DETAILED ACTION
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. This action is in response to amendment filed on 10/15/2025 in which claims 2, 5 – 6, 9, and 16 was amended and claims 2 - 21 was presented for further examination.
3. Claims 2 – 21 are now pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
4. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 2 - 21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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5. Claims 2, 9, and 16 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 8, and 15 of U.S. Patent No. US12,067,013 B1. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the patent application anticipated all the limitations in the instant application.
Instant Application #: 18/772,103
Patent #: US12,067,013 B1
2. A system comprising: a processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that are operative upon execution by the processor to: receive a data query corresponding to data organized in data entities as nodes in a data hierarchy, the data hierarchy having dimensions; perform a filter and change operation to reset a value of one or more of the nodes from a rollup operation based on a user input before performing the rollup operation; perform a rollup and remove operation to remove the one or more of the nodes having the value reset to zero from the data hierarchy after performing the rollup operation; perform a graph traversal of the data entities used in the data query,
the graph traversal including the rollup operation, without a self-joining operation, between different nodes at different levels of the dimensions, the rollup operation aggregating data values of the nodes at the different levels of the dimensions; output aggregated data values for the different nodes at each level based on the rollup operation; execute the data query using the aggregated data values for the different nodes; and produce an aggregated result based on the execution of the data query.
1. A system comprising: a processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that are operative upon execution by the processor to: receive a data query corresponding to data organized in a plurality of data entities as nodes in a data hierarchy, the data hierarchy having a plurality of dimensions; perform a filter and change operation for resetting a value of one or more of the nodes from a rollup operation based on a user input before performing the rollup operation, the value of the one or more of the nodes being reset to zero using a monoid before performing the rollup operation; perform a rollup and remove operation for removing the one or more of the nodes having the value reset to zero from the data hierarchy after performing the rollup operation; perform a graph traversal of the plurality of data entities used in the data query, the graph traversal including the rollup operation, without a self-joining operation, between different nodes at different levels of the plurality of dimensions, the rollup operation comprising a first rollup between the different levels in the data hierarchy and a second rollup within each level of the data hierarchy between the different nodes across the plurality of data entities, the rollup operation aggregating data values of the nodes at the different levels; output aggregated values for the different nodes at each level based on the rollup operation; execute the data query using the aggregated values for the different nodes; and produce an aggregated result based on the execution of the data query.
9. A computerized method comprising: receiving a data query corresponding to data organized in data entities as nodes in a data hierarchy, the data hierarchy having dimensions; perform a filter and change operation to reset a value of one or more of the nodes from a rollup operation based on a user input before performing the rollup operation; perform a rollup and remove operation to remove the one or more of the nodes having the value reset to zero from the data hierarchy after performing the rollup operation; performing a graph traversal of the data entities used in the data query, the graph traversal including the rollup operation, without a self-joining operation, between different nodes at different levels of the dimensions, the rollup operation aggregating data values of the nodes at the different levels of the dimensions; outputting aggregated data values for the different nodes at each level based on the rollup operation; executing the data query using the aggregated data values for the different nodes; and producing an aggregated result based on the execution of the data query.
8. A computerized method comprising: receiving a data query corresponding to data organized in a plurality of data entities as nodes in a data hierarchy, the data hierarchy having a plurality of dimensions; performing a filter and change operation for resetting a value of one or more of the nodes from a rollup operation based on a user input before performing the rollup operation, the value of the one or more of the nodes being reset to zero using a monoid before performing the rollup operation; performing a rollup and remove operation for removing the one or more of the nodes having the value reset to zero from the data hierarchy after performing the rollup operation; performing a graph traversal of the plurality of data entities used in the data query, the graph traversal including the rollup operation, without a self-joining operation, between different nodes at different levels of the plurality of dimensions, the rollup operation comprising a first rollup between the different levels in the data hierarchy and a second rollup within each level of the data hierarchy between the different nodes across the plurality of data entities, the rollup operation aggregating data values of the nodes at the different levels; outputting aggregated values for the different nodes at each level based on the rollup operation; executing the data query using the aggregated values for the different nodes; and producing an aggregated result based on the execution of the data query.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer- executable instructions stored thereon, which, on execution by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising: receiving a data query corresponding to data organized in data entities as nodes in a data hierarchy, the data hierarchy having dimensions; perform a filter and change operation to reset a value of one or more of the nodes from a rollup operation based on a user input before performing the rollup operation; perform a rollup and remove operation to remove the one or more of the nodes having the value reset to zero from the data hierarchy after performing the rollup operation; performing a graph traversal of the data entities used in the data query, the graph traversal including the rollup operation, without a self-joining operation, between different nodes at different levels of the dimensions, the rollup operation aggregating data values of the nodes at the different levels of the dimensions; outputting aggregated data values for the different nodes at each level based on the rollup operation; executing the data query using the aggregated data values for the different nodes; and producing an aggregated result based on the execution of the data query.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which, on execution by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising: receiving a data query corresponding to data organized in a plurality of data entities as nodes in a data hierarchy, the data hierarchy having a plurality of dimensions; performing a filter and change operation for resetting a value of one or more of the nodes from a rollup operation based on a user input before performing the rollup operation, the value of the one or more of the nodes being reset to zero using a monoid before performing the rollup operation; performing a rollup and remove operation for removing the one or more of the nodes having the value reset to zero from the data hierarchy after performing the rollup operation; performing a graph traversal of the plurality of data entities used in the data query, the graph traversal including the rollup operation, without a self-joining operation, between different nodes at different levels of the plurality of dimensions, the rollup operation comprising a first rollup between the different levels in the data hierarchy and a second rollup within each level of the data hierarchy between the different nodes across the plurality of data entities, the rollup operation aggregating data values of the nodes at the different levels; outputting aggregated values for the different nodes at each level based on the rollup operation; and executing the data query using the aggregated values for the different nodes.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
6. Claims 2 – 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bellamkonda et al (US 7,035,843 B1), in view of Bestgen et al (US 2009/0144307 A1), and further in view of Lei et al (US 2014/0085307 A1).
As per claim 2, Bellamkonda et al (US 7,035,843 B1) discloses,
A system comprising: a processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that are operative upon execution by the processor (col.18 lines 9 – 13; “computer system 800 upon which an embodiment of the invention may be implemented. Computer system 800 includes a bus 802 or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processor 804 coupled with bus 802 for processing information. Computer system 800 also includes a main memory 806, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device”).
to: receive a data query corresponding to data organized in data entities as nodes in a data hierarchy (col.2 line 20; “receiving an aggregate query”).
the data hierarchy having dimensions (col.1 lines 53 – 55; “each dimension has "levels" which correspond to columns of the dimension table, which are organized in a hierarchical”).
execute the data query using the aggregated data values for the different nodes (col.3 lines 57 – 59; “Execution of this query aggregates data according to the aggregate function, SUM(sales), across levels of multiple hierarchies”).
and produce an aggregated result based on the execution of the data query ((col.3 lines 59 – 60; “execution of the query will perform a cross-product on the aggregations generated by each rollup operator”).
Bellamkonda does not specifically disclose perform a filter and change operation to reset a value of one or more of the nodes from a rollup operation based on a user input before performing the rollup operation, perform a rollup and remove operation to remove the one or more of the nodes having the value reset to zero from the data hierarchy after performing the rollup operation, the rollup operation aggregating data values of the nodes at the different levels of the dimensions, output aggregated data values for the different nodes at each level based on the rollup operation.
However, Bestgen et al (US 2009/0144307 A1) in an analogous art discloses,
perform a filter and change operation to reset a value of one or more of the nodes from a rollup operation based on a user input before performing the rollup operation (para.[0019]; “generating first level aggregate results for at least one first level column value, generated responsive to a change in the first level column values between successive rows. The method also includes generating second level aggregate results for at least one second level column value, generated responsive to a change in the second level column values between successive rows” and para.[0022]; “aggregate store for each level is refreshed from an immediately lower level aggregate store prior to the lower level aggregate store resetting”)
perform a rollup and remove operation to remove the one or more of the nodes having the value reset to zero from the data hierarchy after performing the rollup operation (para.[0013]; “hierarchical, multi-dimensional aggregate view of the data” and para.[0048]; “rows generated and output can also include a null value for all columns at and below the level of the current level column” and para.[0054]; “This super aggregate can be added to every time a new row is processed, or at an appropriate time in the logic before the state aggregate is reset to zero, which would happen at the point of a change in the state column value”).
the rollup operation aggregating data values of the nodes at the different levels of the dimensions (para.[0013]; “hierarchical, multi-dimensional aggregate view of the data” and para.[0030]; “ROLLUP function on the database table” and para.[0046]; “the newly obtained quantity from the current row is being added to the aggregate or sum function for all three levels soon after the quantity value is obtained from the current row”).
output aggregated data values for the different nodes at each level based on the rollup operation (para.[0013]; “hierarchical, multi-dimensional aggregate view of the data” and para.[0020]; “outputting the first level aggregate results; and outputting the second level aggregate results”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was filed to incorporate database rollup queries of the system of Bestgen into data aggregation of the system of Bellamkonda to provide efficient view of aggregate data and speedy retrieval of request.
Neither Bellamkonda nor Bestgen specifically disclose perform a graph traversal of the data entities used in the data query, the graph traversal including the rollup operation, without a self-joining operation, between different nodes at different levels of the dimensions, the rollup operation aggregating data values of the nodes at the different levels of the dimensions, output aggregated data values for the different nodes at each level based on the rollup operation.
However, Lei et al (US 2014/0085307 A1) in an analogous art discloses,
perform a graph traversal of the data entities used in the data query (para.[0068]; “query can be formed using the business data to retrieve relationship information (e.g., parents, children, siblings, etc.) to determine a hierarchical Organization” and para.[0101]; “flow traverses through the retrieved nodes while collecting a set of rollup values for the rollup variables (see operation 706). Having the set of rollup values for the rollup variables, an aggregation function can be applied (see operation 708). The particular aggregation function may observe levels of hierarchy when performing the aggregation function”).
the graph traversal including the rollup operation, without a self-joining operation, between different nodes at different levels of the dimensions (para.[0069]; “data can be aggregated or rolled-up through a hierarchy such that a given node in the hierarchy can display a rollup value. In the example of Table 1, node "F" ( a lowest level node) has a node value of $8” and para.[0101]; “flow traverses through the retrieved nodes while collecting a set of rollup values for the rollup variables (see operation 706). Having the set of rollup values for the rollup variables, an aggregation function can be applied).
the rollup operation aggregating data values of the nodes at the different levels of the dimensions (NOTE: para.[0069]; “data can be aggregated or rolled-up through a hierarchy such that a given node in the hierarchy can display a rollup value”).
output aggregated data values for the different nodes at each level based on the rollup operation (NOTE: para.[0076]; “After retrieving the hierarchy, the retrieved data is used with a template to generate graphical display data”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to incorporate hierarchical data generation and visualization of the system of Lei into database rollup queries of the system of Bestgen to allow a user to configure the data displayed in the visualization, thereby enabling users to visualize the relationships and data aggregation in the system of Bellamkonda.
As per claim 3, the rejection of claim 2 is incorporated and further Bellamkonda et al (US 7,035,843 B1) discloses,
wherein the data entities include one or more of a fact entity, a dimension entity, or a profile entity (col.1 lines 56 – 60; “TIME dimension might consist of the levels year, quarter, month, and day, corresponding to columns of the TIME table. The hierarchical organization is such that years consist of quarters, quarters consist of months, and months consist of days”).
As per claim 4, the rejection of claim 2 is incorporated and further Bellamkonda et al (US 7,035,843 B1) discloses,
wherein a dimension entity has a foreign-key relationship to a profile entity or a fact entity (col.1 lines 49 – 53; “the large tables contain references (foreign key values) to rows stored in the smaller tables. The larger tables within a star schema are referred to as "fact tables", while the smaller tables are referred to as "dimension tables””).
As per claim 5, the rejection of claim 2 is incorporated and further Bestgen et al (US 2009/0144307 A1) discloses,
wherein the rollup operation includes first rollup between the different levels in the data hierarchy and a second rollup within each level of the data hierarchy between the different nodes across the data entities (para.[0046]; “row 1 quantity is 100,000, which occurred in a location in the city of Edina. This value can be added to the sum for level 1, the city level, and to the sum for level 2, the county level, and to the sum for level 3, the state level”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to incorporate hierarchical data generation and visualization of the system of Lei into database rollup queries of the system of Bestgen to allow a user to configure the data displayed in the visualization, thereby enabling users to visualize the relationships and data aggregation in the system of Bellamkonda.
As per claim 6, the rejection of claim 2 is incorporated and further Bestgen et al (US 2009/0144307 A1) discloses,
wherein the value of the one or more of the nodes is reset to zero before performing the rollup operation (para.[0045]; “the sums, can be initialized to zero for each level and, in some embodiments, also to zero for a super aggregate function
value”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to incorporate hierarchical data generation and visualization of the system of Lei into database rollup queries of the system of Bestgen to allow a user to configure the data displayed in the visualization, thereby enabling users to visualize the relationships and data aggregation in the system of Bellamkonda.
As per claim 7, the rejection of claim 2 is incorporated and further Lei et al (US 2014/0085307 A1) discloses,
wherein the data query is received by a single query engine communicating with a relational database and a graph database, the data being stored in the relational database and the graph database (para.[0022]; “define the data (e.g., into a relation within a relational database system). In some cases, a hierarchical relationship can be imputed from relationship(s) in the data itself”, para.[0035]; “a database engine can process queries ( e.g., using a query processor 121) and can retrieve data from database storage”, and para.[0108]; “a database engine configured to store a graphical representation of the hierarchy of data, the graphical representation comprising at least one relationship using a graphical display indication”).
wherein the single query engine integrates the relational database and the graph database to handle compute operations, and the instructions are further operative to compute one or more segments and measures with the graph traversal of the data entities (para.[0035]; “a database engine can process queries ( e.g., using a query processor 121) and can retrieve data from database storage”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to incorporate hierarchical data generation and visualization of the system of Lei into database rollup queries of the system of Bestgen to allow a user to configure the data displayed in the visualization, thereby enabling users to visualize the relationships and data aggregation in the system of Bellamkonda.
As per claim 8, the rejection of claim 2 is incorporated and further Bellamkonda et al (US 7,035,843 B1) discloses,
wherein the instructions are further operative to convert the data query into query instructions that perform an operation on the data entities (col.5 lines 33 – 36; “evaluating a query with a concatenation of rollup operators, employing the computation and use of cardinalities for estimating the number of records generated by each rollup operator”).
Claims 9 – 11 are method claims corresponding to system claims 2 – 4 respectively, and rejected under the same reason set forth in connection to the rejection of claims 2 – 4 respectively above.
As per claim 12, the rejection of claim 9 is incorporated and further Bellamkonda et al (US 7,035,843 B1) discloses,
wherein the rollup operation includes a hierarchy join followed by a dimension join (col.3 lines 26 – 28; “rollup operator aggregates data across levels specified as the keys (or columns) of the rollup operator, specified in the GROUP BY line”).
As per claim 13, the rejection of claim 9 is incorporated and further Bellamkonda et al (US 7,035,843 B1) discloses,
further comprising constructing a graphical representation of the data query using a query builder (col.3 lines 9 – 11; “SQL defines extended group-by operations. Extended group-by operations include cube, rollup, and grouping sets” and col.6 lines 3 – 5; “a query that includes concatenation of multiple roll up operators ( a hierarchical cube), in addition to multiple dimension tables and multiple aggregate”).
Claims 14 - 15 are method claims corresponding to system claims 7 - 8 respectively, and rejected under the same reason set forth in connection to the rejection of claims 7 - 8 respectively above.
Claims 16 - 21 are non-transitory computer-readable storage medium claims corresponding to system claims 2 – 7 respectively, and rejected under the same reason set forth in connection to the rejection of claims 2 – 7 respectively above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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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/AUGUSTINE K. OBISESAN/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2156
2/14/2026