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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on June 21, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Deshpande et al. (US 2012/0027194 A1).
As to claim 1, Deshpande et al. (US 2012/0027194 A1) discloses a method [Paragraph 0002], comprising:
determining that a call from a calling device has been disconnected at a node of an interactive voice response service [“The contact manager determines an abrupt call disconnect from an IVR system.” Paragraph 0063];
receiving a message including a selectable element [IVR key string] associated with the node of the interactive voice response service from a provider of the interactive voice response service [“The SMS/voice message notification has been sent to the customer with an IVR key string and reference number.” Paragraph 0064];
receiving a selection of the selectable element [“The IVR system receives the selection options of the costumer in the key string.” Paragraph 0067]; and
connecting to a destination endpoint associated with the node of the interactive voice response based on the selection of the selectable element [“The IVR system re-establishes the call based on customer selection option.” Paragraph 0068].
As to claim 2, Deshpande discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the node of the interactive voice response service corresponds to a menu option presented to the calling device by the interactive voice response service during the call [“The node is an option of the IVR system from the customer to connect the call.” Paragraph 0068].
As to claim 3, Deshpande discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the node of the interactive voice response service corresponds to an intended destination reached by the calling device navigating through one or more menu options presented to the calling device by the interactive voice response service during the call [“The customer selects IVR options on a self-service application to proceed further.” Paragraph 0067].
As to claim 4, Deshpande discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the selectable element is one of multiple selectable elements included in the message, wherein each of the multiple selectable elements corresponds to a different node of the interactive voice response service [“The IVR system sends a key string of selected options and a reference number.” Paragraph 0067].
As to claim 5, Deshpande discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the destination endpoint corresponds to a telephone extension, and wherein connecting to the destination endpoint comprises: establishing a new call between the calling device and the telephone extension [“The second telecommunication devices include wired and wireless telephone.” Paragraph 0046].
As to claim 6, Deshpande discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the destination endpoint corresponds to a web service, and wherein connecting to the destination endpoint comprises: establishing a connection between the calling device and a server implementing the web service [“The contact center comprises a central server a set of databases.” Paragraph 0035].
As to claim 7, Deshpande discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the selectable element includes a link to the destination endpoint [“The server is a system that include interfaces to external communication links.” Paragraph 0040].
As to claim 8, Deshpande discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the message is a text message [“The customer receives an instant message or text message.” Paragraph 0012].
As to claim 9, Deshpande discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the message includes data indicating a record of a call path of the calling device to the node of the interactive voice response service [“The message sent to the costumer includes an IVR key string and a reference number.” Paragraph 0064].
As to claim 10, Deshpande discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the selectable element includes a link to the node of the interactive voice response service associated with a record of information provided by the calling device to the interactive voice response service [“The server is a system that include interfaces to external communication links.” Paragraph 0040].
As to claim 11, Deshpande discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions operable [Paragraph 0054] to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
determining that a call from a calling device has been disconnected at a node of an interactive voice response service [“The contact manager determines an abrupt call disconnect from an IVR system.” Paragraph 0063];
receiving a message including a selectable element associated with the node of the interactive voice response service from a provider of the interactive voice response service [“The SMS/voice message notification has been sent to the customer with an IVR key string and reference number.” Paragraph 0064]; and
receiving a selection of the selectable element [“The IVR system receives the selection options of the costumer in the key string.” Paragraph 0067]; and
connecting to a destination endpoint associated with the node of the interactive voice response in response to the selection of the selectable element [“The IVR system re-establishes the call based on customer selection option.” Paragraph 0068].
As to claim 12, Deshpande discloses the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the node of the interactive voice response service corresponds to a menu option presented to the calling device by the interactive voice response service during the call [“The node is an option of the IVR system from the customer to connect the call.” Paragraph 0068].
As to claim 13, Deshpande discloses the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the node of the interactive voice response service corresponds to an intended destination reached by the calling device navigating through one or more menu options presented to the calling device by the interactive voice response service during the call [“The customer selects IVR options on a self-service application to proceed further.” Paragraph 0067].
As to claim 14, Deshpande discloses the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the selectable element is one of multiple selectable elements included in the message, wherein each of the multiple selectable elements corresponds to a different node of the interactive voice response service [“The IVR system sends a key string of selected options and a reference number.” Paragraph 0067].
As to claim 15, Deshpande discloses the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the destination endpoint corresponds to a telephone extension, and wherein connecting to the destination endpoint comprises: establishing a new call between the calling device and the telephone extension [“The second telecommunication devices include wired and wireless telephone.” Paragraph 0046].
As to claim 16, Deshpande discloses an apparatus [FIG. 2], comprising:
a memory [Main memory, Paragraph 0054]; and
a processor [Contact manager 232 on FIG. 2] configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:
determine that a call from a calling device has been disconnected at a node of an interactive voice response service [“The contact manager determines an abrupt call disconnect from an IVR system.” Paragraph 0063];
receive a message including a selectable element associated with the node of the interactive voice response service from a provider of the interactive voice response service [“The SMS/voice message notification has been sent to the customer with an IVR key string and reference number.” Paragraph 0064];
receive a selection of the selectable element [“The IVR system receives the selection options of the costumer in the key string.” Paragraph 0067]; and
connect to a destination endpoint associated with the node of the interactive voice response in response to the selection of the selectable element [“The IVR system re-establishes the call based on customer selection option.” Paragraph 0068].
As to claim 17, Deshpande discloses the apparatus of claim 16, wherein the node of the interactive voice response service corresponds to a menu option presented to the calling device by the interactive voice response service during the call [“The node is an option of the IVR system from the customer to connect the call.” Paragraph 0068].
As to claim 18, Deshpande discloses the apparatus of claim 16, wherein the node of the interactive voice response service corresponds to an intended destination reached by the calling device navigating through one or more menu options presented to the calling device by the interactive voice response service during the call [“The customer selects IVR options on a self-service application to proceed further.” Paragraph 0067].
As to claim 19, Deshpande discloses the apparatus of claim 16, wherein the selectable element is one of multiple selectable elements included in the message, wherein each of the multiple selectable elements corresponds to a different node of the interactive voice response service [“The IVR system sends a key string of selected options and a reference number.” Paragraph 0067].
As to claim 20, Deshpande discloses the apparatus of claim 16, wherein the destination endpoint corresponds to a telephone extension, and wherein connecting to the destination endpoint comprises: establishing a new call between the calling device and the telephone extension [“The second telecommunication devices include wired and wireless telephone.” Paragraph 0046].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
Reddy (US 20140064463 A1) discloses a visual map of an Interactive voice response (IVR) system is provided to a client device such as a smartphone.
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/GERALD GAUTHIER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2692
February 26, 2026
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692