DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election / Restriction
In response to the restriction/election requirement issued on February 26, 2026, Applicant has elected Group I, Claims 1-25, without traverse. The elected claims correspond to the constructively elected claims prior to Applicant’s reply to the Non-final Office Action submitted on January 2, 2026.
Status of Application
This is a final action in response to claim amendments and Remarks, submitted on July 27, 2026, relating to U.S. Patent Application 18/737,715, filed on June 7, 2024. This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application 18/370,852, filed on September 20, 2023, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 63/408,425, filed on September 20, 2022, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application 17/948,156, filed on September 19, 2022, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 63/295,668, filed on December 31, 2021. Claims 1-9 and 11-25 have been amended. Claims 1-25 are pending and have been examined.
Response to Arguments
The Remarks submitted by Applicant on July 27, 2026 have been fully considered, however, are not persuasive.
With respect to the Section 101 Rejection, Applicant asserts that the amended claims do not recite any limitation that falls within the groupings of abstract ideas enumerated in MPEP 2106.04(a), and, therefore, are patent eligible in that Claim 1 recites, inter alia, a request-and-grant mechanism which selectively releases categories of content in response to a received request from another user, which is outside of the enumerated sub-groupings. (Remarks, pp. 11-13). Examiner respectfully disagrees. The claim recites pre and post-sale activity that would be used to analyze and facilitate sales and amount to sales activity in commercial or legal interactions under Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity enumerated in MPEP 2106.04(a). (See Section 101 Rejection below). Applicant further asserts that the amended pending claims are patent eligible and directed to improvements to existing computer technology, however, has not provided any support for this assertion. (Remarks, pp. 11-12). Examiner respectfully disagrees. The additional elements recited in the claims are recited at a high level of generality and are being used as tools to implement the abstract idea. They do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. They do not provide a technical improvement such as an improvement to the functioning of a computer or to technology or to a technical field because they only manipulate data. They do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or add significantly more to the abstract idea. (See Section 101 Rejection below). The Section 101 Rejection is maintained.
With respect to the Section 103 Rejection, Applicant has amended Claim1 and asserts that the cited references, Torabi and Stradling do not disclose each of the elements in the amended claims, particularly, that in Torabi, a subscriber user gains access to a contributor user's portfolio by paying a subscription price set by the contributor, and the subscriber user is "automatically matched by the host computer system to the contributor user based on the subscriber user's predetermined parameters" and that Torabi is silent as to any step of receiving a request from another user to access a grouping, or granting access in response to that request. (Remarks, pp. 16-18). Examiner respectfully disagrees. Although Torabi teaches automatic matching based on a subscriber user’s predetermined parameters, this is only one embodiment. (See Torabi, Par. 18). Torabi discloses that a subscriber user may request, pay for, and access a contributor user’s security portfolio. (See Torabi, Pars. 11, 22, 33). Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of the amended claims. (See Section 103 Rejection below). The Section 103 Rejection is maintained.
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 1-25 are rejected pursuant to 35 USC § 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Step 1 - Statutory Class
Claims 1-25 are directed to a method. Therefore, on its face, each of the claims is directed to a statutory class of invention.
Step 2A, Prong 1 – Abstract Idea
Claim 1 recites for a plurality of users, receiving data regarding groupings of categories of content owned by the plurality of users, storing the data, determining, based on the received data, a change in value the of categories of content of the groupings over one or more periods of time, organizing each of the groupings based on the determined changes in value for at least one of the periods of time, displaying a ranked list of organized groupings and the users associated therewith based on the determined changes in value for the at least one period of time, receiving a request from at least one other user of the plurality of users to access the categories of content in a displayed organized grouping, facilitating sharing details of the categories of content in displayed organized groupings to the at least one other user in response to the user associated with the shared displayed organize grouping granting the request, and facilitating provision of a benefit of a reward from one or more of the at least one other users to one or more of the associated users of a displayed organized grouping in exchange for the sharing of details of the categories of content in the grouping of the one or more associated users.
The abstract idea recited in Claim 1 recites receiving data of groupings of categories of content owned by users, determining changes in value of the groupings over time, organizing and displaying the groupings based on the changes in value over time, sharing the details of the categories of content of the groupings with other users and providing a benefit to other users sharing details of the categories of content in the grouping. The measuring, updating and displaying of data and information, such as changes in value, relating to categories of content, particularly, categorization of content (e.g. consumed) is a well-known pre and post-sale activity that would be used to analyze and facilitate sales and amounts to sales activity in commercial or legal interactions under Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity enumerated in MPEP 2106.04(a).
Step 2A, Prong 2 – Practical Application
Claim 1 recites a computing system, one or more processors, a data store, a communications network and the interface. The additional elements are recited at a high level of generality and are used as tools to implement the abstract idea. They do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. They do not provide a technical improvement such as an improvement to the functioning of a computer or to technology or to a technical field because they only manipulate data. The claims do not invoke a particular machine as our guidance is clear that a generic computer is not the particular machine envisioned, they do not transform matter as they only manipulate data which is not matter.
Step 2B – Significantly more
As set forth in the discussion in Step 2A, Prong 2, above, the additional elements are recited at a high level of generality and are used as tools and instructions to implement the abstract idea. They do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or add significantly more to the abstract idea.
Dependent claims
Claim 2 (a level of benefit provided to respective one or more displayed users is based on the determined changes in value), Claim 3 (the benefit is based on a position on the ranked list the one or more benefitted displayed user's organized groupings), Claim 4 (the benefit is associated with use of a computing system associated with the interface), Claim 5 (the benefit is associated with publication of information, on the computing system regarding investing or trading of public securities within the organized grouping of with the benefitted user), Claim 6 (sharing details comprises sharing buying, selling and/or holding activity of categories of content assets in the organized grouping(s)), Claim 7 (displaying a selectable icon associated with the displayed grouping, wherein selection of a selectable icon by a user causes the sharing of buying, selling and/or holding activity regarding categories of content in the grouping associated with the selected icon to be visible to the selecting user), Claim 8 (sharing details is permitted for only a predetermined period of time in proportion to a level of the benefit), Claim 9 (the received data regarding the groupings of categories of content owned by the users is generated at least partially by an artificial intelligence engine), Claim 10 (the one or more periods of time comprise one or more predetermined periods of time including: one day, five days, one month, three months, and one year), Claim 11 (displaying the ranked list further comprises displaying the groupings in order based on their determined changes in value for the one or more periods of time), Claim 12 (displaying via the interface the determined changes in value of the groupings in a plurality of columns, wherein each column corresponds to changes in value for one of the one or more periods of time), Claim 13 (providing via the interface a selectable heading for the plurality of columns, wherein the headings, when selected by a user, cause organizing and displaying the ranked list of organized groupings and their associated users based on the changes in value for the period of time corresponding to a selected heading), Claim 14 (the determined change in value for the groupings is displayed as a change in monetary value of a combination of all the categories of content in the groupings from a start to a finish of the one or more periods of time), Claim 15 (the determined change in value for the groupings is displayed as a percentage change in monetary value of a combination of all the categories of content in the groupings from a start to a finish of the one or more periods of time), Claim 16 (the determined change in value delta for the groupings may be displayed as a change in monetary value of a combination of all the categories of content in the groupings from a start to a finish of the one or more periods of time, wherein the method further comprises presenting via the interface a selectable icon, wherein selection of the icon by a user causes organizing and displaying the ranked list of organized groupings and their associated users based on the percentage change value deltas for the groupings), Claim 17 (displaying selectable grouping names for the displayed groupings, wherein selection of a selectable grouping name by other users causes display of information regarding the one or more of the plurality of categories of content in the selected grouping to said selecting other users), Claim 18 (the displaying of information regarding the categories of content to other users is in exchange for a benefit provided by the selecting other users or the computing system is based on a level of the benefit), Claim 19 (the amount of displayed information regarding the categories of content is based on a level of the benefit), Claim 20 (facilitating communication between one or more users associated with a respective displayed grouping and other one or more users), Claim 21 (the facilitating communication is not contingent on the benefit provided to the user associated with a displayed grouping and the other users), Claim 22 (displaying the ranked list of organized groupings and the users associated therewith comprises displaying only organized groupings having a value of categories of content substantially similar to value of categories of content of other users to whom the organized groupings are displayed), Claim 23 (displaying the ranked list of organized groupings and the users associated therewith comprises displaying only organized groupings having a percentage change in value of categories of content substantially similar to a percentage change in value of categories of content of other users to whom the organized groupings are displayed), Claim 24 (displaying the ranked list of organized groupings and the users associated therewith comprises displaying only organized groupings having a number of categories of content substantially similar as a number of categories of content of other users to whom the organized groupings are displayed) and Claim 25 (displaying the ranked list of organized groupings and the users associated therewith comprises displaying only organized groupings having a determined change in value demonstrating a level of risk tolerance substantially similar to a level of risk tolerance of other users to whom the organized groupings are displayed, said level of risk tolerance of other user determined based on a determined change in value of groupings of said other users) further define and merely add specificity to the abstract idea. The dependent claims fail to add significantly more to the abstract idea.
As such, Claims 1-25 are not patent eligible.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Independent Claim 1 recites in pertinent part: “displaying via the interface a ranked list of organized groupings and the users associated therewith based on the determined changes in value for the at least one period of time;”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “the interface” in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 1-6, 8 and 10-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Torabi et al., US 2008/0270319 A1, (“Torabi”), in view of Stradling et al., US 2018/0091316 A1, (“Stradling”).
Claim 1:
Torabi teaches:
A method, comprising: for a plurality of users, receiving, by a computing system comprising one or more processors and a data store over a communications network, data regarding groupings of categories of content owned by the plurality of users; (See Torabi, Abstract (An online marketplace for real-time investment data is disclosed. The system comprises a network, such as the Internet, wherein users may manage, and publish a Virtual Securities Portfolio ("VSP") and to sell/license access to the VSP to other users who pay to see the VSP. VSPs are analyzed, ranked and charted according to various customizable methods and made available, via a user interface, to other users.), (Categories of content reads on tradeable assets. Portfolios reads on groupings.))
storing, in the data store, the received data associated with a user account of the plurality of users; (See Torabi, Par. 20 (The host computer system contains one or more contributor users wherein the contributor user provides information regarding purchase or sale of security instrument wherein the information regarding purchase or sale of security instrument is recorded.))
determining, using the one or more processors based on the received data, a change in value of the categories of content of the groupings over one or more periods of time; (See Torabi, Par. 10 (It is also an object of the invention to track each Contributor's trading data and to continuously evaluate the holdings of each portfolio, and to measure the gains, losses, and various other metrics of the portfolio, and to rank each portfolio performance within several categories, all in real time.))
organizing, using the one or more processors, the groupings based on the determined changes in value for at least one of the periods of time; (See Torabi, Par. 10 (It is also an object of the invention to track each Contributor's trading data and to continuously evaluate the holdings of each portfolio, and to measure the gains, losses, and various other metrics of the portfolio, and to rank each portfolio performance within several categories, all in real time.))
receiving, using the one or more processors, from at least one other user of the plurality of users, a request to access the categories of content in a displayed organized grouping; (See Torabi, Par. 11 (It is also an object of the invention to allow general information about each contributor and each portfolio to be made available to all other users for free. Users can easily search and view this data through customizable charts and graphic tools that make it easy to find their favorite top performing portfolio. Having found a portfolio, users can then subscribe to it for a price set by the contributor.), Par. 33 (Providing one or more users; providing one or more contributors wherein the contributor is a user and
manages a securities portfolio, providing one or more subscribers wherein the subscriber is a user wherein the subscriber pays the subscription price to access the contributor's securities portfolio.))
facilitating, using the one or more processors, sharing details of the categories of content in displayed organized groupings to the at least one other user, in response to the user associated with the shared displayed organize grouping granting the request; and (See Torabi, Par. 11 (It is also an object of the invention to allow general information about each Contributor and each portfolio to be made available to all other users for free. Users can easily search and view this data through customizable charts and graphic tools that make it easy to find their favorite top performing portfolio. Having found a portfolio, users can then subscribe to it for a price set by the Contributor.))
facilitating, using the one or more processors, payment of a provision of a benefit from one or more of the at least one other user or computing system to one or more of the associated users of a displayed organized grouping in exchange for the sharing of details of the categories of content in the grouping of the one or more associated users. (See Torabi, Par. 6 (The present invention creates significant financial incentive for potential contributors. Rather than giving information away, contributors are able to charge subscription fees for access to their portfolio.), Par. 8 (It is also an object of the invention to provide a monetary incentive for contributor users to share their investment activity and strategies directly with interested investors, creating a new market that rewards contributor users while allowing average investors to increase their return on investment.), Par. 14 (The contributor user receives a subscription price from a subscriber user.), (The payment of a subscription fee by a user reads on the payment of a reward by a user for access to the details of a portfolio.))
Torabi discloses (Par. 74) that a Comparative Performance Chart shows the performance of the particular virtual securities portfolio, VSP, as compared to any Visitor-selected set of VSPs, including predefined VSPs that reflect the DJIA, S&P 500, and other benchmarks.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Stradling teaches:
displaying via the interface a ranked list of organized groupings and the users associated therewith based on the determined changes in value for the at least one period of time; (See Stradling, Par. 176 (The system can use portfolio performance information to post leaderboards on a daily, weekly,
monthly and/or yearly basis.), (A leaderboard reads on a ranked list.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step for displaying a leaderboard of the portfolios, as taught by Stradling. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step for displaying a leaderboard of the portfolios so as to inform users about the performance of the various portfolios. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Stradling’s displaying of a leaderboard of portfolios, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 2
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi further teaches:
a level of benefit provided to respective one or more displayed users is based on the determined changes in value. (See Torabi, Par. 31 (The system can calculate a suggested subscription price for each contributor's securities portfolio based on an appraisal of one or more metrics calculated for the portfolio,
which metrics may include, but are not limited to, the performance of the portfolio over an arbitrary period of time.))
Claim 3:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 2 above.
Torabi further teaches:
the benefit is based on a position on the ranked list of the one or more benefitted displayed user's organized groupings. (See Torabi, Par. 74 (The Comparative Performance Chart shows the performance of a particular virtual securities portfolio, as compared to the other portfolios.), Par. 31 (The system can calculate a suggested subscription price for each contributor's securities portfolio based on the performance of the portfolio.))
Claim 4:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi further teaches:
the benefit is associated with use of a computing system associated with the interface. (See Torabi, Par. 15 (The subscription price can be in the form of
money, credit, airline mileage, or any negotiate instruments.)
Claim 5:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi further teaches:
the benefit is associated with publication of information, on the computing system, regarding investing or trading of public securities within the organized grouping of with the benefitted user. (See Torabi, Par. 11 (It is also an object of the invention to allow general information about each Contributor and each portfolio to be made available to all other users for free. Users can easily search and view this data through customizable charts and graphic tools that make it easy to find their favorite top performing portfolio. Having found a portfolio, users can then subscribe to it for a price set by the Contributor.))
Claim 6:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi further teaches:
sharing details comprises sharing buying, selling and/or holding activity of categories of content in the organized grouping(s). (See Torabi, Par 14 (The
host computer system is connected to the network wherein the host computer
system contains one or more contributor users wherein the contributor user provides information regarding purchase or sale of security instrument wherein the information regarding purchase or sale of security instrument is recorded.))
Claim 8:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 6 above.
Torabi further teaches:
sharing details is permitted for only a predetermined period of time in proportion to a level of the benefit. (See Torabi, Par. 14 (The invention provides one or more subscriber to pay the subscription price to access the information regarding purchase or sale of security instrument.))
Claim 10:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Stradling teaches:
the one or more periods of time comprise one or more predetermined periods of time including: one day, five days, one month, three months, and one year. (See Stradling, Par. 176 (The system can use portfolio performance information to post leaderboards on a daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly basis.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step that includes one or more predetermined periods of time, as taught by Stradling. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step a step that includes one or more predetermined periods of time so as provide a range of periods to users for evaluating the various portfolios. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Stradling’s one or more predetermined periods of time, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 11:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Stradling teaches:
displaying the ranked list further comprises displaying the groupings in order based on their determined changes in value for the one or more periods of time. (The content of the display is non-functional printed matter which is considered but given no patentable weight.) See MPEP 2111.05 (To be given patentable weight, the printed matter and associated product must be in a functional relationship. A functional relationship can be found where the printed matter performs some function with respect to the product to which it is associated.). (See Stradling, Par. 176 (The system can use portfolio performance information to post leaderboards on a daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly basis.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, as taught by Stradling. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time so as provide a range of periods to users for evaluating the various portfolios. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Stradling’s displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 12:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Stradling teaches:
displaying via the interface the determined changes in value of the groupings in a plurality of columns, wherein each column corresponds to changes in value for one of the one or more periods of time. (The content of the display is non-functional printed matter which is considered but given no patentable weight.) See MPEP 2111.05 (To be given patentable weight, the printed matter and associated product must be in a functional relationship. A functional relationship can be found where the printed matter performs some function with respect to the product to which it is associated.). (See Stradling, Par. 176 (The system can use portfolio performance information to post leaderboards on a daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly basis.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, as taught by Stradling. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time so as provide a range of periods to users for evaluating the various portfolios. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Stradling’s displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 13
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 12 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Stradling teaches:
providing via the interface a selectable heading for the plurality of columns, wherein the headings, when selected by a user, cause organizing and displaying the ranked list of organized groupings and their associated users based on the changes in value for the period of time corresponding to a selected heading. (See Stradling, Par. 176 (The system can use portfolio performance information to post leaderboards on a daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly basis.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, as taught by Stradling. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time so as provide a range of periods to users for evaluating the various portfolios. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Stradling’s displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 14:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Stradling teaches:
the determined change in value for the groupings is displayed as a change in monetary value of a combination of all the categories of content in the groupings from a start to a finish of the one or more periods of time. (The content of the display is non-functional printed matter which is considered but given no patentable weight.) See MPEP 2111.05 (To be given patentable weight, the printed matter and associated product must be in a functional relationship. A functional relationship can be found where the printed matter performs some function with respect to the product to which it is associated.). (See Stradling, Par. 176 (The system can use portfolio performance information to post leaderboards on a daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly basis.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, as taught by Stradling. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time so as provide a range of periods to users for evaluating the various portfolios. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Stradling’s displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 15:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Stradling teaches:
the determined change in value for the groupings is displayed as a percentage change in monetary value of a combination of all the categories of content in the groupings from a start to a finish of the one or more periods of time. (The content of the display is non-functional printed matter which is considered but given no patentable weight.) See MPEP 2111.05 (To be given patentable weight, the printed matter and associated product must be in a functional relationship. A functional relationship can be found where the printed matter performs some function with respect to the product to which it is associated.). (See Stradling, Par. 176 (The system can use portfolio performance information to post leaderboards on a daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly basis.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, as taught by Stradling. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time so as provide a range of periods to users for evaluating the various portfolios. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Stradling’s displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 16:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 15 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Stradling teaches:
the determined change in value delta for the groupings may be displayed as a change in monetary value of a combination of all the categories of content in the groupings from a start to a finish of the one or more periods of time, wherein the method further comprises presenting via the interface a selectable icon, wherein selection of the icon by a user causes organizing and displaying the ranked list of organized groupings and their associated users based on the percentage change value deltas for the groupings. (See Stradling, Par. 176 (The system can use portfolio performance information to post leaderboards on a daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly basis.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, as taught by Stradling. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time so as provide a range of periods to users for evaluating the various portfolios. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Stradling’s displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 17:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi further teaches:
displaying selectable grouping names for the displayed groupings, wherein selection of a selectable grouping name by other users causes display of information regarding the one or more of the plurality of categories of content in the selected grouping to said selecting other users. (See Torabi, Par. 74 (A Comparative Performance Chart shows the performance of a particular virtual securities portfolio, VSP, as compared to a Visitor-selected set of VSPs, including predefined VSPs that reflect the DJIA, S&P 500, and other benchmarks.))
Claim 18:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 17 above.
Torabi further teaches:
the displaying of information regarding the categories of content to other users is in exchange for a benefit provided by the selecting other users or the computing system is based on a level of the benefit. (See Torabi, Par. 74 (The Comparative Performance Chart shows the performance of a particular virtual securities portfolio, as compared to the other portfolios.), Par. 31 (The system can calculate a suggested subscription price for each contributor's securities portfolio based on the performance of the portfolio over a period of time.))
Claim 19:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 18 above.
Torabi further teaches:
the amount of displayed information regarding the categories of content is based on a level of the benefit. (See Torabi, Par. 11 (It is also an object of the invention to allow general information about each Contributor and each portfolio to be made available to all other users for free. Users can easily search and view this data through customizable charts and graphic tools that make it easy to find their favorite top performing portfolio. Having found a portfolio, users can then subscribe to it for a price set by the Contributor.))
Claim 20:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi further teaches:
facilitating communication between one or more users associated with a respective displayed grouping and other one or more users. (See Torabi, Par. 11 (It is also an object of the invention to allow general information about each Contributor and each portfolio to be made available to all other users for free. Users can easily search and view this data through customizable charts and graphic tools that make it easy to find their favorite top performing portfolio. Having found a portfolio, users can then subscribe to it for a price set by the Contributor.))
Claim 21:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 20 above.
Torabi further teaches:
the facilitating communication is not contingent on the benefit provided to the user associated with a displayed grouping and the other users. (See Torabi, Par. 11 (It is also an object of the invention to allow general information about each Contributor and each portfolio to be made available to all other users for free. Users can easily search and view this data through customizable charts and graphic tools that make it easy to find their favorite top performing portfolio. Having found a portfolio, users can then subscribe to it for a price set by the Contributor.))
Claim 22:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Stradling teaches:
displaying the ranked list of organized groupings and the users associated therewith comprises displaying only organized groupings having a value of categories of content substantially similar to value of categories of content of other users to whom the organized groupings are displayed. (The content of the display is non-functional printed matter which is considered but given no patentable weight.) See MPEP 2111.05 (To be given patentable weight, the printed matter and associated product must be in a functional relationship. A functional relationship can be found where the printed matter performs some function with respect to the product to which it is associated.). (See Stradling, Par. 176 (The system can use portfolio performance information to post leaderboards on a daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly basis.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, as taught by Stradling. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time so as provide a range of periods to users for evaluating the various portfolios. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Stradling’s displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 23:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Stradling teaches:
displaying the ranked list of organized groupings and the users associated therewith comprises displaying only organized groupings having a value of categories of content substantially similar to a percentage change in value of categories of content of other users to whom the organized groupings are displayed. (The content of the display is non-functional printed matter which is considered but given no patentable weight.) See MPEP 2111.05 (To be given patentable weight, the printed matter and associated product must be in a functional relationship. A functional relationship can be found where the printed matter performs some function with respect to the product to which it is associated.). (See Stradling, Par. 176 (The system can use portfolio performance information to post leaderboards on a daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly basis.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, as taught by Stradling. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time so as provide a range of periods to users for evaluating the various portfolios. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Stradling’s displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 24:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Stradling teaches:
displaying the ranked list of organized goupings and the users associated therewith comprises displaying only organized groupings having a number of categories of content substantially similar as a number of categories of content of other users to whom the organized groupings are displayed. (The content of the display is non-functional printed matter which is considered but given no patentable weight.) See MPEP 2111.05 (To be given patentable weight, the printed matter and associated product must be in a functional relationship. A functional relationship can be found where the printed matter performs some function with respect to the product to which it is associated.). (See Stradling, Par. 176 (The system can use portfolio performance information to post leaderboards on a daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly basis.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, as taught by Stradling. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time so as provide a range of periods to users for evaluating the various portfolios. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Stradling’s displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 25:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 1 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Stradling teaches:
displaying the ranked list of organized groupings and the users associated therewith comprises displaying only organized groupings having a determined change in value demonstrating a level of risk tolerance substantially similar to a level of risk tolerance of other users to whom the organized groupings are displayed, said level of risk tolerance of other user determined based on a determined change in value of groupings of said other users. (The content of the display is non-functional printed matter which is considered but given no patentable weight.) See MPEP 2111.05 (To be given patentable weight, the printed matter and associated product must be in a functional relationship. A functional relationship can be found where the printed matter performs some function with respect to the product to which it is associated.). (See Stradling, Par. 176 (The system can use portfolio performance information to post leaderboards on a daily, weekly, monthly and/or yearly basis.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, as taught by Stradling. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step a step that includes displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time so as provide a range of periods to users for evaluating the various portfolios. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Stradling’s displaying leaderboards over one or more predetermined periods of time, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Torabi et al., US 2008/0270319 A1, (“Torabi”), in view of Stradling et al., US 2018/0091316 A1, (“Stradling”), in further view of Teixeira et al., US 2019/0066204 A1, (“Teixeira”).
Claim 7:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 6 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, Teixeira teaches:
displaying a selectable icon associated with the displayed grouping, wherein selection of a selectable icon by a user causes the sharing of buying, selling and/or holding activity regarding categories of content in the grouping associated with the selected icon to be visible to the selecting user. (See Teixeira, Par. 156 (The "Trade It" platform or similar general broker service for executing trades for investors has an interface and may include a script loader for a widget to function. Common but non-limiting widgets may include a button, check boxes, sliders, spinners, drop-down lists, menus, menu bars, toolbars, icons or grid views.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step for displaying a selectable icon for each portfolio, as taught by Teixeira. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step for displaying a selectable icon for each portfolio so as to allow a user to simply select an icon on the display to gain access to portfolio information. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and Teixeira’s displaying of a selectable icon for each portfolio, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Torabi et al., US 2008/0270319 A1, (“Torabi”), in view of Stradling et al., US 2018/0091316 A1, (“Stradling”), in further view of DiSalvo, US 2012/0271748 A1, (“DiSalvo”).
Claim 9:
Torabi and Stradling teach each and every element of Claim 6 above.
Torabi does not expressly disclose, however, DiSalvo teaches:
the received data regarding the groupings of categories of content owned by the users is generated at least partially by an artificial intelligence engine. (See DiSalvo, Par. 376 (According to another embodiment of the invention, other Industries can utilize the unique engineering process illustrated in FIG. 45 (1500). Each phase of the engineering process (1500) supports user-defined customization. For example, utilizing a chart wizard enables the user to create a customized chart (1503) to display their specific real-time or historical data. Utilizing an Artificial Intelligence wizard enables the user to create a customized neural network to optimize (1506) the real-time or historical data.))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine with the teachings of Torabi discussed above, a step for user portfolio data to be partially generated by artificial intelligence, as taught by DiSalvo. Torabi teaches an online marketplace for real-time investment data where users manage and publish securities portfolios to other users who pay to see them. It would be obvious for Torabi as part of his system to include a step for user portfolio data to be partially generated by artificial intelligence so as to optimize the data. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, Torabi’s online marketplace for real-time investment data and DiSalvo’s step for user portfolio data to be partially generated by artificial intelligence, and in the combination each element would have performed the same function it performed separately, one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/GEORGE N. PROIOS/Examiner, Art Unit 3694
/BENNETT M SIGMOND/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3694
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