Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Detailed Action
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 1/13/26 has been entered.
In amendment dated 1/13/26, Applicant amended claims 1, 12, 15, and 19, canceled no claims, and added no new claims. Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
Objections
Claim 1 is objected to before of the following informality: the fifth limitation recites “a set of previously executed URL discovery actions” but the first and second limitations also recite “previously executed URL discovery actions,” making the antecedent basis of the set of previously executed URL discovery actions in the fifth limitation unclear. Also, the sixth limitation recites “the previously executed URL discovery actions” whose antecedent basis is also unclear.
Claims 2 and 6 are objected to before of the following informality: each claim recites “the previously executed URL discovery actions” and has unclear antecedent basis due to the unclear antecedent basis of the previously executed URL discovery actions in claim 1.
Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to mental processes without significantly more. Independent claims 1 and 19 each recites identifying an identified URL class from a set of URL classes based on the identified URL class having a discovery loss score that satisfies a discovery loss score threshold, wherein the identified URL class includes a collection of URLs, wherein the discovery loss score indicates a difference in discovery action scores of previously executed URL discovery actions for the identified URL class, and wherein the discovery loss score threshold indicates an unoptimized URL discovery action set for a URL class; generating a URL discovery action prompt for the identified URL class, the URL discovery action prompt including URL discovery instructions, class statistics for the identified URL class, and the previously executed URL discovery actions for the identified URL class; generating an updated discovery loss score for the identified URL class by computing a difference between a discovery action score generated from the URL discovery report and a previous discovery action score for the identified URL class generated from a previous URL discovery report corresponding to a set of previously executed URL discovery actions received from the generative Al model; and determining that the updated discovery loss score is below the discovery loss score threshold to select the set of URL discovery actions, wherein the set of URL discovery actions causes the web crawler system to perform fewer re-crawls than the previously executed URL discovery actions for the identified URL class. Identifying a URL class from a set of URL classes is an evaluation and a mental process; and generating a URL discovery action prompt and generating an updated discovery loss score is recited broadly and are mental processes accomplishable in the human mind or on paper. Generating an updated discovery loss score by computing a difference between two discovery action scores is a mathematical calculation, and determining the updated discovery loss score is below a threshold is evaluating and a mental process. Each claim recites additional elements of receiving a set of URL discovery actions for the identified URL class from a generative Al model in response to providing the URL discovery action prompt for the identified URL class to the generative Al model; receiving a URL discovery report from a web crawler system, wherein the URL discovery report includes a set of discovered URLs for the identified URL class, and wherein the set of discovered URLs is are discovered based on the web crawler system executing an action from the set of URL discovery actions for the identified URL class; which are both data gathering or input steps and insignificant extra-solution activity. Claim 19 recites a processing system and a computer memory which are generic components of a computer. Examiner notes specification paragraphs 0001 and 0015 discuss drawbacks when analyzing outgoing URL links during an index recrawl cycle which can be resource-intensive, time-consuming, and unreliable, and which can lead to delays in discovering new URLs. Specification paragraphs 0016-0018 discuss how the invention addresses said drawbacks, improving efficiency by minimizing the number of recrawls for a website or domain and improving accuracy by determining the best URL discovery actions for a URL class from multiple possible actions. These paragraphs recite specific techniques which are not claimed, and the claimed steps do not recite a particular improvement in any technology or function of a computer per MPEP 2106.04(d) and do not recite any unconventional steps in the invention per MPEP 2106.05(a). Therefore, the recited mental processes are not integrated into a practical application. Taking the claims as a whole, the receiving steps are recited broadly and amount to receiving data across a network per specification paragraph 0035-0036 and figure 2 network 260, which is routine and conventional activity per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II. The processing system and computer memory are still generic components of a computer. Thus the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the recited mental processes.
Independent claim 15 recites identifying an identified URL class from a set of URL classes based the identified URL class having discovery loss score that satisfies a discovery loss score threshold, wherein the identified URL class includes a collection of URLs, wherein the discovery loss score indicates a difference in discovery action scores of previously executed URL discovery actions for the identified URL class, and wherein the discovery loss score threshold indicates an unoptimized URL discovery action set for a URL class; generating a URL discovery action prompt for the identified URL class, the URL discovery action prompt including URL discovery instructions, class statistics for the identified URL class, and the previously executed URL discovery actions for the identified URL class; generating an actual discovery score for the action based on comparing newly discovered URLs in the set of discovered URLs indicated in the URL discovery report with previously visited URLs from statistical URL information of the identified URL class; generating an updated discovery loss score for the identified URL class by computing a difference between the actual discovery score and an expected discovery score for the set of URL discovery actions received from the generative AI model; and determining that the updated discovery loss score is below the discovery loss score threshold to select the set of URL discovery actions, wherein the set of URL discovery actions causes the web crawler system to perform fewer re-crawls than the previously executed URL discovery actions for the identified URL class. Identifying a URL class from a set of URL classes is evaluating and a mental process, and generating a URL discovery action prompt is a mental process accomplishable in the human mind or on paper. Generating an actual discovery score is also a mental process accomplishable in the human mind or on paper, generating an updated discovery loss score by computing a difference between the actual discovery score and an expected discovery score is a mathematical calculation, and determining the updated discovery loss score is below a threshold is evaluating and a mental process. The claim recites additional elements of receiving a set of URL discovery actions for the identified URL class from a generative Al model in response to providing the URL discovery action prompt for the identified URL class to the generative Al model; receiving a URL discovery report from a web crawler system, wherein the URL discovery report includes a set of discovered URLs for the identified URL class, and wherein the set of discovered URLs is are discovered based on the web crawler system executing an action from the set of URL discovery actions for the identified URL class; which are both data gathering or input steps and insignificant extra-solution activity. Examiner notes the discussion above regarding drawbacks in specification paragraphs 0001 and 0015 and how the invention addresses said drawbacks in paragraphs 0016-0018. These paragraphs recite specific techniques which are not claimed, and the claimed steps do not recite a particular improvement in any technology or function of a computer per MPEP 2106.04(d) and do not recite any unconventional steps in the invention per MPEP 2106.05(a). Therefore, the recited mental processes are not integrated into a practical application. Taking the claims as a whole, the receiving steps are recited broadly and amount to receiving data across a network per specification paragraph 0035-0036 and figure 2 network 260, which is routine and conventional activity per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II. Thus the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the recited mental processes.
Claim 2 recites wherein the URL discovery instructions direct the generative AI model to generate the set of URL discovery actions that follow an action syntax that includes a discovery condition, an action time, a URL count, an action frequency, and an expected discovery action score (URL discovery instructions are merely data, and generating the URL discovery actions from the instructions is recited broadly and a mental process accomplishable in the human mind or on paper). Claim 3 recites wherein the class statistics for the identified URL class include a number of URLs in the identified URL class, a number of clicks, and URL examples (class statistics are data and a mental process accomplishable in the human mind or on paper). Claim 4 recites wherein the URL examples include positive URL examples and random URL examples of the identified URL class (URL examples are data and a mental process accomplishable in the human mind or on paper). Claim 5 recites wherein the previously executed URL discovery actions for the identified URL class include: previous URL discovery actions executed by the web crawler system based on previous sets of URL discovery actions provided by the generative AI model for the identified URL class (discovery actions are recited broadly and a mental process accomplishable in the human mind or on paper); and actual discovery action scores corresponding to the previous URL discovery actions determined based on results of the previous URL discovery actions being executed (discovery action scores are data and a mental process accomplishable in the human mind or on paper).
Claim 20 recites limitations from claims 2, 3, and 5, which are each mental processes as shown above. Claim 6 recites wherein the previously executed URL discovery actions for the identified URL class include the discovery loss score for the identified URL class determined based on the actual discovery action scores of the previous URL discovery actions (URL discovery actions including a discovery loss score is data and a mental process accomplishable in the human mind or on paper). Claim 7 recites determining that a number of URL discovery actions in the set of URL discovery actions exceeds a URL discovery action threshold (determining is recited broadly and a mental process); selecting a subset of URL discovery actions for the identified URL class from the set of URL discovery actions for the identified URL class based on the URL discovery action threshold being exceeded (selecting is evaluating and a mental process); providing the subset of URL discovery actions for the identified URL class to the web crawler system (providing discovery actions is providing data and recited broadly, amounts to sending data across a network and is routine and conventional per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II); and receiving the set of discovered URLs discovered by the web crawler system executing the subset of URL discovery actions (receiving discovered URLs is receiving data and recited broadly, amounts to receiving data across a network, which is routine and conventional per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II).
Claim 8 recites determining that a number of URLs in the collection of URLs for the identified URL class exceeds a URL count included in the action (determining that a number exceeds a count is evaluating and a mental process); selecting a random subset of URLs for the identified URL class from the collection of URLs for the identified URL class based on the URL count for the action being exceeded (selecting a subset of URLs is evaluating and a mental process); and providing the action and the random subset of URLs to the web crawler system for discovering new URLs within the random subset of URLs by following the action (providing the action and a subset of URLS is an output step and recited broadly, amounts to sending data across a network, which is routine and conventional per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II). Claim 9 recites receiving the URL discovery report from the web crawler system that includes a set of newly discovered URLs identified from executing the action (receiving a report is receiving data and recited broadly, amounts to receiving data across a network, which is routine and conventional per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II); identifying a set of previously identified URLs for the identified URL class from a statistical URL information log (identifying URLs is evaluating and a mental process); and determining an actual discovery action score for the action based on the URL discovery report and the set of previously identified URLs for the identified URL class (determining a score is evaluating and a mental process).
Claim 10 recites wherein determining the actual discovery action score for the action includes: determining a number of clicks for the set of newly discovered URLs based on click counts included in the set of previously identified URLs for the identified URL class (determining a number of clicks is evaluating and a mental process); determining a number of unfound URLs based on comparing the set of newly discovered URLs to the set of previously identified URLs for the identified URL class (determining unfound URLs is evaluating and a mental process); and generating the actual discovery action score for the action based on the number of clicks for the set of newly discovered URLs, the number of unfound URLs, and a number of crawls of the action (generating the actual discovery action score is recited broadly and a mental process accomplishable in the human mind or on paper). Claim 11 recites storing the action and the actual discovery action score in a URL discovery action datastore fir future use by the web crawler system (storing data is routine and conventional per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II). Claim 12 recites receiving, from the generative AI model, an expected discovery action score for the identified URL class based on the set of URL discovery actions determined for the identified URL class (receiving an expected discovery action score is receiving data and recited broadly, amounts to receiving data across a network, which is routine and conventional per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II).
Claim 13 recites re-identifying, after generating an initial updated discovery loss score for the identified URL class, the identified URL class from the set of URL classes based on the initial updated discovery loss score of the identified URL class satisfying the discovery loss score threshold (identifying a URL class is evaluating and a mental process); generating an additional URL discovery action prompt for the identified URL class, the additional URL discovery action prompt including the URL discovery instructions, class statistics for the identified URL class updated based on the set of URL discovery actions, and the previously executed URL discovery actions for the identified URL class, wherein the previously executed URL discovery actions include the action and an actual discovery score corresponding to previously executing the action (generating an action prompt is generating data and a mental process accomplishable in the human mind or on paper); and providing the additional URL discovery action prompt to the generative AI model to generate an updated set of URL discovery actions for the identified URL class (providing an action prompt is recited broadly and amounts to sending data across a network, which is routine and conventional per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II). Claim 14 recites determining that the identified URL class has converged based on the updated discovery loss score being within a convergence threshold of the discovery loss score (determining is recited broadly and evaluating and a mental process); updating the identified URL class with an updated collection of URLs that differs from the collection of URLs (updating a class with URLs is storing the URLs which is routine and conventional per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II); identifying an additional action for the identified URL class stored in a URL discovery action datastore without providing a URL discovery action prompt to the generative AI model (identifying is evaluating and a mental process); and providing the additional action to the web crawler system for discovering an additional set of discovered URLs (providing the action is recited broadly and amounts to sending data across a network, which is routine and conventional per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II).
Claim 16 recites partitioning the collection of URLs into the identified URL class based on URLs in the collection of URLs sharing a common website, domain, or country (partitioning URLs is recited broadly and is a mental process accomplishable in the human mind or on paper). Claim 17 recites wherein identifying the identified URL class from the set of URL classes includes: identifying the discovery loss score of the identified URL class and discovery loss scores of additional URL classes in a URL discovery action datastore (identifying scores is evaluating and a mental process); comparing the discovery loss score of the identified URL class with the discovery loss scores of the additional URL classes to determine that the discovery loss score of the identified URL class is equal to or greater than the discovery loss scores of the additional URL classes (comparing scores is evaluating and a mental process); and selecting the identified URL class based on the discovery loss score of the identified URL class (selecting a URL class is evaluating and a mental process). Claim 18 recites providing the URL discovery action prompt to the generative AI model for the identified URL class (providing an action prompt is recited broadly and amounts to sending data across a network, which is routine and conventional per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II); and receiving a URL discovery action response that includes the set of URL discovery actions for the identified URL class (receiving an action response is recited broadly and amounts to receiving data across a network, which is routine and conventional per the list of routine and conventional activities in MPEP 2106.05(d) part II).
Relevant Prior Art
During his search for prior art, Examiner found the following reference to be relevant to Applicant's claimed invention. Said reference is listed on the Notice of References form included in this office action:
Puzanov et al (US 20230024397) teaches analyzing mouse dynamics and a URL category for a session, does not teach mouse dynamics as discovery actions or receiving a report from an AI model after sending the AI model a prompt of the URL class (paragraphs 0004, 0015, 0033-0041 figure 2).
Responses to Applicant’s Remarks
Regarding objection to claim 15 for being essentially a duplicate of claim 1, in view of amendments reciting unique subject matter in clam 15, this objection is withdrawn. Regarding rejections to claims 1-20 under 35 U.S.C. 101 for reciting mental processes without significantly more, Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are not persuasive. On pages 11-13 of his Remarks Applicant recites limitations of claim 1 and recites the effects of the improvements described in the specification from paragraphs 0015-0017. Examiner notes specification paragraphs 0001 and 0015 describe current approaches to crawling and re-crawling new and outgoing URLs are inefficient and computationally expensive. Claims 1, 15, and 19 still do not recite inventive details showing how the invention improves upon said current approaches, namely in how the claims determining a set of URL discovery actions that performs fewer re-crawls. Unlike the first limitation, the fifth limitation recites how the invention generates an updated discovery loss score but does not recite details on how the discovery action score is generated from the URL discovery report (or the previous discovery action score from a previous URL discovery report). The last limitation still recites broadly determining the updated discovery loss score is below a threshold and the discovery actions are outputted from a generative AI model with no detail about them, so the details on how the invention determines a set of discovery actions has fewer actions in it are unknown. Also this limitation says “determining that the updated discovery loss score is below the discovery loss score threshold to select the set of URL discovery actions, wherein the set of URL discovery actions causes the web crawler system to perform fewer re-crawls than the previously executed URL discovery actions for the identified URL class,” which means the set of URL discovery actions that causes the web crawler system to perform fewer re-crawls than the previously executed URL discovery actions for the identified URL class is not selected since the updated loss score is below the discovery loss score threshold. Thus the claims still do not any improvements in a technology and do not recite a practical application
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRUCE M MOSER whose telephone number is (571)270-1718. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9a-5p.
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/BRUCE M MOSER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2154 3/7/26