DETAILED ACTION
This is in response to applicant's communication filed on 07/11/2024, wherein:
Claim 21-40 are pending.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 21-23, 25, 27-33, 35, and 37-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Williams et al. (US 20160350837 A1) in view of Kim (US 20130304894 A1).
Regarding claim 21, Williams discloses a system for leveraging text messages to manage a service in a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform (Abstract, Fig. 1-2, and Fig. 5), the system comprising:
a server system (Fig. 1 – computer system 104 and computer system 106) configured to communicate with and exchange SMS text message data with a mobile device (Fig. 5 and ¶0081, 0085, 0088, and 0093-0094 disclose SMS application 516 for placing order), the server comprising at least one hardware processor coupled to at least one non-transitory computer-readable memory containing instructions (Fig. 1 – computer system 104 and computer system 106, Fig. 5 discloses computer systems which are known for having processor and memory containing instruction) executable by the at least one processor to cause the server system to:
receive an initial text message from the mobile device, the initial text message comprising user-driven data relating to the service (Fig. 3A step 302 and ¶0063 – “receive food order”; ¶0088 – “the ordering backend may receive orders from the smart appliances 510, mobile application 512, web application 514, text or SMS application 516”);
track movement of the mobile device within an environment based on the response messages (¶0046 – “The computer system 104 can additionally receive location updates for the mobile computing device 102 as it travels to the provider's location 116 and, as appropriate, can re-perform steps B-D (124, 128, and 132), which can cause the provider computer system 106 to re-perform steps E-F (134, 138). For example, if the computer system 104 determines that the estimated time of arrival has deviated by at least a threshold amount of time (e.g., changed by more than 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes) based on the movement of the mobile computing device 102 (e.g., not tracking estimated progress along the route 112, deviation from route 112), then the computer system 104 can update the estimated time of arrival (step B, 124)”; ¶0067, ¶0075); and
manage provisioning of the service based on the tracked movement (Fig. 3A step 326 and ¶0066-0067 – “Such updated arrival information can be used to determine whether the mobile computing device 202 is ahead of schedule, on schedule, or behind schedule, and can be used to inform the provider computer system 206 as to adjustments that should be made to the fulfillment of the food order (e.g., hold on fulfillment for a period of time longer, rush fulfillment of food order), and/or to inform the mobile computing device 202 its travel progress will have on the order being fulfilled upon arrival at the provider's location”).
Williams discloses text message SMS communication between mobile device and server (¶0088) and transmitting a message to the server system comprising data associated with a current location or position of the mobile device (0032 – “For example, in some implementations the mobile computing device 102 can determine its current geographic location and provide it to the computer system 104”). However, the reference is silent on details about (1) scheduling, in response to the initial text message, a plurality of command text messages for automated transmittal to the mobile device, each command text message causing the mobile device to automatically generate and transmit a response text message to the server system comprising data associated with a current location or position of the mobile device.
Kim discloses scheduling, in response to the initial text message, a plurality of command text messages for automated transmittal to the mobile device, each command text message causing the mobile device to automatically generate and transmit a response text message to the server system comprising data associated with a current location or position of the mobile device (Fig. 2 step "transmit control command" between server 120 and help requesting device 110, Fig. 2 step S235-240 and par. 0041-0044 disclose server 120 transmitting control command to help requesting device 110; help requesting device 110 analyze and executing control command and reporting result to server 120, wherein the command including command for location information acquisition as discussed in par. 0044, 0061).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed the invention, to modify the invention of Williams to utilize location acquisition command from Kim because doing so would apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results (MPEP §2141 -III) to provide various way to obtain location information.
Regarding claim 22 , the combined teaching of Williams and Kim discloses the system of claim 21, wherein the mobile device runs a mobile application ("app") that generates and transmits the initial text message and each response text message, the mobile application providing a user interface for the service (Williams - Fig. 5 and ¶0081, 0085, 0088, and 0093-0094 disclose SMS application 516 for placing order).
Regarding claim 23, the combined teaching of Williams and Kim discloses the system of claim 21, wherein the instructions further cause the server system to generate and transmit a follow-up text message to the mobile device prompting the user for direct user input relating to the service (Williams - Fig. 3C step 342-348 and ¶0070 disclose providing modifying/cancel option to mobile device).
Regarding claim 25, the combined teaching of Williams and Kim discloses the system of claim 21, wherein the service relates to user comfort at the service location (Williams - ¶0066-0067 – “Such updated arrival information can be used to determine whether the mobile computing device 202 is ahead of schedule, on schedule, or behind schedule, and can be used to inform the provider computer system 206 as to adjustments that should be made to the fulfillment of the food order (e.g., hold on fulfillment for a period of time longer, rush fulfillment of food order), and/or to inform the mobile computing device 202 its travel progress will have on the order being fulfilled upon arrival at the provider's location”).
Regarding claim 27, the combined teaching of Williams and Kim discloses the system of claim 21, wherein the service relates to a product at the service location (Williams - ¶0012 – “receiving, through the user interface, input that specifies a food order to be placed with a particular provider, wherein the food order includes one or more items and specifies that a user associated with the mobile computing device will pick-up the food order at the particular provider's location”).
Regarding claim 28, the combined teaching of Williams and Kim discloses the system of claim 21, wherein the service is a consumer-based service (Williams - ¶0012 – “receiving, through the user interface, input that specifies a food order to be placed with a particular provider, wherein the food order includes one or more items and specifies that a user associated with the mobile computing device will pick-up the food order at the particular provider's location”).
Regarding claim 29, the combined teaching of Williams and Kim discloses the system of claim 21, wherein managing provisioning of the service based on the initial text message (Williams - Fig. 3A step 306 and ¶0063) comprises determining an estimated time of arrival based on the tracked movement and scheduling the service based on the estimated time of arrival (Williams - Fig. 3A step 326 and ¶0066-0067 – “Such updated arrival information can be used to determine whether the mobile computing device 202 is ahead of schedule, on schedule, or behind schedule, and can be used to inform the provider computer system 206 as to adjustments that should be made to the fulfillment of the food order (e.g., hold on fulfillment for a period of time longer, rush fulfillment of food order), and/or to inform the mobile computing device 202 its travel progress will have on the order being fulfilled upon arrival at the provider's location”).
Regarding claim 30, the combined teaching of Williams and Kim discloses the system of claim 21, wherein the data associated with the location or position of the mobile device is data captured by one or more sensors of the mobile device (Williams - ¶0032 – “The mobile computing device 102 can use any of a variety of appropriate techniques to determine its geographic location, such as GPS techniques, Wi-Fi signals, cellular triangulation, beacon signals, user input, or any combination thereof”).
Regarding claim 31, the scope and content of the claim recites a method for leveraging text messages to manage a service in a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform of claim 21, therefore, being addressed as in claim 21.
Regarding claim 32, the scope and content of the claim recites a method for leveraging text messages to manage a service in a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform of claim 22, therefore, being addressed as in claim 22.
Regarding claim 33, the scope and content of the claim recites a method for leveraging text messages to manage a service in a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform of claim 23, therefore, being addressed as in claim 23.
Regarding claim 35, the scope and content of the claim recites a method for leveraging text messages to manage a service in a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform of claim 25, therefore, being addressed as in claim 25.
Regarding claim 37, the scope and content of the claim recites a method for leveraging text messages to manage a service in a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform of claim 27, therefore, being addressed as in claim 27.
Regarding claim 38, the scope and content of the claim recites a method for leveraging text messages to manage a service in a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform of claim 28, therefore, being addressed as in claim 28.
Regarding claim 39, the scope and content of the claim recites a method for leveraging text messages to manage a service in a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform of claim 29, therefore, being addressed as in claim 29.
Regarding claim 40, the scope and content of the claim recites a method for leveraging text messages to manage a service in a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform of claim 30, therefore, being addressed as in claim 30.
Claim 24 and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Williams et al. (US 20160350837 A1) in view of Kim (US 20130304894 A1) and Gusikhin et al. (US 20140278089 A1).
Regarding claim 24, the combined teaching of Williams and Kim discloses the system of claim 23, however, silent on further details of claim 24.
Gusikhin discloses wherein the second text message prompts the user to verify the estimated time of arrival (claim 1 – “prompt the user, via the interface, to verify the arrival-time information; receive verification of the arrival-time information based on an input from the user via the interface”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed the invention, to modify the invention of Williams and Kim to incorporate user interface for inputting arrival time confirmation from Gusikhin because doing so would combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results (MPEP §2141 -III) to provide user ability to confirm trip information.
Regarding claim 34, the scope and content of the claim recites a method for leveraging text messages to manage a service in a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform of claim 24, therefore, being addressed as in claim 24.
Claim 26 and 36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Williams et al. (US 20160350837 A1) in view of Kim (US 20130304894 A1) and Asli et al. (US 20150088575 A1).
Regarding claim 26, the combined teaching of Williams and Kim discloses the system of claim 21, however, silent on further details of claim 26.
Asli discloses wherein the service relates to maintenance at the service location (Fig. 1 and ¶0030 – “The appointment scheduling system 110 of FIG. 1 may allow consumers to schedule maintenance of automobiles based on the location of service providers which most closely match the requirements of the automobile manufacturer”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed the invention, to modify the invention of Williams and Kim to incorporate provide the system ability to schedule various kind of service from Asli because doing so would apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results (MPEP §2141 -III) to improve customer satisfaction by increasing the number of service offerings.
Regarding claim 36, the scope and content of the claim recites a method for leveraging text messages to manage a service in a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform of claim 26, therefore, being addressed as in claim 26.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUNG HONG whose telephone number is (571)270-7928. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, Applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, JINSONG HU, can be reached on (571) 272-3965. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DUNG HONG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643
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