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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 March 19, 2026 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 .
Acknowledgements
This Office Action is in response to the response filed on January 28, 2026 (“January 2026 Response”), which contained, inter alia, claim amendments (“January 2026 Claims”) and remarks (“January 2026 Remarks”).
Claims 1, 3-8, and 10-22 are currently pending and have been examined.
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, 3-8, and 10-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more.
Step 1 of the Subject Matter Eligibility Analysis for Products and Processes1 (“SME Analysis”):
Claims 1, 3-8, and 10-22 are directed to one of the statutory categories.
Claims 1-7 and 14-20, and 22 are directed to a system.
Claims 8-13 and 21 are directed to a process.
Step 2A- Prong One of the SME Analysis:
Claim 8 (representative of independent Claims 1 and 14) recites/describes the following steps:
receiving, a milestone input and one or more milestone input parameters associated with a user profile;
determining, an estimated value of a milestone corresponding to the milestone input;
determining, a progress percentage for the milestone based at least in part on the estimated value of the milestone and a balance associated with the user profile, wherein the milestone comprises one or more milestone input parameters obtained through the user, and wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters; and
the progress percentage for presentation;
detect a change in the balance with the user;
in response to detection of the change in the balance associated with the user, modify the estimated value of the milestone to create a modified estimated value;
in response to detection of the change in the balance associated with the user, modify the progress percentage based at least in part on the modified estimated value of the milestone and the change in balance; and
in response to detection of the change in the balance associated with the user, send the modified progress percentage to the client.
These steps, under their broadest reasonable interpretation, describe or set-forth determining balance progress to a milestone associated with a user profile, which amounts to a commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations); and/or managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people (including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions). These limitations therefore fall within the “certain methods of organizing human activity” subject matter grouping of abstract ideas.
Additionally, these steps, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, encompass a human manually (e.g., in their mind, or using paper and pen) determining balance progress to a milestone associated with a user profile (i.e., one or more concepts performed in the human mind, such as one or more observations, evaluations, judgments, opinions), but for the recitation of generic computer components. If one or more claim limitations, under their broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation(s) in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components, then it falls within the “mental processes” subject matter grouping of abstract ideas.
As such, the Examiner concludes that Claim 8 recites an abstract idea.
Independent Claim 1 and Claim 14 recite/describe nearly identical steps (and therefore also recite limitations that fall within this subject matter grouping of abstract ideas), and these claims are therefore determined to recite an abstract idea under the same analysis.
Each of the depending claims likewise recite/describe these steps (by incorporation - and therefore also recite limitations that fall within this subject matter grouping of abstract ideas), and these claims are therefore determined to recite an abstract idea under the same analysis. Any element(s) recited in a dependent claim that are not specifically identified/addressed by the Examiner under step 2A (prong two) or step 2B of this analysis shall be understood to be an additional part of the abstract idea recited by that particular claim.
Therefore, Claims 1, 3-8, and 10-22 recite an abstract idea.
Step 2A- Prong Two of the SME Analysis:
The claims recite the additional elements/limitations of:
“by a computing device”
“obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device”
“sending, the progress percentage to a client device for presentation within a user interface”/“send to the device for presentation in the user interface”
“a system, comprising: a computing device comprising a processor and a memory; and machine-readable instructions stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to at least:”
The requirement to execute the claimed steps/functions using “a computing device,” “a client device” (Claim 8), “obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device” and/or “system, comprising: a computing device…to at least” (Claims 1 and 14) is equivalent to adding the words “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer. These limitations do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea, and therefore do/does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application (see MPEP 2106.05(f)).
The recited additional element of “sending, the progress percentage to a client device for presentation within a user interface” simply appends insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception, (e.g., mere pre-solution activity, such as data gathering, in conjunction with an abstract idea; mere post-solution activity in conjunction with an abstract idea). The term “extra-solution activity” is understood as activities incidental to the primary process or product that are merely a nominal or tangential addition to the claim. The recited additional element is deemed “extra-solution” because it is merely presenting the information that was already determined by the primary process of the claims. This limitation does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea, and therefore does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application (see MPEP 2106.05(h)).
Furthermore, although the claims recite a specific sequence of computer-implemented functions, and although the specification suggests certain functions may be advantageous for various reasons (e.g., business reasons), the Examiner has determined that the ordered combination of claim elements (i.e., the claims as a whole) are not directed to an improvement to computer functionality/capabilities, an improvement to a computer-related technology or technological environment, and do not amount to a technology-based solution to a technology-based problem.
Dependent Claims 2-7, 9-13, and 15-22 fail to include any additional elements. In other words, each of the limitations/elements recited in respective dependent Claims 2-7, 9-13, and 15-22 are further part of the abstract idea as identified by the Examiner for each respective dependent claim (i.e., they are part of the abstract idea recited in each respective claim).
Therefore, the additional elements, or combination of additional elements, do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application.
Accordingly, Claims 1, 3-8, and 10-22 are directed to an abstract idea.
Step 2B of the SME Analysis:
As discussed above in “Step 2A – Prong 2”, the requirement to execute the claimed steps/functions using “a computing device,” “a client device” (Claim 8), “obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device,” and/or “system, comprising: a computing device…to at least” (Claims 1 and 14) is equivalent to adding the words “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer. These limitations therefore do not qualify as “significantly more” (see MPEP 2106.05(f)).
As discussed above in “Step 2A – Prong 2”, the recited additional element(s) of “sending, the progress percentage to a client device for presentation within a user interface” simply appends insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception, (e.g., mere pre-solution activity, such as data gathering, in conjunction with an abstract idea; mere post-solution activity in conjunction with an abstract idea). This additional element, additionally amounts to well-understood, routine and conventional activities previously known in the field of electronic commerce, appended to the judicial exception, since the determination that receiving data/messages over a network is well-understood, routine, and conventional is supported by Symantec, 838 F.3d at 1321, 120 USPQ2d at 1362; TLI Communications LLC v. AV Auto. LLC, 823 F.3d 607, 610, 118 USPQ2d 1744, 1745 (Fed. Cir. 2016); OIP Techs., Inc., v. Amazon.com, Inc., 788 F.3d 1359, 1363, 115 USPQ2d 1090, 1093 (Fed. Cir. 2015); buySAFE, Inc. v. Google, Inc., 765 F.3d 1350, 1355, 112 USPQ2d 1093, 1096 (Fed. Cir. 2014), and MPEP 2106.05(d)(II), which note the well-understood, routine, conventional nature of receiving data/messages over a network. This limitation therefore does not qualify as “significantly more”. (See MPEP 2106.05(d)). This conclusion is based on a factual determination.
Viewing the additional limitations in combination also shows that they fail to ensure the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. When considered as an ordered combination, the additional components of the claims add nothing that is not already present when considered separately, and thus simply append the abstract idea with words equivalent to “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer, generally link the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, append the abstract idea with insignificant extra solution activity associated with the implementation of the judicial exception, (e.g., mere data gathering, post-solution activity), and appended with well-understood, routine and conventional activities previously known to the industry.
Dependent Claims 2-7, 9-13, and 15-22 fail to include any additional elements. In other words, each of the limitations/elements recited in respective dependent Claims 2-7, 9-13, and 15-22 are further part of the abstract idea as identified by the Examiner for each respective dependent claim (i.e., they are part of the abstract idea identified by the Examiner to which each respective claim is directed).
As such, no additional element, or combination of additional claims elements are sufficient to ensure the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea identified above.
For the reasons stated above, Claims 1, 3-8, and 10-22 as whole do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 3-8, and 10-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ladds et al. (US 2019/0197575 A1)(“Ladds”) in view of Richard (US 2013/0041696 A1)(“Richard”) and further in view of Goldman et al. (US 2014/0136309 A1)(“Goldman”).
As to Claim 1, Ladds discloses a system (system 600), comprising:
a computing device comprising a processor (processor 619) and a memory (memory 622); and
machine-readable instructions (“Computer executable instructions may be provided using any computer-readable media that are accessible by the computing apparatus 618.” [0078]) stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to at least (“one or more processors 619 which may be microprocessors, controllers or any other suitable type of processors for processing computer executable instructions to control the operation of the electronic device” [0077]):
receive a milestone (“goal,” [0058], [0074]) input associated with a user profile (“A user with a loyalty profile 227 may define goals…” [0045])(“he sets the live theater show recommendation as a goal in his loyalty application” [0074], “A current goal section 372 displays a current loyalty points goal of the user of the computing device 310 as well as data associated with the current goal” [0058]);
determine an estimated value of a milestone corresponding to the milestone input (“When the user’s earned loyalty point balance meets or exceeds the loyalty point value of one or more of the user’s goals,…” [0047], as such, the loyalty point value is determined);
determine a progress percentage for the milestone based at least in part on the estimated value of the milestone and a balance associated with the user profile (“Further, the goal manager 236 may enable the user to monitor a percentage of completion of a goal based on the user’s current loyalty point balance, a rate of progress toward a goal over a time interval (e.g., an amount of loyalty points earned over the past three months, a number of percentage points toward the goal earned over the past six months, etc.), and/or an estimated time to complete the goal based on the calculated rate of progress and an associated loyalty point requirement of the goal (e.g., at a current rate of 1,000 loyalty points per month, the user will complete the goal in three months, etc.).” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]);
detect a change in the balance associated with the user (“[w]hen the user’s earned loyalty point balance meets or exceeds the loyalty point value of one or more of the user’s goals,…” [0047]);
modify the estimated value of the milestone to create a modified estimated value (“Editing a goal may include changing the loyalty point amount of the goal and/or the associated goods or services for purchase associated with the goal. [0048]);
modify the progress percentage based at least in part on the modified estimated value of the milestone and the change in balance (“Further, the goal manager 236 may enable the user to monitor a percentage of completion of a goal based on the user’s current loyalty point balance, a rate of progress toward a goal over a time interval (e.g., an amount of loyalty points earned over the past three months, a number of percentage points toward the goal earned over the past six months, etc.), and/or an estimated time to complete the goal based on the calculated rate of progress and an associated loyalty point requirement of the goal (e.g., at a current rate of 1,000 loyalty points per month, the user will complete the goal in three months, etc.).” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]); and
send the modified progress percentage to the client device for presentation in the user interface (“One or more of these values may be provided to the user via the interface 238 of the computing device 210, as described below.” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]).
Ladds does not directly disclose
receive and one or more milestone input parameters obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device;
wherein the milestone comprises one or more milestone input parameters obtained through the user interface, and wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters; and
the modify the estimated value of the milestone step, the modify the progress percentage step, and the send the modified progress percentage step, are in response to detection of the change in the balance associated with the user.
Richard teaches
receive one or more milestone input parameters obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device (“Several buttons are provided to the customer to enable him to enter his desired travel criteria,” [0065], “The first main section enables the customer to enter his criteria for the type of travel he is interested in.” “Here the customer will view four tabs, which provide access to four type subsections (type, facilities, lodging and food & entertainment).” [0066], “The second tabbed subsection is displayed by selecting the facilities tab button 504, which will result in the display of the web page of FIG. Sb. In this section, the customer can indicate the type of general facilities that he would like to have on his trip.” [0069], “Here the customer may select the type of lodging from (for example) a hotel, a private home or villa, a bed and breakfast inn, a hostel, or a campground.” [0070]);
wherein the milestone comprises one or more milestone input parameters obtained through the user interface (“Several buttons are provided to the customer to enable him to enter his desired travel criteria,” [0065], “The first main section enables the customer to enter his criteria for the type of travel he is interested in.” “Here the customer will view four tabs, which provide access to four type subsections (type, facilities, lodging and food & entertainment).” [0066], “The second tabbed subsection is displayed by selecting the facilities tab button 504, which will result in the display of the web page of FIG. Sb. In this section, the customer can indicate the type of general facilities that he would like to have on his trip.” [0069], “Here the customer may select the type of lodging from (for example) a hotel, a private home or villa, a bed and breakfast inn, a hostel, or a campground.” [0070]), and wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters (“After the customer has gone through any number of iterations of itinerary review, segment acceptance and rejection, criteria modification, and/or keyword entry, will come to the point where he is provisionally satisfied with the proposed master itinerary, as revised, and will select the pricing button 1216. This will issue a request to the travel discovery and reservation computer 12 to begin the process of obtaining specific travel offers from various travel service provider computers, which will indicate among other things the price of the selected travel segments of the master itinerary.” [0099] “The itinerary payment module solutions module 12h would then calculate a proposed payment solution that specifies how many reward points that the customer may use…towards payment of the booked segment…” [0120]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ladds by the features of Richard, and in particular to include in Ladds, the features of receive and one or more milestone input parameters obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device, and wherein the milestone comprises one or more milestone input parameters obtained through the user interface, and wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters, as taught by Richard. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine these features because it would “provide the ability for a customer to specify travel criteria that may be very broad or specific as desired” (Richard, [0002]).
Goldman teaches
in response to detection of a change in the balance associated with the user, modify the estimated value of the milestone (“reward rules…threshold associated with the reward” [0053], “The value of the award can be determined by the offers available, value of points earned and modified by nearness of any given point balance in a program to certain milestones” [0040]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the Ladds/Richard combination by the feature of Goldman, and in particular to include in Ladds’s modification of the estimated value in the Ladds/Richard combination, the feature that it is in response to detection of a change in the balance associated with the user, as taught by Goldman. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine these features because it would facilitate the redemption of points by consumers who are close to achieving their goal.
Additionally, it is noted that since Ladds already discloses modify the progress percentage based at least in part on the modified estimated value of the milestone and the change in balance, and send the modified progress percentage to the client device for presentation in the user interface (as discussed above), these steps necessarily follow from the performance of the step: in response to detection of a change in the balance associated with the user, modify the estimated value of the milestone, as taught by the combination of Ladds in view of Richard and further in view of Goldman.
As to Claim 3, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least:
generate a notification based at least in part on the modified progress percentage (“One or more of these values may be provided to the user via the interface 238 of the computing device 210, as described below.” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]); and
send the notification to the client device (“One or more of these values may be provided to the user via the interface 238 of the computing device 210, as described below.” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]).
As to Claim 4, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses wherein the machine-readable instructions which cause the computing device to determine an estimated value of a milestone, further cause the computing device to at least:
identify one or more milestone parameters associated with the milestone input (“For instance, a user may have a loyalty goal of 10,000 loyalty points and/or a loyalty goal of obtaining 20,000 loyalty points to redeem for an airline flight to a particular destination city. Loyalty goals may be specific to travel (e.g., flights, flight upgrades, hotel stays, resort services, etc.) or they may be for other purchases, such as purchases from online shopping websites, stores, and/or restaurants associated with the loyalty program provider (e.g., LPP 102, etc.). In some examples, the loyalty goals may be directed a loyalty point redemption in the form of a direct credit to an account associated with the user's loyalty profile 227 (e.g., ‘cash back’, etc.).” [0045], wherein the particular destination, hotel stays, etc. are the parameters);
identify profile data associated with the user profile (“point redemption data (e.g., goods or services that can be purchased through point redemption, point values required for redemption, etc.” [0018]); and
determine the estimated value of the milestone based at least in part on the milestone parameters and the profile data (“the loyalty point value of one or more of the user’s goals…” [0047]).
As to Claim 5, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least:
identify profile data associated with the user profile (“Recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 may be based on analysis of past transactions and identifying purchasing behavior where more loyalty points could have been earned had the user made different purchasing decisions” [0040]);
determine one or more suggested milestones for the user profile based at least in part on the balance and the profile data (“Recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 may be based on analysis of past transactions and identifying purchasing behavior where more loyalty points could have been earned had the user made different purchasing decisions” [0040]);
generate a notification comprising the one or more suggested milestones (“The user may select recommendations 235 via an interface (e.g., a touch screen component of interface 238, etc.) for purchase, to access additional information about the recommendation, and/or to convert the recommendation into a goal as described below.” [0042]); and
send the notification to the client device (“The user may select recommendations 235 via an interface (e.g., a touch screen component of interface 238, etc.) for purchase, to access additional information about the recommendation, and/or to convert the recommendation into a goal as described below.” [0042]).
As to Claim 6, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least:
identify profile data associated with the user profile (“Recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 may be based on analysis of past transactions and identifying purchasing behavior where more loyalty points could have been earned had the user made different purchasing decisions” [0040]);
determine one or more progress opportunities based at least in part on profile data and the progress percentage (“Additionally, the goal manager 236 may use recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 to provide further goal completion prediction information. For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You'll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]); and
generate a notification comprising the one or more progress opportunities (“For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You'll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]); and
send the notification to the client device (“For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You'll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]).
As to Claim 7, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses wherein the machine-readable instructions which cause the computing device to determine the one or more progress opportunities, further cause the computing device to at least:
determine a difference between the estimated value of the milestone and the balance (“Additionally, the goal manager 236 may use recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 to provide further goal completion prediction information. For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You'll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]); and
identify one or more progress opportunities which correspond to the difference (“Additionally, the goal manager 236 may use recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 to provide further goal completion prediction information. For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You'll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]).
As to Claim 8, Ladds discloses a method, comprising:
receiving, by a computing device (processor 619), a milestone (“goal,” [0058], [0074]) input associated with a user profile (“A user with a loyalty profile 227 may define goals…” [0045])(“he sets the live theater show recommendation as a goal in his loyalty application” [0074], “A current goal section 372 displays a current loyalty points goal of the user of the computing device 310 as well as data associated with the current goal” [0058]);
determining, by the computing device, an estimated value of a milestone corresponding to the milestone input (“When the user’s earned loyalty point balance meets or exceeds the loyalty point value of one or more of the user’s goals,…” [0047], as such, the loyalty point value is determined);
determining, by the computing device, a progress percentage for the milestone based at least in part on the estimated value of the milestone and a balance associated with the user profile (“Further, the goal manager 236 may enable the user to monitor a percentage of completion of a goal based on the user’s current loyalty point balance, a rate of progress toward a goal over a time interval (e.g., an amount of loyalty points earned over the past three months, a number of percentage points toward the goal earned over the past six months, etc.), and/or an estimated time to complete the goal based on the calculated rate of progress and an associated loyalty point requirement of the goal (e.g., at a current rate of 1,000 loyalty points per month, the user will complete the goal in three months, etc.).” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]); and
modifying, by the computing device, the estimated value of the milestone (“Editing a goal may include changing the loyalty point amount of the goal and/or the associated goods or services for purchase associated with the goal. [0048]);
modifying, by the computing device, the progress percentage based at least in part on the modified estimated value of the milestone and a change in balance (“Further, the goal manager 236 may enable the user to monitor a percentage of completion of a goal based on the user’s current loyalty point balance, a rate of progress toward a goal over a time interval (e.g., an amount of loyalty points earned over the past three months, a number of percentage points toward the goal earned over the past six months, etc.), and/or an estimated time to complete the goal based on the calculated rate of progress and an associated loyalty point requirement of the goal (e.g., at a current rate of 1,000 loyalty points per month, the user will complete the goal in three months, etc.).” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]); and
sending, by the computing device, the modified progress percentage to the client device for presentation within the user interface (“One or more of these values may be provided to the user via the interface 238 of the computing device 210, as described below.” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]).
Ladds does not directly disclose
receive and one or more milestone input parameters obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device;
wherein the milestone comprises one or more milestone input parameters obtained through the user interface, and wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters; and
detecting, by a computing device, a change in the balance.
Richard teaches
receive one or more milestone input parameters obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device (“Several buttons are provided to the customer to enable him to enter his desired travel criteria,” [0065], “The first main section enables the customer to enter his criteria for the type of travel he is interested in.” “Here the customer will view four tabs, which provide access to four type subsections (type, facilities, lodging and food & entertainment).” [0066], “The second tabbed subsection is displayed by selecting the facilities tab button 504, which will result in the display of the web page of FIG. Sb. In this section, the customer can indicate the type of general facilities that he would like to have on his trip.” [0069], “Here the customer may select the type of lodging from (for example) a hotel, a private home or villa, a bed and breakfast inn, a hostel, or a campground.” [0070]);
wherein the milestone comprises one or more milestone input parameters obtained through the user interface (“Several buttons are provided to the customer to enable him to enter his desired travel criteria,” [0065], “The first main section enables the customer to enter his criteria for the type of travel he is interested in.” “Here the customer will view four tabs, which provide access to four type subsections (type, facilities, lodging and food & entertainment).” [0066], “The second tabbed subsection is displayed by selecting the facilities tab button 504, which will result in the display of the web page of FIG. Sb. In this section, the customer can indicate the type of general facilities that he would like to have on his trip.” [0069], “Here the customer may select the type of lodging from (for example) a hotel, a private home or villa, a bed and breakfast inn, a hostel, or a campground.” [0070]), and wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters (“After the customer has gone through any number of iterations of itinerary review, segment acceptance and rejection, criteria modification, and/or keyword entry, will come to the point where he is provisionally satisfied with the proposed master itinerary, as revised, and will select the pricing button 1216. This will issue a request to the travel discovery and reservation computer 12 to begin the process of obtaining specific travel offers from various travel service provider computers, which will indicate among other things the price of the selected travel segments of the master itinerary.” [0099] “The itinerary payment module solutions module 12h would then calculate a proposed payment solution that specifies how many reward points that the customer may use…towards payment of the booked segment…” [0120]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ladds by the features of Richard, and in particular to include in Ladds, the features of receive and one or more milestone input parameters obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device, and wherein the milestone comprises one or more milestone input parameters obtained through the user interface, and wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters, as taught by Richard. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine these features because it would “provide the ability for a customer to specify travel criteria that may be very broad or specific as desired” (Richard, [0002]).
Goldman teaches detecting, by a computing device, a change in the balance (“reward rules…threshold associated with the reward” [0053], “The value of the award can be determined by the offers available, value of points earned and modified by nearness of any given point balance in a program to certain milestones” [0040]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the Ladds/Richard combination by the feature of Goldman, and in particular to include in Ladds (in the Ladds/Richard combination), the feature of detecting, by the computing device, a change in the balance, as taught by Goldman. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine these features because it would facilitate the redemption of points by consumers who are close to achieving their goal.
As to Claim 10, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses
identifying, by the computing device, profile data associated with the user profile (“Recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 may be based on analysis of past transactions and identifying purchasing behavior where more loyalty points could have been earned had the user made different purchasing decisions” [0040]);
determining, by the computing device, one or more suggested milestones for the user profile based at least in part on the balance and the profile data (“Recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 may be based on analysis of past transactions and identifying purchasing behavior where more loyalty points could have been earned had the user made different purchasing decisions” [0040]); and
generating, by the computing device, a notification comprising the one or more suggested milestones milestones (“The user may select recommendations 235 via an interface (e.g., a touch screen component of interface 238, etc.) for purchase, to access additional information about the recommendation, and/or to convert the recommendation into a goal as described below.” [0042]).
As to Claim 11, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses
receiving, by the computing device, a selection of a suggested milestone (“The user may select recommendations 235 via an interface (e.g., a touch screen component of interface 238, etc.) for purchase, to access additional information about the recommendation, and/or to convert the recommendation into a goal as described below.” [0042]);
determining, by the computing device, an estimated value of the suggested milestone (“The recommendations 235 may include a title or name of the recommended product, location, or service. Further, the recommendations 235 may include a cost in loyalty points and/or another currency (e.g., dollars, etc.), a distance and/or direction when the recommendation includes a location, and/or a description of the recommended product” [0042]);
determining, by the computing device, a second (“A user with a loyalty profile 227 may define goals that include loyalty point amount goals and/or specific goods or services that the user would like to purchase through loyalty point redemption. For instance, a user may have a loyalty goal of 10,000 loyalty points and/or a loyalty goal of obtaining 20,000 loyalty points” [0045] suggests multiple milestones) progress percentage for the suggested milestone based at least in part on the estimated value of the suggested milestone and the balance (“Further, the goal manager 236 may enable the user to monitor a percentage of completion of a goal based on the user’s current loyalty point balance, a rate of progress toward a goal over a time interval (e.g., an amount of loyalty points earned over the past three months, a number of percentage points toward the goal earned over the past six months, etc.), and/or an estimated time to complete the goal based on the calculated rate of progress and an associated loyalty point requirement of the goal (e.g., at a current rate of 1,000 loyalty points per month, the user will complete the goal in three months, etc.).” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]); and
sending, by the computing device, the second progress percentage to the client device for presentation within the user interface (“One or more of these values may be provided to the user via the interface 238 of the computing device 210, as described below.” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]).
As to Claim 12, the Ladds/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses
determining, by the computing device, one or more progress opportunities based at least in part on profile data and the progress percentage (“Additionally, the goal manager 236 may use recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 to provide further goal completion prediction information. For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You'll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]);
generating, by the computing device, a notification comprising the one or more progress opportunities (“For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You'll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]); and
sending, by the computing device, the notification to the client device (“For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You'll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]).
As to Claim 13, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses
detecting, by the computing device, a change in the balance (“The goal manager 236 accesses loyalty data 226 associated with a user’s loyalty profile 227 to track progress toward the user’s goals. For instance, the earned loyalty point balance of the user’s profile may be accessed and/or monitored and compared against the loyalty point values the user’s goals. When the user’s earned loyalty point balance meets or exceeds the loyalty point value of one or more of the user’s goals, the goal manager 236 may cause a notification to be sent to the user on the computing device 210 (e.g., an email message, a text message, an application-based notification, etc.).” [0047]);
determining, by the computing device, that the progress percentage for the milestone is complete (“The goal manager 236 accesses loyalty data 226 associated with a user’s loyalty profile 227 to track progress toward the user’s goals. For instance, the earned loyalty point balance of the user’s profile may be accessed and/or monitored and compared against the loyalty point values the user’s goals. When the user’s earned loyalty point balance meets or exceeds the loyalty point value of one or more of the user’s goals, the goal manager 236 may cause a notification to be sent to the user on the computing device 210 (e.g., an email message, a text message, an application-based notification, etc.).” [0047]);
generating, by the computing device, a milestone complete notification (“After paying for dinner using his account, the user receives a notification that he has earned enough loyalty points to be able to purchase the live theater show tickets that he had made his goal previously” [0076]); and
sending, by the computing device, the milestone complete notification to the client device (“After paying for dinner using his account, the user receives a notification that he has earned enough loyalty points to be able to purchase the live theater show tickets that he had made his goal previously” [0076]).
As to Claim 14, Ladds discloses a system (system 600), comprising:
a computing device comprising a processor (processor 619) and a memory (memory 622); and
machine-readable instructions (“Computer executable instructions may be provided using any computer-readable media that are accessible by the computing apparatus 618.” [0078]) stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to at least (“one or more processors 619 which may be microprocessors, controllers or any other suitable type of processors for processing computer executable instructions to control the operation of the electronic device” [0077]):
detect a change in a balance associated with a user profile (“When the user’s earned loyalty point balance meets or exceeds the loyalty point value of one or more of the user’s goals,…” [0047], as such, a change in balance is determined);
identify a milestone (“goal,” [0058], [0074]) (“A user with a loyalty profile 227 may define goals…” [0045], “he sets the live theater show recommendation as a goal in his loyalty application” [0074], “A current goal section 372 displays a current loyalty points goal of the user of the computing device 310 as well as data associated with the current goal” [0058]);
determine an estimated value of the milestone (“When the user’s earned loyalty point balance meets or exceeds the loyalty point value of one or more of the user’s goals…” [0047], as such, the loyalty point value is determined);
determine a progress percentage for the milestone based at least in part on the estimated value and the change in the balance (“Further, the goal manager 236 may enable the user to monitor a percentage of completion of a goal based on the user’s current loyalty point balance, a rate of progress toward a goal over a time interval (e.g., an amount of loyalty points earned over the past three months, a number of percentage points toward the goal earned over the past six months, etc.), and/or an estimated time to complete the goal based on the calculated rate of progress and an associated loyalty point requirement of the goal (e.g., at a current rate of 1,000 loyalty points per month, the user will complete the goal in three months, etc.).” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]); and
send the progress percentage to a client device for presentation within a user interface (“One or more of these values may be provided to the user via the interface 238 of the computing device 210, as described below.” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]).
Ladds does not directly disclose
receive and one or more milestone input parameters obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device;
wherein the milestone comprises one or more milestone input parameters obtained through the user interface, and wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters; and
the identify a milestone step, the determine an estimated value of the milestone step, and the determine a progress percentage step, are in response to detection of the change.
Richard teaches
receive one or more milestone input parameters obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device (“Several buttons are provided to the customer to enable him to enter his desired travel criteria,” [0065], “The first main section enables the customer to enter his criteria for the type of travel he is interested in.” “Here the customer will view four tabs, which provide access to four type subsections (type, facilities, lodging and food & entertainment).” [0066], “The second tabbed subsection is displayed by selecting the facilities tab button 504, which will result in the display of the web page of FIG. Sb. In this section, the customer can indicate the type of general facilities that he would like to have on his trip.” [0069], “Here the customer may select the type of lodging from (for example) a hotel, a private home or villa, a bed and breakfast inn, a hostel, or a campground.” [0070]);
wherein the milestone comprises one or more milestone input parameters obtained through the user interface (“Several buttons are provided to the customer to enable him to enter his desired travel criteria,” [0065], “The first main section enables the customer to enter his criteria for the type of travel he is interested in.” “Here the customer will view four tabs, which provide access to four type subsections (type, facilities, lodging and food & entertainment).” [0066], “The second tabbed subsection is displayed by selecting the facilities tab button 504, which will result in the display of the web page of FIG. Sb. In this section, the customer can indicate the type of general facilities that he would like to have on his trip.” [0069], “Here the customer may select the type of lodging from (for example) a hotel, a private home or villa, a bed and breakfast inn, a hostel, or a campground.” [0070]), and wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters (“After the customer has gone through any number of iterations of itinerary review, segment acceptance and rejection, criteria modification, and/or keyword entry, will come to the point where he is provisionally satisfied with the proposed master itinerary, as revised, and will select the pricing button 1216. This will issue a request to the travel discovery and reservation computer 12 to begin the process of obtaining specific travel offers from various travel service provider computers, which will indicate among other things the price of the selected travel segments of the master itinerary.” [0099] “The itinerary payment module solutions module 12h would then calculate a proposed payment solution that specifies how many reward points that the customer may use…towards payment of the booked segment…” [0120]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ladds by the features of Richard, and in particular to include in Ladds, the features of receive and one or more milestone input parameters obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device, and wherein the milestone comprises one or more milestone input parameters obtained through the user interface, and wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters, as taught by Richard. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine these features because it would “provide the ability for a customer to specify travel criteria that may be very broad or specific as desired” (Richard, [0002]).
Goldman teaches
in response to detection of a change in a balance associated with a user profile (“a list of attributes and preferences associated with this particular customer's record (802) from the database. Such attributes and preferences can include active payment instruments, historical transaction information, limit preferences on certain payment instruments, reward earning preferences/priority (e.g., miles over points, points over cash), and reward unit weights (e.g., specific monetary values a customer assigns to a particular type of reward such as credit card air miles, or cash back bonuses) given by a particular payment instrument” [0052])(“reward rules…threshold associated with the reward” [0053], “if the request is approved, the intermediary account (705) can provide a savings alert (727) (as described earlier) to the user to inform the user how many reward points, reward miles, or cash back was earned from this transaction.” [0048]), identify a milestone associated with the user profile (“the account holder can configure the intermediary account to send such alert notification every time the approval request is approved or disapproved by the payment instrument issuing bank, or the amount of earnings or savings of their rewards incentives, as shown with an example screenshot in FIG. 5.” [0031], see also Fig.5 which displays milestones, “The value of the award can be determined by the offers available, value of points earned and modified by nearness of any given point balance in a program to certain milestones” [0040]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the Ladds/Richard combination by the feature of Goldman, and in particular to include in Ladds’s identify the milestone step (in the Ladds/Richard combination), the determine an estimated value of the milestone step, and the determine a progress percentage step, the feature that each is: in response to detection of the change in the balance associated with the user profile, as taught by Goldman. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine these features because it would facilitate the redemption of points by consumers who are close to achieving their goal.
As to Claim 15, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least:
receive a milestone parameter input (“In some examples, the goal manager 236 enables a user to edit and/or remove a goal associated with the user’s loyalty profile 227. Editing a goal may include changing the loyalty point amount of the goal and/or the associated goods or services for purchase associated with the goal. Removal of a goal removes it from the user’s loyalty profile 227.” [0048]);
modify the estimated value of the milestone based at least in part on the milestone parameter input (“The goal manager 236 accesses loyalty data 226 associated with a user’s loyalty profile 227 to track progress toward the user’s goals. For instance, the earned loyalty point balance of the user’s profile may be accessed and/or monitored” “When the user’s earned loyalty point balance meets or exceeds the loyalty point value of one or more of the user’s goals…” [0047], as such, the loyalty point value is determined);
modify the progress percentage based at least in part on the modified estimated value of the milestone (“update…loyalty goal data associated with users’ loyalty profiles 227.” [0045]); and
send the modified progress percentage to the client device for presentation within the user interface (“One or more of these values may be provided to the user via the interface 238 of the computing device 210, as described below.” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]).
As to Claim 16, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computing device to at least:
determine that the progress percentage for the milestone is complete (“The goal manager 236 accesses loyalty data 226 associated with a user’s loyalty profile 227 to track progress toward the user’s goals. For instance, the earned loyalty point balance of the user’s profile may be accessed and/or monitored and compared against the loyalty point values the user’s goals. When the user’s earned loyalty point balance meets or exceeds the loyalty point value of one or more of the user’s goals, the goal manager 236 may cause a notification to be sent to the user on the computing device 210 (e.g., an email message, a text message, an application-based notification, etc.).” [0047]);
generate a milestone complete notification (“After paying for dinner using his account, the user receives a notification that he has earned enough loyalty points to be able to purchase the live theater show tickets that he had made his goal previously” [0076]); and
send the milestone complete notification to the client device (“After paying for dinner using his account, the user receives a notification that he has earned enough loyalty points to be able to purchase the live theater show tickets that he had made his goal previously” [0076]).
As to Claim 17, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least:
identify profile data associated with the user profile (“Recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 may be based on analysis of past transactions and identifying purchasing behavior where more loyalty points could have been earned had the user made different purchasing decisions” [0040]);
determine one or more suggested milestones for the user profile based at least in part on the balance and the profile data (“Recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 may be based on analysis of past transactions and identifying purchasing behavior where more loyalty points could have been earned had the user made different purchasing decisions” [0040]);
generate a notification comprising the one or more suggested milestones (“The user may select recommendations 235 via an interface (e.g., a touch screen component of interface 238, etc.) for purchase, to access additional information about the recommendation, and/or to convert the recommendation into a goal as described below.” [0042]); and
send the notification to the client device (“The user may select recommendations 235 via an interface (e.g., a touch screen component of interface 238, etc.) for purchase, to access additional information about the recommendation, and/or to convert the recommendation into a goal as described below.” [0042]).
As to Claim 18, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least:
receive a selection of a suggested milestone (“The user may select recommendations 235 via an interface (e.g., a touch screen component of interface 238, etc.) for purchase, to access additional information about the recommendation, and/or to convert the recommendation into a goal as described below.” [0042]);
determine an estimated value of the suggested milestone (“The recommendations 235 may include a title or name of the recommended product, location, or service. Further, the recommendations 235 may include a cost in loyalty points and/or another currency (e.g., dollars, etc.), a distance and/or direction when the recommendation includes a location, and/or a description of the recommended product” [0042]);
determine a second (“A user with a loyalty profile 227 may define goals that include loyalty point amount goals and/or specific goods or services that the user would like to purchase through loyalty point redemption. For instance, a user may have a loyalty goal of 10,000 loyalty points and/or a loyalty goal of obtaining 20,000 loyalty points” [0045] suggests multiple milestones) progress percentage for the suggested milestone based at least in part on the estimated value of the suggested milestone and the balance (“Further, the goal manager 236 may enable the user to monitor a percentage of completion of a goal based on the user’s current loyalty point balance, a rate of progress toward a goal over a time interval (e.g., an amount of loyalty points earned over the past three months, a number of percentage points toward the goal earned over the past six months, etc.), and/or an estimated time to complete the goal based on the calculated rate of progress and an associated loyalty point requirement of the goal (e.g., at a current rate of 1,000 loyalty points per month, the user will complete the goal in three months, etc.).” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]); and
send the second progress percentage to the client device for presentation within the user interface (“One or more of these values may be provided to the user via the interface 238 of the computing device 210, as described below.” [0049], see 372 in Fig.3D, see also [0058]).
As to Claim 19, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least:
determine a difference between the estimated value of the milestone and the balance (“Additionally, the goal manager 236 may use recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 to provide further goal completion prediction information. For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You’ll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]);
identify one or more progress opportunities which correspond to the difference (“Additionally, the goal manager 236 may use recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 to provide further goal completion prediction information. For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You'll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]); and
generate a notification comprising the one or more progress opportunities (“Additionally, the goal manager 236 may use recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 to provide further goal completion prediction information. For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You'll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]).
As to Claim 20, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above. Ladds further discloses wherein the machine-readable instructions further cause the computing device to at least:
determine a plurality of progress opportunities based at least in part on profile data and the progress percentage (“Additionally, the goal manager 236 may use recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 to provide further goal completion prediction information. For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You'll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]); and
identify one or more progress opportunities of the plurality of progress opportunities which correspond to the difference (“Additionally, the goal manager 236 may use recommendations 235 generated by the recommendation generator 234 to provide further goal completion prediction information. For instance, the goal manager 236 may provide a number of recommended purchases or a time period of typical recommended purchase behavior required to complete a selected goal (e.g., ‘You'll complete your goal if you visit coffee shop A five more times!’, or ‘6 more months of your typical spending on Hotel B stays and your goal will be complete!’, etc.).” [0049]).
As to Claim 21, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above.
Ladds does not directly disclose but Richard teaches wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters and one or more of: the milestone input (“As the customer makes his desired selections for each travel segment, a running total price may be displayed, which will change as segments are selected and/or rejected form the itinerary.” [0109]), profile data associated with the user profile (“The travel discovery and reservation computer will generate, for each travel offer received from the travel service provider computers, a discounted travel offer having a discounted price correlated to one or more parameters including but not limited to the associated load factor, the season or time of travel, the number of segments to be booked, the proximity of booking to expiration date and/or the desirability of the particular customer requesting the itinerary from the travel discovery and reservation computer.” [0012]), one or more economic factors (“The travel discovery and reservation computer will then receive from each of the travel service provider computers a travel offer responsive to the request specifying a travel service, a load factor, and a retail price normally charged for the travel service” [0011]), or data obtained from one or more third parties (“The travel discovery and reservation computer will then receive from each of the travel service provider computers a travel offer responsive to the request specifying a travel service, a load factor, and a retail price normally charged for the travel service” [0011]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination by the features of Richard, and in particular to include in Ladds in the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination, the features of wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters and one or more of: the milestone input, profile data associated with the user profile, one or more economic factors, or data obtained from one or more third parties, as taught by Richard. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine these features because it would help to provide a fair value of the milestone.
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ladds in view of Richard, in view of Goldman, and further in view of Thomas et al. (US 2014/0279799 A1)(“Thomas”).
As to Claim 22, the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination discloses as discussed above.
Ladds does not directly disclose but Thomas teaches wherein the progress percentage is determined based at least in part on a total number of one or more milestones associated with the user profile (“the user may select one or more of the displayed recommendations 235 and choose to create goals based on the selections.” [0046], “The goal manager 236 accesses loyalty data 226 associated with a user's loyalty profile 227 to track progress toward the user's goals. For instance, the earned loyalty point balance of the user's profile may be accessed and/or monitored and compared against the loyalty point values the user's goals. When the user's earned loyalty point balance meets or exceeds the loyalty point value of one or more of the user's goals, the goal manager 236 may cause a notification to be sent to the user on the computing device 210 (e.g., an email message, a text message, an application-based notification, etc.).” [0047], “In some examples, more than one goal may be displayed and/or more, less, or different goal data may be displayed,” [0058]).
Ladds does not directly disclose but Thomas teaches the balance is split among the one or more milestones according to one or more weights (“the system determines a category associated with the reward. A category is an established bucket for receiving rewards” [0049], “the categories are customer-defined categories. For example, the customer may include categories for planned purchases or goals. In one embodiment, the customer inputs the desired categories as well as a goal amount.” [0051], “In an embodiment, a decision engine determines which category the reward is associated with. In an embodiment, the decision engine determines the category based on one or more rules for categorizing the rewards.” [0054], “the rules may be custom rules defined by the customer. The custom rules may be modifications of the default rules or may be completely defined by the customer. Custom rules can be as specific or as general as the customer prefers” [0056], “For example, the customer may establish rules based on the size of the reward, the time that the reward was received, the location of the reward, and the like. A reward above a predetermined threshold value may be categorized into a first category whereas a reward below the predetermined threshold value is categorized into a second category” [0057], see also Fig.3 for illustration of different categories).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination by the features of Thomas, and in particular to include in Ladds in the Ladds/Richard/Goldman combination, the feature wherein the balance is split among the one or more milestones according to one or more weights, as taught by Thomas. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine these features because it would help the user customize their rewards.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments in the January 2026 Remarks have been fully considered and addressed below.
Regarding Applicant’s 101 arguments, Applicant argues that Claim 1 “lacks any explicit reference to even a single “commercial or legal interaction,” and/or “managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people” and “claim 1 recites language that “cannot practically be performed in the human mind” and therefore is not a mental process.” However, the claim need to explicitly recite the words “commercial” or “managing personal behavior.” As stated in the rejection, these steps, under their broadest reasonable interpretation, describe or set-forth determining balance progress to a milestone associated with a user profile, which amounts to a commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations); and/or managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people (including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions). These limitations therefore fall within the “certain methods of organizing human activity” subject matter grouping of abstract ideas. Applicant also argues that the claims cannot be performed in the human mind. However, the user interface is not considered part of the abstract idea in the SME analysis. The recited additional element of receiving input through a user interface is akin to applying the abstract idea on a general computer. The recited additional element of “sending, the progress percentage to a client device for presentation within a user interface” simply appends insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception, (e.g., mere pre-solution activity, such as data gathering, in conjunction with an abstract idea; mere post-solution activity in conjunction with an abstract idea). The term “extra-solution activity” is understood as activities incidental to the primary process or product that are merely a nominal or tangential addition to the claim. The recited additional element is deemed “extra-solution” because it is merely presenting the information that was already determined by the primary process of the claims. This limitation does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea, and therefore does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application (see MPEP 2106.05(h)). Therefore, the argument is unpersuasive.
Applicant further argues beginning on page 5 that the claims integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because Applicant claims a solution to a technical problem. The portions of the specification that Applicant cites to support this notion discusses “‘underutilization [of awards] attributed to a lack of clarity regarding the value of these awards, leaving customers unsure how to engage with or redeem what they have earned’”. However, the Examiner finds that tracking and displaying rewards in an effort to help customers engage with those rewards is not an improvement to a technology but rather an abstract business method that is applied on a general-purpose computer. Therefore, the argument is unpersuasive.
On page 9, Applicant argues that it is not “routine, conventional activity” to perform certain steps of the claim. However, the rejection does not purport that the steps of the claim are routine and conventional. Applicant then, in response to the rejection’s statement that “sending the progress percentage to a client device…” simply appends insignificant extrasolution activity, argues that the claim: “use[s] various calculations to convert the estimated monetary value of the milestone into an estimated awards value,” “evaluate[s] a current award balance and produce[s] a progress tracking element which can then be generated in a user interface to visually demonstrate to a user how close they are to achieving their milestone,” and “[allows] a user…to update a milestone parameter, and the estimates will be adjusted as well as the progress tracking,” clearly shows a technical improvement. Applicant submits that this is far more than just “data gathering,” or “receiving data/messages over a network.”” However, Applicant’s argument conflates to different aspects of the SME analysis and different parts of the claim. One aspect is addressing the limitation of sending the progress percentage to a client device…” as insignificant extrasolution activity, and the other aspect is that of evaluating other limitations of the claim as to whether they amount to a technical improvement. As discussed in the respective rejection, when considered as an ordered combination, the additional components of the claims add nothing that is not already present when considered separately, and thus simply append the abstract idea with words equivalent to “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer, generally link the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use, append the abstract idea with insignificant extra solution activity associated with the implementation of the judicial exception, (e.g., mere data gathering, post-solution activity), and appended with well-understood, routine and conventional activities previously known to the industry. Therefore, the arguments are not persuasive.
On pages 12-15, Applicant generally argues that neither Ladds nor Goldman disclose the newly added language to the claim. Specifically, Applicant argues that neither reference discloses “receive a milestone input and one or more milestone input parameters…a client device,” “determine an estimated value…input parameters.” The Examiner agrees that the newly added limitations are not fully disclosed by the mentioned references. As discussed in the current rejection, Ladds does not directly disclose receive and one or more milestone input parameters obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device; and wherein the milestone comprises one or more milestone input parameters obtained through the user interface, and wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters. Richard teaches receive one or more milestone input parameters obtained through a user interface displayed on a client device (“Several buttons are provided to the customer to enable him to enter his desired travel criteria,” [0065], “The first main section enables the customer to enter his criteria for the type of travel he is interested in.” “Here the customer will view four tabs, which provide access to four type subsections (type, facilities, lodging and food & entertainment).” [0066], “The second tabbed subsection is displayed by selecting the facilities tab button 504, which will result in the display of the web page of FIG. Sb. In this section, the customer can indicate the type of general facilities that he would like to have on his trip.” [0069], “Here the customer may select the type of lodging from (for example) a hotel, a private home or villa, a bed and breakfast inn, a hostel, or a campground.” [0070]); wherein the milestone comprises one or more milestone input parameters obtained through the user interface (“Several buttons are provided to the customer to enable him to enter his desired travel criteria,” [0065], “The first main section enables the customer to enter his criteria for the type of travel he is interested in.” “Here the customer will view four tabs, which provide access to four type subsections (type, facilities, lodging and food & entertainment).” [0066], “The second tabbed subsection is displayed by selecting the facilities tab button 504, which will result in the display of the web page of FIG. Sb. In this section, the customer can indicate the type of general facilities that he would like to have on his trip.” [0069], “Here the customer may select the type of lodging from (for example) a hotel, a private home or villa, a bed and breakfast inn, a hostel, or a campground.” [0070]), and wherein the estimated value of the milestone is based at least in part on the one or more milestone input parameters (“After the customer has gone through any number of iterations of itinerary review, segment acceptance and rejection, criteria modification, and/or keyword entry, will come to the point where he is provisionally satisfied with the proposed master itinerary, as revised, and will select the pricing button 1216. This will issue a request to the travel discovery and reservation computer 12 to begin the process of obtaining specific travel offers from various travel service provider computers, which will indicate among other things the price of the selected travel segments of the master itinerary.” [0099] “The itinerary payment module solutions module 12h would then calculate a proposed payment solution that specifies how many reward points that the customer may use…towards payment of the booked segment…” [0120]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Morgan (US 2007/0083427 A1) which discloses different rewards goals and their respective point balances (see Fig.3 and associated text).
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/M.A.M/Examiner, Art Unit 3622
/ILANA L SPAR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3622
1 See Subject Matter Eligibility Analysis for Products and Processes in MPEP §2106 III.
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