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 .
Remarks
In response to the RCE communication files on March 9, 2026, claims 1, 10, and 19-20 are amended by applicant's request. Therefore, claims 1-20 are presently pending in the application.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 3/9/2026 has been entered.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Regarding claims 1, 10, and 19,
Step 1 Analysis: The claim is directed to a "web platform, comprising one or more computer readable storage media storing instructions." This falls within the statutory categories of a machine or manufacture (computer-readable media).
Step 2A Prong 1 Analysis: Claims 1, 10, 19 recites,
The limitations of:
generate an entity graph for a building environment, the entity graph including a plurality of entities including attributes and the entity graph including relational objects indicating relationships between the plurality of entities, the plurality of entities comprising a sensor entity representing a sensor of the building environment and a shadow entity storing past measurements of the sensor, the sensor entity including a dynamic attribute to store a present measurement of the sensor, and the relational objects including a relational object between the shadow entity and the sensor entity;
store the measurement in the dynamic attribute of the sensor entity and the shadow entity according to the relational object; and
search, based on at least one query, the plurality of entities, the attributes, and the relationships of the entity graph to return a result for the at least one query, wherein the result is determined based at least in part on relational object between the shadow entity and the sensor entity can be considered to be an evaluation in the human mind.
The claim recites limitations that describe the abstract concept of organizing data in a logical manner and performing mental processes (comparison, searching) that can be performed by a human, at least in principle, using pen and paper. The core functionality is generating an "entity graph" with entities, attributes, and relationships, storing data ("measurements") in specific locations ("dynamic attribute," "shadow entity"), and searching that data. These activities are fundamental data management tasks long prevalent in human activity and commerce.
Step 2A Prong 2 Analysis: The "web platform," "computer readable storage media," "instructions thereon," and "processors" are all generic computer components.
The "building environment" limitation is a mere field-of-use limitation and does not impose a meaningful technological constraint on the abstract process itself.
The method steps of "generating," "receiving," "storing," and "searching" data describe routine, conventional functions performed by generic computer systems.
Step 2B Analysis: The claim lacks such a concept, describing conventional data storage and retrieval methods using generic computing functions and technology. Faster computer implementation of an abstract task is not sufficient for patent eligibility.
Please see MPEP 2106.05(f). The limitations of receiving information and model configuration information from a client device are well-understood, routine, and conventional as evidenced by MPEP §2106.05(d)(II)(I), “transmitting data over a network”. Even when considered in combination, these additional elements amount to mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer components and insignificant extra-solution activity which cannot provide an inventive concept. The claim is not patent eligible.
Regarding claims 2-9, 11-18, and 20, the rejection of claims 1, 10, and 19 is further incorporated, the claim recites: searching plurality of entities…receive new measurements…, updating…, calculate an average that falls into the abstract idea of mathematic concepts, This limitation amounts to an insignificant extra-solution activity. See MPEP 2106.05(g).
The claim does not include any additional elements that amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. Organizing information in a logical manner (using a graph with entities, attributes, and relationships) and using it for searching, and lacks sufficient "inventive concept" to transform it into a patent-eligible application.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BELIX M ORTIZ DITREN whose telephone number is (571)272-4081. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am -5pm.
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BELIX M. ORTIZ DITREN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2164
/Belix M Ortiz Ditren/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2164