automatically compare the received credit account information associated with the authenticated user with the results from queried repository; determining, by the one or more processors and based on the comparison, whether the authenticated user is an authorized user of a credit account associated with a particular primary user, wherein the particular primary user is different from the authorized user; in response to determining that the authenticated user is an authorized user of the credit account associated with the particular primary user, automatically generating a success message comprising information necessary to link a loyalty account associated with the authorized user with a loyalty account associated with the particular primary user, wherein the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user is managed by the loyalty system and is different than the credit account associated with the particular primary user; and returning, via the API, the success message to the loyalty system.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the success message is used by the loyalty system to link the loyalty account associated with the authorized user with the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user, wherein the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user is associated with a set of earned benefits, and wherein, after linking the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user to the loyalty account associated with the authorized user, the set of earned benefits are applied to the loyalty account associated with the authorized user at the loyalty system.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the set of earned benefits comprise perks and rewards points, and wherein the rewards points are redeemable for rewards.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the authorized user of a linked loyalty account earns benefits based on transactions associated with the credit account.
12. The method of claim 8, comprising: in response to determining the authenticated user is not an authorized user, return a failure message, wherein the failure message comprises an error code, and wherein the loyalty account of the authorized user is not linked to the loyalty account of a particular primary user.
13. The method of claim 8, wherein the account information associated with the authenticated user comprises: an account number or partial account number and at least one of: a name on the account; a date of birth of the authenticated user; or an address associated with the account.
14. The method of claim 8, wherein the account information associated with the authorized user is linked to the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user.
15. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions executable by a computer and, when executed, cause the computer to: receive, from a loyalty system managing a plurality of loyalty accounts via a dedicated application programming interface (API), the API hosted on a network by the financial institution computing system, credit account information associated with an authenticated user, wherein the loyalty system is separate and distinct from the financial institution system, wherein an authenticated user is a user who was previously authenticated by the loyalty system, and wherein the credit account information is associated with the financial institution; in response to receiving the credit account information via the dedicated API, automatically initiate a query of a repository of account profiles for accounts associated with the credit account information; identify results from the initiated query and automatically compare the received credit account information associated with the authenticated user with the results from queried repository; determine, by the one or more processors and based on the comparison, whether the authenticated user is an authorized user of a credit account associated with a particular primary user, wherein the particular primary user is different from the authorized user; in response to determining that the authenticated user is an authorized user of the credit account associated with the particular primary user, automatically generate a success message comprising information necessary to link a loyalty account associated with the authorized user with a loyalty account associated with the particular primary user, wherein the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user is managed by the loyalty system and is different than the credit account associated with the particular primary user; and return, via the API, the success message to the loyalty system.
16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the success message is used by the loyalty system to link the loyalty account associated with the authorized user with the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user, wherein the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user is associated with a set of earned benefits, and wherein, after linking the loyalty account associated with the particular primary user to the loyalty account associated with the authorized user, the set of earned benefits are applied to the loyalty account associated with the authorized user at the loyalty system.
17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the set of earned benefits comprise perks and rewards points, and wherein the rewards points are redeemable for rewards.
18. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the authorized user of a linked loyalty account earns benefits based on transactions associated with the credit account.
19. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15, comprising: in response to determining the authenticated user is not an authorized user, return a failure message, wherein the failure message comprises an error code, and wherein the loyalty account of the authorized user is not linked to the loyalty account of a particular primary user.
20. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the account information associated with the authenticated user comprises: an account number or partial account number and at least one of: a name on the account; a date of birth of the authenticated user; or an address associated with the account.
Independent claims 9 and 17 and dependent claims 2-8, 10-16, and 18-20, they have mixed and matched limitations see for example claims 2, 4, 6, etc. of the instant application are an obvious variance of claims 2, 3, 7, etc. of Patent No. 11,941,652.
Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-17 of Patent No. 11,449,884, in view of US Pg. Pub. No. 20030083933 (McAlear).
Although the claims at issue are not identical, the limitations have been mixed and matched (see table below). They are not patentably distinct from each other because, for example claim 1 of Patent No. 11,449,884teaches most of the limitations of the instant Application claim 1 except
transmit the account information associated with the authenticated account to a dedicated application programming interface (API) hosted by an external system;
receive a success message from the external system, the success message indicating that the authenticated account is an authorized account a primary account;
However, McAlear discloses a method for establishing reward benefits (see abstract) and “[0034] The operation of a preferred embodiment of the ODA system is explained in the following with reference to FIGS. 1-10 of the drawings. FIG. 1 is a top level view of the network system architecture for the ODA system. In the preferred embodiment, the account holder's personal computer (PC) 1 is connected with the Internet 2. Similarly, third party PCs 3 may be connected to the Internet 2. An account holder's wireless handset 4 and third parties' handsets 5 on a wireless network 6 are connected to the Internet 2 via a gateway 7 that bridges the wireless network 6 to the Internet 2…”, see Fig. 1 and paragraph 34.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included the teaching of McAlear in the invention claimed in claim 1 of the instant application. One would have been motivated to provide functionality to connect with an external system using a gateway to interface in order to support communications in a network (see McAlear paragraphs 3 and 34)
Below are the differences between the claims in the instant application and Patent No. 11,449,884.
Instant Application
Patent No. 11,449,884
1. A system comprising: a communications module; at least one memory storing instructions for linking loyalty accounts; at least one hardware processor interoperably coupled with the at least one memory and the communications module, wherein the instructions instruct the at least one hardware processor to: receive, via a user interface, credentials associated with a current account; authenticate the current account as an authenticated account associated with a particular loyalty account based on the received credentials; receive, via the user interface, account information associated with the authenticated account; transmit the account information associated with the authenticated account to a dedicated application programming interface (API) hosted by an external system; receive a success message from the external system, the success message indicating that the authenticated account is an authorized account a primary account; and in response to receiving the success message: link the particular loyalty account associated with the authenticated account with a loyalty account associated with the primary account.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the account information is credit account information, and wherein the authenticated account is an authorized account of a credit account of the primary account.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the loyalty account associated with the primary account is associated with a set of earned benefits, wherein, after linking the loyalty account associated with the primary account to the loyalty account associated with the authorized account, the set of earned benefits are applied to the loyalty account associated with the authorized account, and wherein the success message comprises information associated with the account of the primary user, and wherein the particular loyalty account is linked by using the information associated with the account of the primary user.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the set of earned benefits comprise perks, and rewards points, and wherein the rewards points are redeemable for rewards.
5. The system of claim 3, wherein the authorized account of a linked loyalty account earns benefits based on transactions associated with the primary account.
6. The system of claim 1 further comprising: in response to determining the authenticated account is not an authorized account, return a failure message, wherein the failure message comprises an error code, and wherein the loyalty account associated with the authorized account is not linked the loyalty account associated with a particular primary account.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the account information comprises: an account number or partial account number and at least one of: a name on the account; a date of birth of a user of the primary account; or an address associated with the account.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the account information associated with the authorized account is linked to the loyalty account associated with the primary account.
9. A computer-implemented method for linking loyalty accounts performed by one or more processors associated with a loyalty account provider, the method comprising: receiving, via a user interface, credentials associated with a current account; authenticating the current account as an authenticated account associated with a particular loyalty account based on the received credentials; receiving, via the user interface, account information associated with the authenticated account; transmitting the account information associated with the authenticated account to a dedicated application programming interface (API) hosted by an external system; receiving a success message from the external system, the success message indicating that the authenticated account is an authorized account a primary account; and in response to receiving the success message: linking the particular loyalty account associated with the authenticated account with a loyalty account associated with the primary account.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the account information is credit account information, and wherein the authenticated account is an authorized account of a credit account of the primary account.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the loyalty account associated with the primary account is associated with a set of earned benefits, wherein, after linking the loyalty account associated with the primary account to the loyalty account associated with the authorized account, the set of earned benefits are applied to the loyalty account associated with the authorized account, and wherein the success message comprises information associated with the account of the primary user, and wherein the particular loyalty account is linked by using the information associated with the account of the primary user.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of earned benefits comprise perks, and rewards points, and wherein the rewards points are redeemable for rewards.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the authorized account of a linked loyalty account earns benefits based on transactions associated with the primary account.
14. The method of claim 9 further comprising: in response to determining the authenticated account is not an authorized account, returning a failure message, wherein the failure message comprises an error code, and wherein the loyalty account associated with the authorized account is not linked the loyalty account associated with a particular primary account.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein the account information comprises: an account number or partial account number and at least one of: a name on the account; a date of birth of a user of the primary account; or an address associated with the account.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein the account information associated with the authorized account is linked to the loyalty account associated with the primary account.
17. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions executable by a computer and, when executed, cause the computer to: receive, via a user interface, credentials associated with a current account; authenticate the current account as an authenticated account associated with a particular loyalty account based on the received credentials; receive, via the user interface, account information associated with the authenticated account; transmit the account information associated with the authenticated account to a dedicated application programming interface (API) hosted by an external system; receive a success message from the external system, the success message indicating that the authenticated account is an authorized account a primary account; and in response to receiving the success message: link the particular loyalty account associated with the authenticated account with a loyalty account associated with the primary account.
18. The medium of claim 17, wherein the account information is credit account information, and wherein the authenticated account is an authorized account of a credit account of the primary account.
19. The medium of claim 17, wherein the loyalty account associated with the primary account is associated with a set of earned benefits, wherein, after linking the loyalty account associated with the primary account to the loyalty account associated with the authorized account, the set of earned benefits are applied to the loyalty account associated with the authorized account, and wherein the success message comprises information associated with the account of the primary user, and wherein the particular loyalty account is linked by using the information associated with the account of the primary user.
20. The medium of claim 19, wherein the set of earned benefits comprise perks, and rewards points, and wherein the rewards points are redeemable for rewards.
1. A loyalty account provider system comprising: a communications module; at least one memory storing instructions for linking loyalty accounts; at least one hardware processor interoperably coupled with the at least one memory and the communications module, wherein the instructions instruct the at least one hardware processor to: receive, via a user interface associated with the loyalty account provider system, credentials from a user; automatically authenticate, by the loyalty account provider system, the user as associated with a particular loyalty account based on the credentials; receive, via the user interface, credit account information from the authenticated user; transmit the credit account information from the authenticated user, using the communications module and to a dedicated application programming interface (API) hosted by a financial institution computing system, the financial institution computing system managing a set of credit accounts, wherein the credit account information from the authenticated user is compared to a repository of account profiles at the financial institution computing system to determine whether the authenticated user is an authorized user of an account associated with a primary user, wherein the primary user is different from the authorized user; receive a success message from the financial institution computing system via the API, the success message indicating that the authenticated user is an authorized user of a credit account of the primary user, wherein the success message comprises information associated with the credit account of the primary user; and in response to receiving, via the API, the success message: link the particular loyalty account associated with the authenticated user with a loyalty account associated with the primary user by using the information associated with the credit account of the primary user, wherein the loyalty account associated with the primary user is associated with a set of earned benefits, and wherein, after linking the loyalty account associated with the primary user to the loyalty account associated with the authorized user, the set of earned benefits are applied to the loyalty account associated with the authorized user.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of earned benefits comprise perks, and rewards points, and wherein the rewards points are redeemable for rewards.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the authorized user of a linked loyalty account earns benefits based on transactions associated with the credit account of the primary user.
4. The system of claim 1 further comprising: in response to determining the authenticated user is not an authorized user, return a failure message, wherein the failure message comprises an error code, and wherein the loyalty account associated with the authorized user is not linked the loyalty account associated with a particular primary user.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the account information comprises: an account number or partial account number and at least one of: a name on the account; a date of birth of the account holder; or an address associated with the account.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the account information associated with the authorized user is linked to the loyalty account associated with the primary user.
7. A computer-implemented method for linking loyalty accounts performed by one or more processors associated with a loyalty account provider, the method comprising: receiving, via a user interface associated with the loyalty account provider, credentials from a user; automatically authenticating, by the loyalty account provider, the user as associated with a particular loyalty account based on the credentials; receiving, via the user interface, credit account information from the authenticated user; transmitting the credit account information from the authenticated user, using a communications module and to a dedicated application programming interface (API) hosted by a financial institution computing system managing a set of credit accounts, wherein the credit account information from the authenticated user is compared to a repository of account profiles at the financial institution computing system to determine whether the authenticated user is an authorized user of an account associated with a primary user, wherein the primary user is different from the authorized user; receiving a success message from the financial institution computing system via the API, the success message indicating that the authenticated user is an authorized user of a credit account of the primary user, wherein the success message comprises information associated with the credit account of the primary user; and in response to receiving, via the API, the success message: linking the particular loyalty account of authenticated user with a loyalty account associated with the primary user by using the information associated with the credit account of the primary user, wherein the loyalty account associated with the primary user is associated with a set of earned benefits, and wherein, after linking the loyalty account associated with the primary user to the loyalty account associated with the authorized user, the set of earned benefits are applied to the loyalty account associated with the authorized user.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the set of earned benefits comprise perks, and rewards points, and wherein the rewards points are redeemable for rewards.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the authorized user associated with a linked loyalty account earns benefits based on transactions associated with the credit account of the primary user.
10. The method of claim 7 further comprising: in response to determining the authenticated user is not an authorized user, return a failure message, wherein the failure message comprises an error code, and wherein the loyalty account associated with the authorized user is not linked the loyalty account associated with a particular primary user.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein the account information comprises: an account number or partial account number and at least one of: a name on the account; a date of birth of the account holder; or an address associated with the account.
12. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions executable by a computer and, when executed, cause the computer to: receive, via a user interface associated with a loyalty account provider system, credentials from a user; automatically authenticate, by the loyalty account provider system, the user as associated with a particular loyalty account based on the credentials; receive, via the user interface, credit account information from the authenticated user; transmit the credit account information from the authenticated user, using a communications module and to a dedicated application programming interface (API) hosted by a financial institution computing system, the financial institution computing system managing a set of credit accounts, wherein the credit account information from the authenticated user is compared to a repository of account profiles at the financial institution computing system to determine whether the authenticated user is an authorized user of an account associated with a primary user, wherein the primary user is different from the authorized user; receive a success message from the financial institution computing system via the API, the success message indicating that the authenticated user is an authorized user of a credit account of the primary user, wherein the success message comprises information associated with the credit account of the primary user; and in response to receiving, via the API, the success message: link the particular loyalty account associated with the authenticated user with a loyalty account associated with the primary user by using the information associated with the credit account of the primary user, wherein the loyalty account associated with the primary user is associated with a set of earned benefits, and wherein, after linking the loyalty account associated with the primary user to the loyalty account associated with the authorized user, the set of earned benefits are applied to the loyalty account associated with the authorized user.
13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the set of earned benefits comprise perks, and rewards points, and wherein the rewards points are redeemable for rewards.
14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the authorized user of a linked loyalty account earns benefits based on transactions associated with the credit account of the primary user.
15. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12 further comprising: in response to determining the authenticated user is not an authorized user, return a failure message, wherein the failure message comprises an error code, and wherein the loyalty account associated with the authorized user is not linked the loyalty account associated with a particular primary user.
16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the account information comprises: an account number or partial account number and at least one of: a name on the account; a date of birth of the account holder; or an address associated with the account.
17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the account information associated with the authorized user is linked to the loyalty account associated with the primary user.
Independent claims 9 and 17 and dependent claims 2-8, 10-16, and 18-20, they have mixed and matched limitations see for example claim 4 of the instant application is an obvious variance of claim 2 of Patent No. 11,449,884. Claim 3 of the instant application is an obvious variance of claim 3 of Patent No. 11,449,884. Claim 7 of the instant application is an obvious variance of claim 5 of Patent No. 11,449,884.
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- 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Claims 1-20 are not compliant with 101, according with the last “2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance” (2019 PEG), published in the MPEP 2103 through 2106.07(c). The Examiner’s analysis is presented below in all the claims.
Claim 1: Step 1 of 2019 PGE, does the claim fall within a Statutory Category? Yes. The claim recites a system.
Step 2A - Prong 1: Is a Judicial Exception recited in the claim? Yes. The claim recites the limitations of
“b) authenticate the current account as an authenticated account associated with a particular loyalty account based on the received credentials; f) in response to receiving the success message: link the particular loyalty account associated with the authenticated account with a loyalty account associated with the primary account “.
The “authenticate, link” limitations, as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, cover performance of the limitations as certain methods of organizing human activity, advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors. The method for automatically linking loyalty rewards accounts of authorized users of a credit account with the loyalty rewards account of the primary user of the credit account. Thus, the claim recites an abstract idea.
Step 2A - Prong 2: Integrated into a Practical Application? No. The claim recites additional limitations, such as,
“a) receive, via a user interface, credentials associated with a current account; c) receive, via the user interface, account information associated with the authenticated account; d) transmit the account information associated with the authenticated account to a dedicated application programming interface (API) …; e) receive a success message …, the success message indicating that the authenticated account is an authorized account a primary account;” These are limitations toward accessing, transmitting or receiving data (gathering data).
The Examiner analyses other supplementary elements in the claim in view of the instant disclosure:
“a communications module; at least one memory storing instructions for linking loyalty accounts; at least one hardware processor interoperably coupled with the at least one memory and the communications module, wherein the instructions instruct the at least one hardware processor; hosted by an external system”. All these elements are recited in a very generic way.
The Examiner gives the broadest reasonable interpretation to the above elements. They are insignificant extra-solution activity. See MPEP 2106.05(g).
The combination of these additional elements can also be considered no more than mere instructions “to apply” the exception, See MPEP 2106.05(f).
Accordingly, even in combination, 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 claim as a whole does not integrate the method of organizing human activity into a practical application. Thus, the claim is ineligible because is directed to the recited judicial exception (abstract idea).
Step 2B : claim provides an inventive concept? No.
As discussed with respect to Step 2A Prong Two, the supplementary or additional elements in the claim,
“a communications module; at least one memory storing instructions for linking loyalty accounts; at least one hardware processor interoperably coupled with the at least one memory and the communications module, wherein the instructions instruct the at least one hardware processor; hosted by an external system” amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception. i.e., mere instructions to apply an exception using generic hardware and software cannot integrate a judicial exception into a practical application at Step 2A or provide an inventive concept in Step 2B.
Under the 2019 PEG, a conclusion that an supplementary or additional element is insignificant extra-solution activity in Step 2A should be re-evaluated in Step 2B.
Again, in this step, the additional elements in the claims under consideration are:
“a communications module; at least one memory storing instructions for linking loyalty accounts; at least one hardware processor interoperably