DETAILED ACTION
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 XXXXXXXXXXXXXX has been entered.
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 .
Status of Claims
Claims X are canceled.
Claims X are amended.
Claims 17 is new.
Claims X are pending and have been examined.
This action is in reply to the papers filed on XXX (effective filing date xxx).
Claims 1-17 are pending and have been examined.
This action is in reply to the papers filed on 12/09/2025 (effective filing date 03/29/2023).
Information Disclosure Statement
No Information Disclosure Statement has been filed.
The information disclosure statement(s) submitted: xxxxxxxx, has/have been considered by the Examiner and made of record in the application file.
Amendment
The present Office Action is based upon the original patent application filed on 03/28/2024 as modified by the preliminary amendment filed on 08/21/2024 and amendment filed 12/09/2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC §112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. §112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claims 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §112(a) as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor had possession of the claimed invention.
New Matter Rejection - Regarding Claim 1, Applicant’s originally filed specification (PGPub. 2024/0403981) fails to disclose the amended claimed features as follows: the buy now module executes and automatically generates a blockchain transaction, which immutably encodes a title transfer after registry validation … the system automatically validates and then transfers the seller's on-chain title record and issues a new title to the buyer, a smart contract executes only after validation via a government-maintained land registry API.
Applicant is directed to address each rejected claim individually by specifically indicating support, in the originally filed specification (i.e., page, paragraph, and line), for the rejected claimed feature(s).
Reasons For Allowance
Prior-Art Rejection withdrawn
Claims xxx are allowed. The closest prior art (See PTO-892, Notice of References Cited) does not teach the claimed:
The invention teaches… and the prior-art teaches…, however, the prior-art does not teach…
The closest prior-art (xxx) teach the features as disclosed in Non-final Rejection (xxxx), however, these cited references do not teach and the prior-art does not teach at least the following:
determining, at a second time after associating the information corresponding to the first loyalty card with the logged location, that a second user computing device is located within a specified distance of the logged location using a second positioning system of the second user computing device; in response to determining that the second user computing device is located within the specified distance of the logged location of the first user computing device at the first time of detecting: retrieving information corresponding to a second loyalty card, the second loyalty card being associated with the merchant and the second user computing device; and displaying, by the second user computing device, data describing the second loyalty card.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC §101 - Withdrawn
Per Applicant’s amendments and arguments and considering new guidance in the MPEP, the rejections are withdrawn. Specifically, in Applicant’s Remarks (dated 03/14/2017, pgs. 8-11), Applicant traverses the 35 USC §101 rejections arguing that the amended claims recite new limitations that are not abstract, amount to significantly more, are directed to a practical application, etc… For example, Applicant argues….
In support of their arguments, Applicant cites to the following recent Fed. Cir. court cases (i.e., Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank Int’l, SRI Int’l, Inc. v. Cisco Systems, Inc., Ultramercial, Inc. v. Hulu, LLC, Berkheimer, Core Wireless, McRO, Enfish, Bascom, DDR, etc…).
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 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. These claims recite an automated title transfer system.
Claim 1 recites [a] property interactive system comprising: a display screen including a graphical user interface; a processor with a memory including computer code coupled to the display screen, the memory is programmed with executable instructions, including: accessing a wired or wireless connection data indicative of government and municipality databases; a plurality of seller user functions, the plurality of seller user functions having an add property module, the add property module displays seller added listings; a review property module; a plurality of buyer user functions, the plurality of buyer user functions having a buy now module, the buy now module executes and automatically generates a blockchain transaction, which immutably encodes a title transfer after registry validation, the buy now module provides the buyer the ability for immediate purchase of a listing using an on-chain title, the seller inspects pending buyer offers through the review property module to either accept the pending offer or deny the pending offer, the system automatically validates and then transfers the seller's on-chain title record and issues a new title to the buyer , a smart contract executes only after validation via a government-maintained land registry API.
The claims are being rejected according to the 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance (Federal Register, Vol. 84, No. 5, p. 50-57 (Jan. 7, 2019)).
Step 1: Does the Claim Fall within a Statutory Category?
Yes. Claims 1-17 recite a system/apparatus and, therefore, are directed to the statutory class of machine.
Step 2A, Prong One: Is a Judicial Exception Recited?
Yes. The following tables identify the specific limitations that recite an abstract idea. The column that identifies the additional elements will be relevant to the analysis in step 2A, prong two, and step 2B.
Claim 1: Identification of Abstract Idea and Additional Elements, using Broadest Reasonable Interpretation
Claim Limitation
Abstract Idea
Additional Element
1. A property interactive system comprising:
No additional elements are positively claimed.
a display screen including a graphical user interface; a processor with a memory including computer code coupled to the display screen, the memory is programmed with executable instructions, including: accessing a wired or wireless connection data indicative of government and municipality databases;
This limitation includes the step(s) of: a display screen including a graphical user interface; a processor with a memory including computer code coupled to the display screen, the memory is programmed with executable instructions, including: accessing a wired or wireless connection data indicative of government and municipality databases.
But for the display screen, processor, GUI, memory, and/or databases this limitation is directed to processing and/or communicating known information to facilitate an automated title transfer system which may be categorized as any of the following:
mental process – concepts performed in the human mind (including an observation, evaluation, judgment, opinion)
and/or
certain method of organizing human activity –
fundamental economic principles or practices (including hedging, insurance, mitigating risk), and/or
commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations).
a display screen including a graphical user interface; a processor with a memory including computer code coupled to the display screen, the memory is programmed with executable instructions, including: accessing a wired or wireless connection data indicative of government and municipality databases
a plurality of seller user functions, the plurality of seller user functions having an add property module, the add property module displays seller added listings; a review property module; a plurality of buyer user functions, the plurality of buyer user functions having a buy now module, the buy now module executes and automatically generates a blockchain transaction, which immutably encodes a title transfer after registry validation,
This limitation includes the step(s) of: a plurality of seller user functions, the plurality of seller user functions having an add property module, the add property module displays seller added listings; a review property module; a plurality of buyer user functions, the plurality of buyer user functions having a buy now module, the buy now module executes and automatically generates a blockchain transaction, which immutably encodes a title transfer after registry validation.
No additional elements are positively claimed.
This limitation is directed to processing and/or communicating known information to facilitate an automated title transfer system which may be categorized as any of the following:
mental process – concepts performed in the human mind (including an observation, evaluation, judgment, opinion)
and/or
certain method of organizing human activity –
fundamental economic principles or practices (including hedging, insurance, mitigating risk), and/or
commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations).
No additional elements are positively claimed.
the buy now module provides the buyer the ability for immediate purchase of a listing using an on-chain title, the seller inspects pending buyer offers through the review property module to either accept the pending offer or deny the pending offer,
This limitation includes the step(s) of: the buy now module provides the buyer the ability for immediate purchase of a listing using an on-chain title, the seller inspects pending buyer offers through the review property module to either accept the pending offer or deny the pending offer.
No additional elements are positively claimed.
This limitation is directed to processing and/or communicating known information to facilitate an automated title transfer system which may be categorized as any of the following:
mental process – concepts performed in the human mind (including an observation, evaluation, judgment, opinion)
and/or
certain method of organizing human activity –
fundamental economic principles or practices (including hedging, insurance, mitigating risk), and/or
commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations).
No additional elements are positively claimed.
the system automatically validates and then transfers the seller's on-chain title record and issues a new title to the buyer, a smart contract executes only after validation via a government-maintained land registry API.
This limitation includes the step(s) of: the system automatically validates and then transfers the seller's on-chain title record and issues a new title to the buyer, a smart contract executes only after validation via a government-maintained land registry API.
But for the land registry API, this limitation is directed to processing and/or communicating known information to facilitate an automated title transfer system which may be categorized as any of the following:
mental process – concepts performed in the human mind (including an observation, evaluation, judgment, opinion)
and/or
certain method of organizing human activity –
fundamental economic principles or practices (including hedging, insurance, mitigating risk), and/or
commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations).
land registry API
As shown above, under Step 2A, Prong One, the claims recite a judicial exception (an abstract idea). The claims are directed to the abstract idea of an automated title transfer system, which, pursuant to MPEP 2106.04, is aptly categorized as a mental process and/or a method of organizing human activity. Therefore, under Step 2A, Prong One, the claims recite a judicial exception.
Next, the aforementioned claims recite additional functional elements that are associated with the judicial exception, including: a GUI/API and display screen for presenting or displaying informaiton. Examiner understands these limitations to be insignificant extrasolution activity. (See Accenture, 728 F.3d 1336, 108 U.S.P.Q.2d 1173 (Fed. Cir. 2013), citing Cf. Diamond v. Diehr, 450 U.S. 175, 191-192 (1981) ("[I]nsignificant post-solution activity will not transform an unpatentable principle in to a patentable process.”).
The aforementioned claims also recite additional technical elements including: a “processor” and “memory” to for storing and executing executable instructions and a GUI/API for transmitting data. These limitations are recited at a high level of generality and appear to be nothing more than generic computer components. Claims that amount to nothing more than an instruction to apply the abstract idea using a generic computer do not render an abstract idea eligible. Alice Corp., 134 S. Ct. at 2358, 110 USPQ2d at 1983. See also 134 S. Ct. at 2389, 110 USPQ2d at 1984.
Step 2A, Prong Two: Is the Abstract Idea Integrated into a Practical Application?
No. The judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. The additional elements listed above that relate to computing components are recited at a high level of generality (i.e., as generic components performing generic computer functions such as communicating, receiving, processing, analyzing, and outputting/displaying data) such that they amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computing components. Simply implementing the abstract idea on a generic computer is not a practical application of the abstract idea. Additionally, the claims do not purport to improve the functioning of the computer itself. There is no technological problem that the claimed invention solves. Rather, the computer system is invoked merely as a tool. Accordingly, the 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. Therefore, these claims are directed to an abstract idea.
Furthermore, looking at the elements individually and in combination, under Step 2A, Prong Two, the claims as a whole do not integrate the judicial exception into a practical application because they fail to: improve the functioning of a computer or a technical field, apply the judicial exception in the treatment or prophylaxis of a disease, apply the judicial exception with a particular machine, effect a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing, or apply the judicial exception beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment. Rather, the claims merely use a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea(s), and/or add insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception, and/or generally link the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment.
Step 2B: Does the Claim Provide an Inventive Concept?
Next, under Step 2B, the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the additional elements, when considered both individually and as an ordered combination, do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. Furthermore, looking at the limitations as an ordered combination adds nothing that is not already present when looking at the elements taken individually. Simply put, as noted above, there is no indication that the combination of elements improves the functioning of a computer (or any other technology), and their collective functions merely provide conventional computer implementation. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional elements relating to computing components amount to no more than applying the exception using a generic computing components. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computing component cannot provide an inventive concept. Furthermore, the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claimed computer components (i.e., additional elements) includes any generic computing components that are capable of being programmed to communicate, receive, send, process, analyze, output, or display data. Furthermore, Applicant’s Specification (PGPub. 2024/0403981 [0034-0035]) refers to a general computer system, but they do not include any technically-specific computer algorithm or code.
Additionally, pursuant to the requirement under Berkheimer, the following citations are provided to demonstrate that the additional elements, identified as extra-solution activity, amount to activities that are well-understood, routine, and conventional. See MPEP 2106.05(d).
Capturing an image (code) with an RFID reader. Ritter, US Patent No. 7734507 (Col. 3, Lines 56-67); “RFID: Riding on the Chip” by Pat Russo. Frozen Food Age. New York: Dec. 2003, vol. 52, Issue 5; page S22.
Receiving or transmitting data over a network. Symantec, 838 F.3d at 1321, 120 USPQ2d at 1362; OIP Techs., Inc., v. Amazon.com, Inc., 788 F.3d 1359, 1363, 115 USPQ2d 1090, 1093 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (sending messages over a network); buySAFE, Inc. v. Google, Inc., 765 F.3d 1350, 1355, 112 USPQ2d 1093, 1096 (Fed. Cir. 2014).
Storing and retrieving information in memory. Versata Dev. Group, Inc. v. SAP Am., Inc., 793 F.3d 1306, 1334, 115 USPQ2d 1681, 1701 (Fed. Cir. 2015); OIP Techs., 788 F.3d at 1363, 115 USPQ2d at 1092-93.
Outputting/Presenting data to a user. Mayo, 566 U.S. at 79, 101 USPQ2d at 1968; OIP Techs., Inc. v. Amazon.com, Inc., 788 F.3d 1359, 1363, 115 USPQ2d 1090, 1092-93 (Fed. Cir. 2015); MPEP 2106.05(g)(3).
Using a machine learning model to determine user segment characteristics for an ad campaign. https://whites.agency/blog/how-to-use-machine-learning-for-customer-segmentation/.
Thus, taken alone and in combination, the additional elements do not amount to significantly more than the above-identified judicial exception (the abstract idea), and are ineligible under 35 USC 101.
Independent system claim 17 also contains the identified abstract ideas, with the additional elements of a display screen, processor and storage medium, which are a generic computer components, and thus not significantly more for the same reasons and rationale above.
Dependent claims 2-16 further describe the abstract idea. The additional elements of the dependent claims fail to integrate the abstract idea into a practical application and do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. Thus, as the dependent claims remain directed to a judicial exception, and as the additional elements of the claims do not amount to significantly more, the dependent claims are not patent eligible.
As such, the claims are not patent eligible.
Invention Could be Performed Manually
It is conceivable that the invention could be performed manually without the aid of machine and/or computer. For example, Applicant claims buyer and seller features to enable the purchase of a property. Each of these features could be performed manually and/or with the aid of a simple generic computer to facilitate the transmission of data.
See also Leapfrog Enterprises, Inc. v. Fisher-Price, Inc., and In re Venner, which stand for the concept that automating manual activity and/or applying modern electronics to older mechanical devices to accomplish the same result is not sufficient to distinguish over the prior art. Here, applicant is merely claiming computers to facilitate and/or automate functions which used to be commonly performed by a human.
Leapfrog Enterprises, Inc. v. Fisher-Price, Inc., 485 F.3d 1157, 82 USPQ2d 1687 (Fed. Cir. 2007) "[a]pplying modern electronics to older mechanical devices has been commonplace in recent years…"). The combination is thus the adaptation of an old idea or invention using newer technology that is commonly available and understood in the art.
In In re Venner, 262 F.2d 91, 95, 120 USPQ 193, 194 (CCPA 1958), the court held that broadly providing an automatic or mechanical means to replace manual activity which accomplished the same result is not sufficient to distinguish over the prior art. MPEP 2144.04, III Automating a Manual Activity.
MPEP 2144.04 III - Automating a Manual Activity and In re Venner, 262 F.2d 91, 95, 120 USPQ 193, 194 (CCPA 1958) further stand for and provide motivation for using technology, hardware, computer, or server to automate a manual activity.
Therefore, the Office finds no improvements to another technology or field, no improvements to the function of the computer itself, and no meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of an abstract idea to a particular technological environment. Therefore, based on the two-part Alice Corp. analysis, there are no limitations in any of the claims that transform the exception (i.e., the abstract idea) into a patent eligible application.
Claim Rejections - Not an Ordered Combination
None of the limitations, considered as an ordered combination provide eligibility, because taken as a whole, the claims simply instruct the practitioner to implement the abstract idea with routine, conventional activity.
Claim Rejections - Preemption
Allowing the claims, as presently claimed, would preempt others from implementing an automated title transfer system. Furthermore, the claim language only recites the abstract idea of performing this method, there are no concrete steps articulating a particular way in which this idea is being implemented or describing how it is being performed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101 – Applicant may not claim a human being
Claims 1-17 are rejected under 35 USC §101 because Applicant may not claim a human being. See MPEP at 2105 which states: “If the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claimed invention as a whole encompasses a human being, then a rejection under 35 USC §101 must be made indicating that the claimed invention is directed to nonstatutory subject matter.” In Claim 1, Applicant claims seller inspects pending… offers through the… to either accept … or deny the pending offer… Similarly, in Claim 17, Applicant claims the seller inspects pending buyer offers… title lawyer and real estate agent… will access a multi-signatory system to authenticat, document, and verify property & title transfers…
Some of the dependent claims also seem to claim or encompass a human actor as part of the claim. These claims should be rewritten to resolve this issue.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over: Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975; in view of Reber et al. 2019/0147553.
18/620,538 – Claim 1. (Currently Amended) Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 teaches A property interactive system comprising (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0002] This disclosure relates to a bid management systems and platforms for managing bids for property transactions.): a display screen including a graphical user interface (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0020 - a user interface on a display] In an aspect, this disclosure provides a computer-implemented method of facilitating a purchase of property using a bid management platform. The method comprises: registering a buyer terminal with the bid management platform; receiving, at the buyer terminal from the bid management platform, information to populate a user interface on a display of the buyer terminal; displaying a user interface on the buyer terminal, the user interface configured to display a listing for a property for sale, wherein the listing comprises a list price and seller terms, wherein one of the seller terms comprises a selectable option; creating, at the buyer terminal, an offer to purchase the property, the offer comprising an offer price and the selected option; sending, from the buyer terminal to the bid management platform, the offer; and receiving, at the buyer terminal from the bid management platform, a notification indicating the offer is the winning offer.); a processor with a memory including computer code coupled to the display screen, the memory is programmed with executable instructions (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0015; 0051; Figs. 3 and 4]), including: accessing a wired or wireless connection data indicative of government and municipality databases (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0041 - platform accesses online registry and deed databases or other public databases to confirm ownership of the property] This disclosure provides various embodiments of methods and system for providing a bid management platform for sales of property, for example, real estate sales. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the overall system of the bid management platform 100 including a seller terminal 104. Sellers create a user account utilizing a seller terminal 104 to list their property on the bid management platform 102. Seller terminal 104 comprises a user interface. Typically, listings on the bid management platform 102 are listed by a real estate agent licensed in the state the property is located (“agents”) or owners listing a property as a “For Sale By Owner” or “FSBO” listing. Agents register with the bid management platform 102 via network interface 106 and have their license and brokerage information verified prior to using the bid management platform 102. In some embodiments, an owner lists a property as a “For Sale By Owner” or “FSBO” listing, and platform 102 verifies via network interface 106 that the owner owns the property being offered for sale. In some embodiments, the bid management platform accesses online registry and deed databases or other public databases to confirm ownership of the property. In some embodiments, the bid management platform communicates with a third party to confirm ownership of the property.); a plurality of seller user functions, the plurality of seller user functions having an add property module, the add property module displays seller added listings (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0020] In an aspect, this disclosure provides a computer-implemented method of facilitating a purchase of property using a bid management platform. The method comprises: registering a buyer terminal with the bid management platform; receiving, at the buyer terminal from the bid management platform, information to populate a user interface on a display of the buyer terminal; displaying a user interface on the buyer terminal, the user interface configured to display a listing for a property for sale, wherein the listing comprises a list price and seller terms, wherein one of the seller terms comprises a selectable option; creating, at the buyer terminal, an offer to purchase the property, the offer comprising an offer price and the selected option; sending, from the buyer terminal to the bid management platform, the offer; and receiving, at the buyer terminal from the bid management platform, a notification indicating the offer is the winning offer. [0043] In some embodiments, to create a listing on the bid management platform 102, a seller terminal 104 sends a request to an agent to create a draft listing on their behalf. This request should include any information necessary or helpful for creating a real estate listing, including but not limited to, the address of the property, full legal contact information for the seller or sellers, or any other identifying information. Once the draft listing is complete, the agent can send it to the seller for review and approval. Alternatively, the agent can directly create a draft listing on behalf of their seller and send the draft listing to the seller for review and approval. In some embodiments, upon the seller's review and approval of the draft listing, seller and the selected agent sign an agreement stating they will use the bid management platform as the exclusive method to accept offers on the listed property. In some embodiments, by creating a listing either via an agent or an FSBO listing, seller is agreeing to be required to sell the property if an offer is received by the bid management platform that meets or exceeds the list price and accepts the seller terms.); a review property module (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [Abstract] The disclosure provides a bid management platform for facilitating sales of property between seller terminals and buyer terminals. A seller terminal provides listings for real estate properties for the bid management platform along with seller terms required for offers. The bid management platform publicly displays offers made for properties. Buyer terminals can access listings via the bid management platform to provide offers, review seller terms, review offers made, and buy properties instantly if seller's buy-it-now price and terms are satisfied. The bid management platform provides an efficient method and system for transparently facilitating real estate transactions and providing visibility that is not provided by current systems. [0051; Figs. 3 and 4] FIGS. 3 and 4 are block diagrams illustrating a seller terminal and buyer terminal, respectively. The seller terminal and the buyer terminal operate to facilitate real estate transactions via the bid management platform. A buyer terminal and seller terminal comprise a processing module (302 and 402 respectively), a network interface (306 and 406 respectively), memory module (304 and 404 respectively), and a user interface (not shown). In some embodiments, the memory module for the seller terminal comprises the seller parameters module 304 which includes pricing information, seller terms, conditions from sellers regarding sale and offers on a property offered for sale, or a combination thereof. A buyer terminal may be a mobile phone or computer. A buyer terminal may also comprise an application installed on the mobile phone or computer. A seller terminal may be a mobile phone or computer. A seller terminal may also comprise an application installed on the mobile phone or computer. In some embodiments of the system, one of the buyer terminal and seller terminal is a mobile phone and the other is a computer.); a plurality of buyer user functions (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0015] Another aspect of this disclosure is directed to a system for facilitating the sale of property. The system comprises a bid management platform comprising: a bid management server, wherein the cloud server comprises a processor and a memory module; and a network interface for connecting the cloud server with a buyer terminal and a seller terminal; wherein the memory module stores instructions operative to present a user interface to the buyer terminal and the seller terminal for viewing listings; and wherein the memory module stores further instructions operative to perform the following steps: receive a listing for real estate from a seller terminal at the bid management platform; receive plurality of offers to purchase the real estate listing from a plurality of buyer terminals, each offer comprising an offer price and the selected option; start an offer window timer upon receipt of the first of the plurality of offers; calculate a total offer value based on the offer price and selected term of each of the plurality of offers; at the expiration of the offer window timer, determine a winning offer as the offer from the plurality of offers that has the highest total offer value; and changing the status of the listing to “Under Agreement” upon the expiration of the offer window timer and the determination of a winning offer. [0051; Figs. 3 and 4] FIGS. 3 and 4 are block diagrams illustrating a seller terminal and buyer terminal, respectively. The seller terminal and the buyer terminal operate to facilitate real estate transactions via the bid management platform. A buyer terminal and seller terminal comprise a processing module (302 and 402 respectively), a network interface (306 and 406 respectively), memory module (304 and 404 respectively), and a user interface (not shown). In some embodiments, the memory module for the seller terminal comprises the seller parameters module 304 which includes pricing information, seller terms, conditions from sellers regarding sale and offers on a property offered for sale, or a combination thereof. A buyer terminal may be a mobile phone or computer. A buyer terminal may also comprise an application installed on the mobile phone or computer. A seller terminal may be a mobile phone or computer. A seller terminal may also comprise an application installed on the mobile phone or computer. In some embodiments of the system, one of the buyer terminal and seller terminal is a mobile phone and the other is a computer.), the plurality of buyer user functions having a buy now module (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0013] Yet another aspect of this disclosure provides a method of enabling a buyer terminal to enter into a purchase of a property associated with a listing on a bid management platform. The method comprises: creating, by the bid management platform, the listing for the property, the listing comprising a list price, seller terms, a buy-it-now price, and buy-it-now terms, wherein the list price, seller terms, buy-it-now price, and buy-it-now terms are received at the bid management platform from a seller terminal; receiving, at the bid management platform from a buyer terminal, an offer to purchase the property, the offer comprising an offer price and acceptance of the buy-it-now terms; comparing, at the bid management platform, the offer price to the buy-it-now price; when the offer price is equal to or greater than the buy-it-now price, sending a seller notification to the seller terminal indicating that the property is under agreement for sale, and sending a buyer notification to the buyer terminal indicating that the property is under agreement for sale; and changing the status of the listing to indicate the property is under agreement for sale. In some embodiments, the method also comprises validating financial wellness of a buyer associated with the buyer terminal.), the buy now module executes and automatically generates a blockchain transaction, which immutably encodes a title transfer after registry validation (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0041 - online registry and deed databases or other public databases] This disclosure provides various embodiments of methods and system for providing a bid management platform for sales of property, for example, real estate sales. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the overall system of the bid management platform 100 including a seller terminal 104. Sellers create a user account utilizing a seller terminal 104 to list their property on the bid management platform 102. Seller terminal 104 comprises a user interface. Typically, listings on the bid management platform 102 are listed by a real estate agent licensed in the state the property is located (“agents”) or owners listing a property as a “For Sale By Owner” or “FSBO” listing. Agents register with the bid management platform 102 via network interface 106 and have their license and brokerage information verified prior to using the bid management platform 102. In some embodiments, an owner lists a property as a “For Sale By Owner” or “FSBO” listing, and platform 102 verifies via network interface 106 that the owner owns the property being offered for sale. In some embodiments, the bid management platform accesses online registry and deed databases or other public databases to confirm ownership of the property. In some embodiments, the bid management platform communicates with a third party to confirm ownership of the property. [0086 – buy-it-now features] This disclosure also provides for conditional buy-it-now offers. A seller terminal can elect to receive conditional buy-it-now offers. Alternatively, a bid management platform may default to accepting conditional buy-it-now offers. A conditional buy-it-now offer comprises an offer price that meets or exceeds the buy-it-now price and comprises a request or proposal to change one or more of the buy-it-now terms. A seller terminal can reject or accept a conditional buy-it-now offer. If the seller terminal rejects the conditional buy-it-now offer, the listing of the property remains unchanged. If the seller terminal accepts the conditional buy-it-now offer, the bid management platform terminates an active offer window (if an offer window is active), updates the listing to reflect that the property under agreement, and sends a notification to the seller terminal and buyer terminal indicating that the conditional buy-it-now offer has been accepted and the property is under agreement. In some embodiments, the bid management platform generates a winning agreement comprising the buy-it-now offer price and the accepted buy-it-now updated terms.), the buy now module provides the buyer the ability for immediate purchase of a listing using an on-chain title, the seller inspects pending buyer offers through the review property module to either accept the pending offer or deny the pending offer (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [Abstract] The disclosure provides a bid management platform for facilitating sales of property between seller terminals and buyer terminals. A seller terminal provides listings for real estate properties for the bid management platform along with seller terms required for offers. The bid management platform publicly displays offers made for properties. Buyer terminals can access listings via the bid management platform to provide offers, review seller terms, review offers made, and buy properties instantly if seller's buy-it-now price and terms are satisfied. The bid management platform provides an efficient method and system for transparently facilitating real estate transactions and providing visibility that is not provided by current systems. [0013] Yet another aspect of this disclosure provides a method of enabling a buyer terminal to enter into a purchase of a property associated with a listing on a bid management platform. The method comprises: creating, by the bid management platform, the listing for the property, the listing comprising a list price, seller terms, a buy-it-now price, and buy-it-now terms, wherein the list price, seller terms, buy-it-now price, and buy-it-now terms are received at the bid management platform from a seller terminal; receiving, at the bid management platform from a buyer terminal, an offer to purchase the property, the offer comprising an offer price and acceptance of the buy-it-now terms; comparing, at the bid management platform, the offer price to the buy-it-now price; when the offer price is equal to or greater than the buy-it-now price, sending a seller notification to the seller terminal indicating that the property is under agreement for sale, and sending a buyer notification to the buyer terminal indicating that the property is under agreement for sale; and changing the status of the listing to indicate the property is under agreement for sale. In some embodiments, the method also comprises validating financial wellness of a buyer associated with the buyer terminal. [0024] In some embodiments, the method further comprises sending, from the bid management platform to the seller terminal, a communication notifying seller terminal that the property is required to be sold upon the expiration of the offer window timer. In some embodiments, the method also comprises registering a plurality of buyer terminals with the bid management platform. In some embodiments, the method additionally comprises receiving, at the bid management platform from the plurality of buyer terminals, a plurality of offers to purchase the property, each offer comprising an offer price and the selected option. In some embodiments, the plurality of offers are received at the bid management platform while the offer window timer is active. In some embodiments, the method also comprises receiving, at the bid management platform from the seller terminal, a buy-it-now price and buy-it-now terms. In some embodiments, wherein the offer further comprises an expiration, wherein the expiration can be a date, time, or a combination thereof. [0036] In some embodiments, when the seller terminal sends the seller information, in some embodiments the seller terminal also sends an acknowledgement that the owner of the property agrees to be required to sell the property if a buyer makes an offer equal to or greater than the list price and accepts the seller terms. In some embodiments, the bid management platform sends to the seller terminal a seller agreement that contractually binds the seller to sell the property if a buyer makes an offer equal to or greater than the list price and accepts the seller terms. In such embodiments, the bid management platform will not publicly post the listing on a website until the bid management platform receives the seller agreement signed by the owner of the property in the listing. This feature of the disclosure is unconventional. Currently, owners may list their property for sale either by themselves or through a real estate agent. However, the owners are not under any obligation to sell the property, even if they receive an offer matching or exceeding their list price and accepting their terms. In some circumstances, owners have listed property for sale in an effort to learn what the property could potentially fetch on the market. In contrast to this, in some embodiments, the bid management platform requires a seller to be obligated to sell a property when an offer meets or exceeds the list price and accepts and the seller terms, or when an offer includes the buy-it-now price and accepts the buy-it-now terms. [0080] In another aspect, this disclosure provides methods and systems related to conditional offers. A conditional offer is a request from a buyer terminal to the bid management platform to change the minimum offer price or seller terms, or both, of a listing. The seller can accept or reject the request. If accepted, the seller terminal updates the listing to reflect the requested changes. In some embodiments, these updates are only visible to the buyer terminal that made the conditional offer request, so that the buyer terminal can then submit an offer in accordance with the updated terms. The buyer terminal submits an offer using or exceeding the updated terms to the bid management platform. In some embodiments, the bid management platform only accepts conditional offers before an active offer window. In some embodiments, the bid management platform accepts conditional offers during an active offer window or at another time.), the system automatically validates and then transfers the seller's on-chain title record and issues a new title to the buyer, a smart contract executes only after validation via a government-maintained land registry API (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0040 - contract] In some embodiments, the bid management platform activates an offer window timer. In some embodiments, after receipt of a first offer that meets or exceeds the list price and accepts the seller terms at the bid management platform, the bid management platform starts counting down a timer until a time when no further offers will be accepted. The time from the receipt of the first offer until expiration of the time is referred to as the “offer window.” The offer window can be a duration set by the seller terminal or can be set by the bid management platform. In some embodiments, the offer window ranges from 1-90, 1-60, or 1-30 days. In some embodiments, the offer window is a number of weeks or hours. Upon expiration of the offer window, the bid management platform notifies the seller of the current highest total value offer and changes the listing to under agreement. In some embodiments, the bid management platform populates a contract using the terms from the winning offer and sends the contract to the seller terminal and the buyer terminal. In such embodiments, the agreement executed between the seller and the bid management platform prior to the bid management platform posting the listing and the agreement executed by the buyer and the bid management platform prior to the bid management platform accepting an offer from the buyer terminal comprise the execution of the winning offer agreement. In some embodiments, the bid management platform sends the contract to the buyer terminal for execution. In some embodiments, at this point the seller associated with the seller terminal is bound to accept the terms of the contract. In some embodiments where the offer price matches or exceeds the buy-it-now price and accepts the buy-it-now terms, the offer window is immediately terminated.).
Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 may not expressly disclose the “on-chain title, blockchain, and smart contract” features, however, Reber et al. 2019/0147553 teaches these features (Reber et al. 2019/0147553 [0018 - blockchain provides immutable recording of ownership and/or rights pertaining to an asset] In some embodiments, title information is translated into a schema suitable for storage and processing on the blockchain. By way of example, title information may be translated from a title schema, which may differ between countries, states, counties, etc. for a given type of title, into a unified title type schema. A unified title type schema may define the various possible characteristics that pertain to a specific type of title, although titles of that type may have different title schemas (e.g., different states or title processors may utilize different formats, fields, units, etc. to describe similar types of information). Thus, the translation may comprise the processing of title information from the title schema into title information in the unified title type schema. Title information in the unified title type schema (or unified schema) may include information about the asset to which the title pertains. For example, where that asset is land ownership/rights, the information may include geolocation data for the asset, metes and bounds for the asset, topographical features of the asset, underground features of the asset, permissions and/or restrictions relative to one or more features or the asset, usage rights relative to one or more features or the asset, etc. Thus, rather than 10, 50, 100, or 1000 different entities referring to a similar aspect of an asset in as equally many different ways, if not more, the unifies schema translates title information into a uniform format. In other words, the title information in the unified schema enables expedited determinations about assets and, as explained below, the storing of that information into a data structure that is stored within the blockchain provides immutable recording of ownership and/or rights pertaining to an asset and/or features thereof. In other words, [0029 – smart contract] In some embodiments, the computing node 100 may operate upon various types of information stored by the decentralized computing platform. Examples include a directed acyclic graph 105 of cryptographic hash pointers, such as a blockchain or other tamper-evident, immutable, decentralized data stores. Other examples include various scripts in the scripting language of the decentralized computing platform executable by the computing node 100, for instance with verifiable computing, such that no single computing node 100 needs to be trusted. In some embodiments, these scripts or programs may be referred to as smart contracts 107, a term which should not be confused with a contract in law or other financial instrument. Rather, smart contracts refer to programs executable by the decentralized computing platform, which in some cases may be tamper-evident, immutable decentralized programs loaded to the decentralized computing platform by one of the components of the environment 10. For example, the authority 130 may publish a smart contract 107 to the decentralized computing platform such that the computing node 100 (and/or other nodes) may process information stored in the directed acyclic graph 105, and/or other information, according to one or more operations enumerated in the smart contract. A smart contract 107 can be a contract in the sense that the logic of the smart contract is immutable in some implementations once loaded to the decentralized computing platform and thus serves as a form of a commitment to a particular body of logic. [0036 - the on-chain title information having] In some embodiments, the on-chain title information having the data structure specified by the unified schema may be stored as node content by one or more transactions may be a machine-readable portion, such as a portion of key-value pairs in dictionaries encoded as a hierarchical data serialization format, like JavaScript™ object notation (JSON) or extensible markup language (XML). In some embodiments, the off-chain portion may be a human-readable format including unstructured natural language text that describes in prose information of the transaction. Or in some embodiments, this allocation may be reversed, intermingled, or otherwise differently arranged, which is not to suggest that any other feature herein is not also amenable to variation relative to the arrangements described.).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 to include the features as taught by Reber et al. 2019/0147553. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so to utilize well known property/real-estate tools and features to facilitate the sale or title transfer of properties which should prove to improve user experience, maximize profits, and optimize revenue.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over: Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975; in view of Reber et al. 2019/0147553; in view of Hoffman et al. 2003/0220807.
18/620,538 – Claim 2. (Original) The property interactive system of claim 1, Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 may not expressly disclose the following features, however, Hoffman et al. 2003/0220807 teaches wherein the plurality of seller user functions includes a rapid report module (Hoffman et al. 2003/0220807 [0013] In order to achieve at least the above objects in whole or in part, and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described, there is provided a real estate information managing and transferring system accessible by multiple parties, which include sellers, buyers and Realtors, including a host server with a folder module adapted to contain information about a real estate property or transaction, a reports module communicatively coupled to the folder module, wherein the reports module is adapted to search and filter information from the folder module, and an activity map module communicatively coupled to at least one of the folder module and the reports module, wherein the activity map module comprises a data base of stored features and is adapted to extract information from at least one of the folder module and the reports module and manipulate the extracted information using the stored features to provide docketing information and calendaring functions to the multiple parties, which include sellers, buyers and Realtors, wherein the stored features comprise at least one of a calculator to calculate due dates, a hyperlink to allow connecting between the folder module, the reports module and the activity map module, an automatic file saver, a new activity entry generator, a letter campaign generator, an instruction adding generator, and a note generator, and a display interface.).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 to include the features as taught by Hoffman et al. 2003/0220807. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to utilize well known property/real-estate tools and features to facilitate the sale or title transfer of properties which should prove to improve user experience, maximize profits, and optimize revenue.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over: Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975; in view of Reber et al. 2019/0147553; in view of Hoffman et al. 2003/0220807.
18/620,538 – Claim 3. (Original) Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 further teaches The property interactive system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of buyer user functions includes a review pending offer module providing indication if an offer is approved or denied by the seller (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0043] In some embodiments, to create a listing on the bid management platform 102, a seller terminal 104 sends a request to an agent to create a draft listing on their behalf. This request should include any information necessary or helpful for creating a real estate listing, including but not limited to, the address of the property, full legal contact information for the seller or sellers, or any other identifying information. Once the draft listing is complete, the agent can send it to the seller for review and approval. Alternatively, the agent can directly create a draft listing on behalf of their seller and send the draft listing to the seller for review and approval. In some embodiments, upon the seller's review and approval of the draft listing, seller and the selected agent sign an agreement stating they will use the bid management platform as the exclusive method to accept offers on the listed property. In some embodiments, by creating a listing either via an agent or an FSBO listing, seller is agreeing to be required to sell the property if an offer is received by the bid management platform that meets or exceeds the list price and accepts the seller terms. [0050] Seller terminals can submit information for listings submitted for immediate publication or scheduled for publishing on a certain date and time pending review by bid management platform. In some embodiments, a bid management platform administrator reviews, approves, and publishes the listing, or will contact the seller's agent with any questions. In some embodiments, the bid management platform reviews the listing without aid of an administrator and approves and publishes the listing. Upon successful review, the bid management platform displays the listing on a website or causes the listing to be displayed on a website. In some embodiments, bid management platform does not review and/or approve the listing before publishing it. [0056] Buyers and their agents can schedule home tours and provide feedback upon attending a home tour scheduled through bid management platform. Buyers and their agents can ask a question to the seller and their agent about the property directly from a “seller Q&A” section of the listing on the website. The question will be publicly visible on the listing, pending the seller's answer and/or approval by the bid management platform or an administrator of the bid management platform. Bid management platform will post the seller's answer and/or approval after the answer and/or approval are received at the bid management platform from the seller terminal.).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over: Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975; in view of Reber et al. 2019/0147553; in view of Hoffman et al. 2003/0220807; in view of Thomas et al. 2012/0246024.
18/620,538 – Claim 4. (Original) The property interactive system of claim 3, Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 may not expressly disclose the following features, however, Thomas et al. 2012/0246024 teaches wherein the property interactive system further comprises a title lawyer module (Thomas et al. 2012/0246024 [0060] In some embodiments, the method provides the buyer with the option to obtain third party assistance at step 328. For example, the method may facilitate communications between the buyer and one or more third parties including, but not limited to, real estate agents, sellers, occupants of the property, loan officers, title lawyers, appraisers, home inspectors, and/or home repair specialists. Third parties may refer to individual persons or businesses, as well as associated computerized systems for assisting the buyer using automated processes. In some embodiments, authentication, authorization, and/or other techniques may be used to ensure adequate security and privacy of the data being communicated between the buyer and the third party. [0061] The method may facilitate communications between the buyer and third parties in any suitable manner. For example, the method may provide an advertisement from a home repair specialist, and the buyer may click on the advertisement to communicate with the home repair specialist. As another example, the method may provide a link to a third party with whom the buyer has an existing relationship, such as the buyer's real estate agent. As another example, the method may provide the buyer with access to a bidding platform. The buyer may submit a request for a service to the bidding platform. The bidding platform communicates the request to a pool of vendors, and one or more of the vendors may bid to provide the service to the buyer. Examples of requests that may be submitted to the bidding platform include a request for roof repair, a request for a home inspection, a request for legal services (e.g., a title lawyer), a request for real estate agent services, and so on. The bid may include price, the vendor's available appointment times, reputation of the vendor (e.g., recommendations or ratings from review organizations or other customers), and/or other information that the buyer may use to determine whether or not to accept the bid.).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 to include the features as taught by Thomas et al. 2012/0246024. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to utilize well known property/real-estate tools and features to facilitate the sale or title transfer of properties which should prove to improve user experience, maximize profits, and optimize revenue.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over: Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975; in view of Reber et al. 2019/0147553; in view of Hoffman et al. 2003/0220807; in view of Thomas et al. 2012/0246024.
18/620,538 – Claim 5. (Original) Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 further teaches The property interactive system of claim 4, wherein the property interactive system further comprises a real estate agent module (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0018] In certain embodiments of the system, the system also comprises a verification server for determining financial wellness of buyer terminals. In further embodiments, the network interface further comprises an interface with an agent terminal associated with a real estate agent. In some embodiments, the memory module comprises further instructions to receive a conditional offer from a buyer terminal to purchase real estate associated with a listing. [Claim 22] 22. The system of claim 17, wherein the network interface further comprises an interface with an agent terminal associated with a real estate agent.).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over: Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975; in view of Reber et al. 2019/0147553; in view of Hoffman et al. 2003/0220807; in view of Thomas et al. 2012/0246024; in view of Brush et al. 2004/0220823.
18/620,538 – Claim 6. (Original) The property interactive system of claim 5, Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 may not expressly disclose the following features, however, Brush et al. 2004/0220823 teaches wherein the seller and the buyer will be permitted to a choose a title lawyer and a real estate agent through the property interactive system (Brush et al. 2004/0220823 [0041] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the broad functionality of one embodiment of a Future Realty System 200 and Database 210, which may be used to perform step 104 and other steps of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the records 220, which are entered into the database 210, may include information about the future real estate agreement such as: the address of the property at issue, the name, address, phone number and other identification information of the real estate provider(s) (e.g., real estate agent, broker, lender, title company, insurer) associated with the future agreement, the name of the client, relevant dates of the transaction/agreement, consideration information, information relating to a charity, nonprofit organization or other fundraising entity that may receive a financial benefit from the agreement (if any), and related data. The record 220 may also include a "transaction type" descriptor, which describes the type of transactions that will trigger an obligation under the agreement, such as the sale of the associated property, the purchase of real estate by the associated client, a mortgage of the associated property by the client, a mortgage of other real estate by the client, and the like. The record 220 may further describe the nature of the obligation(s) created by the future agreement (i.e., what the client has agreed to, such as the use of a select agent or broker for a future listing or purchase, the use of a select lender for a mortgage, or the use of a select title company, insurer or other real estate service provider for a particular real estate transaction). The record 220 is preferably added to the Future Realty Database 210 with other similar future real estate agreement records. The Future Realty System 200 and Database 210 may be used, provided and maintained by an operator of the system such as a real estate service provider, builder, developer, third party or middleman. As shown, customer service representatives (or listing analysts) may enter the electronic records 220 into the Future Realty System 200. An operator may use the Future Realty System 200 to periodically check the Future Realty Database 210 to detect when an obligation within one of the future agreements arises. The structure and operation of the Future Realty System 200 and Database 210 is more fully and completely discussed in Section III. [0109] The broker user type 720 may comprise real estate agents or brokers or other real estate service providers (e.g., lenders or title companies), who may be operating or participating in the Future Realty System 200. Brokers 720 can interact with the Future Realty System 200 by inputting data in order to update their company and/or contact information. Brokers 710 may also access their records via a self-service user interface and update address, phone and e-mail information. In one embodiment, brokers 720 may also access Future Realty System 200 to check the status (e.g., open, pending, closed) and/or terms of future real estate agreements to which the broker is a party and/or in which the broker has a vested interest. For example, real estate brokers and agents can be selectively granted access to the Future Realty Database 210 to determine whether a certain property or an individual is bound by a future real estate agreement (e.g., if the current owner has agreed to list the property with a select agent or broker, or use a particular real estate provider for the sale, purchase or other transaction). In this manner, if a potential client approaches a real estate broker or service provider, the broker or service provider can cross-check the Future Realty Database 210 to preemptively determine whether any obligations may exist relative to the property or individual before providing services to the individual or listing the property through MLS.).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 to include the features as taught by Brush et al. 2004/0220823. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to utilize well known property/real-estate tools and features to facilitate the sale or title transfer of properties which should prove to improve user experience, maximize profits, and optimize revenue.
No Prior-art Rejection / Potentially Allowable
Claims 7-17 cannot be rejected with prior-art. Individual claimed features are taught in the prior-art, however, the unique combination of features and elements are not taught by the prior-art without hindsight reasoning. These claims are further rejected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but might possibly be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
18/620,538 – Claim 7. The property interactive system of claim 6, wherein the chosen title lawyer will access a multi-signatory system to authenticate, document, and verify property & title transfers on-chain.
18/620,538 – Claim 8. The property interactive system of claim 7, wherein the chosen real estate agent will access a multi-signatory system to authenticate, document, and verify property & title transfers on-chain.
18/620,538 – Claim 9. The property interactive system of claim 8, wherein the system extracts a URL of an associated listing and uses the address, postal code, and listing details to source, verify, and document a complete title report.
18/620,538 – Claim 10. The property interactive system of claim 9, wherein the system further comprises a title monitoring module.
18/620,538 – Claim 11. The property interactive system of claim 10, wherein the title monitoring module conducts daily searches and promptly notifies homeowners of any changes to the title search via text, email, and phone calls.
18/620,538 – Claim 12. The property interactive system of claim 11, wherein the system will run a cross reference of the information in the add property module with a land registry module by accessing various public sources.
18/620,538 – Claim 13. The property interactive system of claim 12, wherein the system verifies inputs of the add property module, a title to the property will be minted into a blockchain-based smart contract.
18/620,538 – Claim 14. The property interactive system of claim 13, wherein the system will verify the buyer as a KYC to a local municipality.
18/620,538 – Claim 15. The property interactive system of claim 14, wherein the system will verify an unapproved title lawyer prior to accessing the title lawyer module through KYC.
18/620,538 – Claim 16. The property interactive system of claim 15, wherein the system will verify an unapproved real estate agent prior to accessing the real estate agent module through KYC.
18/620,538 – Claim 17. (New) A property interactive system comprising:a display screen including a graphical user interface;a processor with a memory including computer code coupled to the display screen, the memory is programmed with executable instructions, including: accessing a wired or wireless connection data indicative of government and municipality databases;a plurality of seller user functions, the plurality of seller user functions having an add property module, the add property module displays seller added listings;a review property module;a plurality of buyer user functions, the plurality of buyer user functions having a buy now module, the buy now module provides the buyer the ability for immediate purchase of a listing using an on-chain title, the seller inspects pending buyer offers through the review property module to either accept the pending offer or deny the pending offer, the plurality of seller user functions includes a rapid report module, the plurality of buyer user functions includes a review pending offer module providing indication if an offer is approved or denied by theseller, the property interactive system further comprises a title lawyer module, the seller and the buyer will be permitted to a choose a title lawyer and a real estate agent through the property interactive system, the chosen title lawyer will access a multi-signatory system to authenticate, document, and verify property & title transfers on-chain; and a real estate agent module.
Examiner’s Response to Arguments
Examiner’s Response: Claim Rejections – 35 USC §112
Applicants’ amendments have necessitated the new grounds of rejection noted above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101 – software per se
Per Applicants’ amendments/arguments, the rejection is withdrawn.
Examiner’s Response: Claim Rejections – 35 USC §101
Applicant’s amendments (positively claiming structural features) do not overcome the rejection as the claimed structural features are generically claimed general purpose computing components claimed to perform the basic functions of communicating and processing data. See rejection above for further guidance.
Examiner’s Response: Claim Rejections – 35 USC § 103
Regarding Claim 1, on page(s) 7-10 of Applicant’s Remarks (dated 12/09/2025), Applicant(s) argues that the cited reference(s) fails to teach, describe, or suggest the amended features. With respect, Applicant’s arguments are deemed unpersuasive and the amended feature(s) remain rejected as follows.
18/620,538 – Claim 1. (Currently Amended) Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 teaches A property interactive system comprising (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0002] This disclosure relates to a bid management systems and platforms for managing bids for property transactions.): a display screen including a graphical user interface (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0020 - a user interface on a display] In an aspect, this disclosure provides a computer-implemented method of facilitating a purchase of property using a bid management platform. The method comprises: registering a buyer terminal with the bid management platform; receiving, at the buyer terminal from the bid management platform, information to populate a user interface on a display of the buyer terminal; displaying a user interface on the buyer terminal, the user interface configured to display a listing for a property for sale, wherein the listing comprises a list price and seller terms, wherein one of the seller terms comprises a selectable option; creating, at the buyer terminal, an offer to purchase the property, the offer comprising an offer price and the selected option; sending, from the buyer terminal to the bid management platform, the offer; and receiving, at the buyer terminal from the bid management platform, a notification indicating the offer is the winning offer.); a processor with a memory including computer code coupled to the display screen, the memory is programmed with executable instructions (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0015; 0051; Figs. 3 and 4]), including: accessing a wired or wireless connection data indicative of government and municipality databases (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0041 - platform accesses online registry and deed databases or other public databases to confirm ownership of the property] This disclosure provides various embodiments of methods and system for providing a bid management platform for sales of property, for example, real estate sales. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the overall system of the bid management platform 100 including a seller terminal 104. Sellers create a user account utilizing a seller terminal 104 to list their property on the bid management platform 102. Seller terminal 104 comprises a user interface. Typically, listings on the bid management platform 102 are listed by a real estate agent licensed in the state the property is located (“agents”) or owners listing a property as a “For Sale By Owner” or “FSBO” listing. Agents register with the bid management platform 102 via network interface 106 and have their license and brokerage information verified prior to using the bid management platform 102. In some embodiments, an owner lists a property as a “For Sale By Owner” or “FSBO” listing, and platform 102 verifies via network interface 106 that the owner owns the property being offered for sale. In some embodiments, the bid management platform accesses online registry and deed databases or other public databases to confirm ownership of the property. In some embodiments, the bid management platform communicates with a third party to confirm ownership of the property.); a plurality of seller user functions, the plurality of seller user functions having an add property module, the add property module displays seller added listings (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0020] In an aspect, this disclosure provides a computer-implemented method of facilitating a purchase of property using a bid management platform. The method comprises: registering a buyer terminal with the bid management platform; receiving, at the buyer terminal from the bid management platform, information to populate a user interface on a display of the buyer terminal; displaying a user interface on the buyer terminal, the user interface configured to display a listing for a property for sale, wherein the listing comprises a list price and seller terms, wherein one of the seller terms comprises a selectable option; creating, at the buyer terminal, an offer to purchase the property, the offer comprising an offer price and the selected option; sending, from the buyer terminal to the bid management platform, the offer; and receiving, at the buyer terminal from the bid management platform, a notification indicating the offer is the winning offer. [0043] In some embodiments, to create a listing on the bid management platform 102, a seller terminal 104 sends a request to an agent to create a draft listing on their behalf. This request should include any information necessary or helpful for creating a real estate listing, including but not limited to, the address of the property, full legal contact information for the seller or sellers, or any other identifying information. Once the draft listing is complete, the agent can send it to the seller for review and approval. Alternatively, the agent can directly create a draft listing on behalf of their seller and send the draft listing to the seller for review and approval. In some embodiments, upon the seller's review and approval of the draft listing, seller and the selected agent sign an agreement stating they will use the bid management platform as the exclusive method to accept offers on the listed property. In some embodiments, by creating a listing either via an agent or an FSBO listing, seller is agreeing to be required to sell the property if an offer is received by the bid management platform that meets or exceeds the list price and accepts the seller terms.); a review property module (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [Abstract] The disclosure provides a bid management platform for facilitating sales of property between seller terminals and buyer terminals. A seller terminal provides listings for real estate properties for the bid management platform along with seller terms required for offers. The bid management platform publicly displays offers made for properties. Buyer terminals can access listings via the bid management platform to provide offers, review seller terms, review offers made, and buy properties instantly if seller's buy-it-now price and terms are satisfied. The bid management platform provides an efficient method and system for transparently facilitating real estate transactions and providing visibility that is not provided by current systems. [0051; Figs. 3 and 4] FIGS. 3 and 4 are block diagrams illustrating a seller terminal and buyer terminal, respectively. The seller terminal and the buyer terminal operate to facilitate real estate transactions via the bid management platform. A buyer terminal and seller terminal comprise a processing module (302 and 402 respectively), a network interface (306 and 406 respectively), memory module (304 and 404 respectively), and a user interface (not shown). In some embodiments, the memory module for the seller terminal comprises the seller parameters module 304 which includes pricing information, seller terms, conditions from sellers regarding sale and offers on a property offered for sale, or a combination thereof. A buyer terminal may be a mobile phone or computer. A buyer terminal may also comprise an application installed on the mobile phone or computer. A seller terminal may be a mobile phone or computer. A seller terminal may also comprise an application installed on the mobile phone or computer. In some embodiments of the system, one of the buyer terminal and seller terminal is a mobile phone and the other is a computer.); a plurality of buyer user functions (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0015] Another aspect of this disclosure is directed to a system for facilitating the sale of property. The system comprises a bid management platform comprising: a bid management server, wherein the cloud server comprises a processor and a memory module; and a network interface for connecting the cloud server with a buyer terminal and a seller terminal; wherein the memory module stores instructions operative to present a user interface to the buyer terminal and the seller terminal for viewing listings; and wherein the memory module stores further instructions operative to perform the following steps: receive a listing for real estate from a seller terminal at the bid management platform; receive plurality of offers to purchase the real estate listing from a plurality of buyer terminals, each offer comprising an offer price and the selected option; start an offer window timer upon receipt of the first of the plurality of offers; calculate a total offer value based on the offer price and selected term of each of the plurality of offers; at the expiration of the offer window timer, determine a winning offer as the offer from the plurality of offers that has the highest total offer value; and changing the status of the listing to “Under Agreement” upon the expiration of the offer window timer and the determination of a winning offer. [0051; Figs. 3 and 4] FIGS. 3 and 4 are block diagrams illustrating a seller terminal and buyer terminal, respectively. The seller terminal and the buyer terminal operate to facilitate real estate transactions via the bid management platform. A buyer terminal and seller terminal comprise a processing module (302 and 402 respectively), a network interface (306 and 406 respectively), memory module (304 and 404 respectively), and a user interface (not shown). In some embodiments, the memory module for the seller terminal comprises the seller parameters module 304 which includes pricing information, seller terms, conditions from sellers regarding sale and offers on a property offered for sale, or a combination thereof. A buyer terminal may be a mobile phone or computer. A buyer terminal may also comprise an application installed on the mobile phone or computer. A seller terminal may be a mobile phone or computer. A seller terminal may also comprise an application installed on the mobile phone or computer. In some embodiments of the system, one of the buyer terminal and seller terminal is a mobile phone and the other is a computer.), the plurality of buyer user functions having a buy now module (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0013] Yet another aspect of this disclosure provides a method of enabling a buyer terminal to enter into a purchase of a property associated with a listing on a bid management platform. The method comprises: creating, by the bid management platform, the listing for the property, the listing comprising a list price, seller terms, a buy-it-now price, and buy-it-now terms, wherein the list price, seller terms, buy-it-now price, and buy-it-now terms are received at the bid management platform from a seller terminal; receiving, at the bid management platform from a buyer terminal, an offer to purchase the property, the offer comprising an offer price and acceptance of the buy-it-now terms; comparing, at the bid management platform, the offer price to the buy-it-now price; when the offer price is equal to or greater than the buy-it-now price, sending a seller notification to the seller terminal indicating that the property is under agreement for sale, and sending a buyer notification to the buyer terminal indicating that the property is under agreement for sale; and changing the status of the listing to indicate the property is under agreement for sale. In some embodiments, the method also comprises validating financial wellness of a buyer associated with the buyer terminal.), the buy now module executes and automatically generates a blockchain transaction, which immutably encodes a title transfer after registry validation (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0041 - online registry and deed databases or other public databases] This disclosure provides various embodiments of methods and system for providing a bid management platform for sales of property, for example, real estate sales. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the overall system of the bid management platform 100 including a seller terminal 104. Sellers create a user account utilizing a seller terminal 104 to list their property on the bid management platform 102. Seller terminal 104 comprises a user interface. Typically, listings on the bid management platform 102 are listed by a real estate agent licensed in the state the property is located (“agents”) or owners listing a property as a “For Sale By Owner” or “FSBO” listing. Agents register with the bid management platform 102 via network interface 106 and have their license and brokerage information verified prior to using the bid management platform 102. In some embodiments, an owner lists a property as a “For Sale By Owner” or “FSBO” listing, and platform 102 verifies via network interface 106 that the owner owns the property being offered for sale. In some embodiments, the bid management platform accesses online registry and deed databases or other public databases to confirm ownership of the property. In some embodiments, the bid management platform communicates with a third party to confirm ownership of the property. [0086 – buy-it-now features] This disclosure also provides for conditional buy-it-now offers. A seller terminal can elect to receive conditional buy-it-now offers. Alternatively, a bid management platform may default to accepting conditional buy-it-now offers. A conditional buy-it-now offer comprises an offer price that meets or exceeds the buy-it-now price and comprises a request or proposal to change one or more of the buy-it-now terms. A seller terminal can reject or accept a conditional buy-it-now offer. If the seller terminal rejects the conditional buy-it-now offer, the listing of the property remains unchanged. If the seller terminal accepts the conditional buy-it-now offer, the bid management platform terminates an active offer window (if an offer window is active), updates the listing to reflect that the property under agreement, and sends a notification to the seller terminal and buyer terminal indicating that the conditional buy-it-now offer has been accepted and the property is under agreement. In some embodiments, the bid management platform generates a winning agreement comprising the buy-it-now offer price and the accepted buy-it-now updated terms.), the buy now module provides the buyer the ability for immediate purchase of a listing using an on-chain title, the seller inspects pending buyer offers through the review property module to either accept the pending offer or deny the pending offer (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [Abstract] The disclosure provides a bid management platform for facilitating sales of property between seller terminals and buyer terminals. A seller terminal provides listings for real estate properties for the bid management platform along with seller terms required for offers. The bid management platform publicly displays offers made for properties. Buyer terminals can access listings via the bid management platform to provide offers, review seller terms, review offers made, and buy properties instantly if seller's buy-it-now price and terms are satisfied. The bid management platform provides an efficient method and system for transparently facilitating real estate transactions and providing visibility that is not provided by current systems. [0013] Yet another aspect of this disclosure provides a method of enabling a buyer terminal to enter into a purchase of a property associated with a listing on a bid management platform. The method comprises: creating, by the bid management platform, the listing for the property, the listing comprising a list price, seller terms, a buy-it-now price, and buy-it-now terms, wherein the list price, seller terms, buy-it-now price, and buy-it-now terms are received at the bid management platform from a seller terminal; receiving, at the bid management platform from a buyer terminal, an offer to purchase the property, the offer comprising an offer price and acceptance of the buy-it-now terms; comparing, at the bid management platform, the offer price to the buy-it-now price; when the offer price is equal to or greater than the buy-it-now price, sending a seller notification to the seller terminal indicating that the property is under agreement for sale, and sending a buyer notification to the buyer terminal indicating that the property is under agreement for sale; and changing the status of the listing to indicate the property is under agreement for sale. In some embodiments, the method also comprises validating financial wellness of a buyer associated with the buyer terminal. [0024] In some embodiments, the method further comprises sending, from the bid management platform to the seller terminal, a communication notifying seller terminal that the property is required to be sold upon the expiration of the offer window timer. In some embodiments, the method also comprises registering a plurality of buyer terminals with the bid management platform. In some embodiments, the method additionally comprises receiving, at the bid management platform from the plurality of buyer terminals, a plurality of offers to purchase the property, each offer comprising an offer price and the selected option. In some embodiments, the plurality of offers are received at the bid management platform while the offer window timer is active. In some embodiments, the method also comprises receiving, at the bid management platform from the seller terminal, a buy-it-now price and buy-it-now terms. In some embodiments, wherein the offer further comprises an expiration, wherein the expiration can be a date, time, or a combination thereof. [0036] In some embodiments, when the seller terminal sends the seller information, in some embodiments the seller terminal also sends an acknowledgement that the owner of the property agrees to be required to sell the property if a buyer makes an offer equal to or greater than the list price and accepts the seller terms. In some embodiments, the bid management platform sends to the seller terminal a seller agreement that contractually binds the seller to sell the property if a buyer makes an offer equal to or greater than the list price and accepts the seller terms. In such embodiments, the bid management platform will not publicly post the listing on a website until the bid management platform receives the seller agreement signed by the owner of the property in the listing. This feature of the disclosure is unconventional. Currently, owners may list their property for sale either by themselves or through a real estate agent. However, the owners are not under any obligation to sell the property, even if they receive an offer matching or exceeding their list price and accepting their terms. In some circumstances, owners have listed property for sale in an effort to learn what the property could potentially fetch on the market. In contrast to this, in some embodiments, the bid management platform requires a seller to be obligated to sell a property when an offer meets or exceeds the list price and accepts and the seller terms, or when an offer includes the buy-it-now price and accepts the buy-it-now terms. [0080] In another aspect, this disclosure provides methods and systems related to conditional offers. A conditional offer is a request from a buyer terminal to the bid management platform to change the minimum offer price or seller terms, or both, of a listing. The seller can accept or reject the request. If accepted, the seller terminal updates the listing to reflect the requested changes. In some embodiments, these updates are only visible to the buyer terminal that made the conditional offer request, so that the buyer terminal can then submit an offer in accordance with the updated terms. The buyer terminal submits an offer using or exceeding the updated terms to the bid management platform. In some embodiments, the bid management platform only accepts conditional offers before an active offer window. In some embodiments, the bid management platform accepts conditional offers during an active offer window or at another time.), the system automatically validates and then transfers the seller's on-chain title record and issues a new title to the buyer, a smart contract executes only after validation via a government-maintained land registry API (Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 [0040 - contract] In some embodiments, the bid management platform activates an offer window timer. In some embodiments, after receipt of a first offer that meets or exceeds the list price and accepts the seller terms at the bid management platform, the bid management platform starts counting down a timer until a time when no further offers will be accepted. The time from the receipt of the first offer until expiration of the time is referred to as the “offer window.” The offer window can be a duration set by the seller terminal or can be set by the bid management platform. In some embodiments, the offer window ranges from 1-90, 1-60, or 1-30 days. In some embodiments, the offer window is a number of weeks or hours. Upon expiration of the offer window, the bid management platform notifies the seller of the current highest total value offer and changes the listing to under agreement. In some embodiments, the bid management platform populates a contract using the terms from the winning offer and sends the contract to the seller terminal and the buyer terminal. In such embodiments, the agreement executed between the seller and the bid management platform prior to the bid management platform posting the listing and the agreement executed by the buyer and the bid management platform prior to the bid management platform accepting an offer from the buyer terminal comprise the execution of the winning offer agreement. In some embodiments, the bid management platform sends the contract to the buyer terminal for execution. In some embodiments, at this point the seller associated with the seller terminal is bound to accept the terms of the contract. In some embodiments where the offer price matches or exceeds the buy-it-now price and accepts the buy-it-now terms, the offer window is immediately terminated.).
Hoffman et al. 2022/0374975 may not expressly disclose the “on-chain title, blockchain, and smart contract” features, however, Reber et al. 2019/0147553 teaches these features (Reber et al. 2019/0147553 [0018 - blockchain provides immutable recording of ownership and/or rights pertaining to an asset] In some embodiments, title information is translated into a schema suitable for storage and processing on the blockchain. By way of example, title information may be translated from a title schema, which may differ between countries, states, counties, etc. for a given type of title, into a unified title type schema. A unified title type schema may define the various possible characteristics that pertain to a specific type of title, although titles of that type may have different title schemas (e.g., different states or title processors may utilize different formats, fields, units, etc. to describe similar types of information). Thus, the translation may comprise the processing of title information from the title schema into title information in the unified title type schema. Title information in the unified title type schema (or unified schema) may include information about the asset to which the title pertains. For example, where that asset is land ownership/rights, the information may include geolocation data for the asset, metes and bounds for the asset, topographical features of the asset, underground features of the asset, permissions and/or restrictions relative to one or more features or the asset, usage rights relative to one or more features or the asset, etc. Thus, rather than 10, 50, 100, or 1000 different entities referring to a similar aspect of an asset in as equally many different ways, if not more, the unifies schema translates title information into a uniform format. In other words, the title information in the unified schema enables expedited determinations about assets and, as explained below, the storing of that information into a data structure that is stored within the blockchain provides immutable recording of ownership and/or rights pertaining to an asset and/or features thereof. In other words, [0029 – smart contract] In some embodiments, the computing node 100 may operate upon various types of information stored by the decentralized computing platform. Examples include a directed acyclic graph 105 of cryptographic hash pointers, such as a blockchain or other tamper-evident, immutable, decentralized data stores. Other examples include various scripts in the scripting language of the decentralized computing platform executable by the computing node 100, for instance with verifiable computing, such that no single computing node 100 needs to be trusted. In some embodiments, these scripts or programs may be referred to as smart contracts 107, a term which should not be confused with a contract in law or other financial instrument. Rather, smart contracts refer to programs executable by the decentralized computing platform, which in some cases may be tamper-evident, immutable decentralized programs loaded to the decentralized computing platform by one of the components of the environment 10. For example, the authority 130 may publish a smart contract 107 to the decentralized computing platform such that the computing node 100 (and/or other nodes) may process information stored in the directed acyclic graph 105, and/or other information, according to one or more operations enumerated in the smart contract. A smart contract 107 can be a contract in the sense that the logic of the smart contract is immutable in some implementations once loaded to the decentralized computing platform and thus serves as a form of a commitment to a particular body of logic. [0036 - the on-chain title information having] In some embodiments, the on-chain title information having the data structure specified by the unified schema may be stored as node content by one or more transactions may be a machine-readable portion, such as a portion of key-value pairs in dictionaries encoded as a hierarchical data serialization format, like JavaScript™ object notation (JSON) or extensible markup language (XML). In some embodiments, the off-chain portion may be a human-readable format including unstructured natural language text that describes in prose information of the transaction. Or in some embodiments, this allocation may be reversed, intermingled, or otherwise differently arranged, which is not to suggest that any other feature herein is not also amenable to variation relative to the arrangements described.).
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
PERTINENT PRIOR ART – Patent Literature
The prior-art made of record and considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Spath 2019/0057410 [0075 - A “buy it now” button 750 may be displayed on the user device 28 of the buyer “B” through the real estate application 38 when the market clearing price 710 is determined, if both the buyer “B” and the seller “S” agree in advance to sell/buy, respectively, for the market clearing price]
PERTINENT PRIOR ART – Non-Patent Literature (NPL)
The NPL prior-art made of record and considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Amadi-Echendu, Anthea & Amadi-Echendu, J.. (2016). A study on data and information integration for conveyancing, cadastre and land registry automation. 804-814. 10.1109/PICMET.2016.7806611.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW T. SITTNER whose telephone number is (571) 270-7137 and email: matthew.sittner@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm (Mountain Time Zone).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sarah M. Monfeldt can be reached on (571) 270-1833.
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/MATTHEW T SITTNER/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3629b