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 .
Status of Claims
The following is a final office action.
Claims [1-20] are currently pending and have been examined based on their merits.
Claims 1 and 11 are currently amended see REMARKS February 19, 2026.
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 a judicial exception that is an abstract idea without a practical application or significantly more.
Step 1: Claims 1-10 recite a method (i.e. a process such as an act or series of steps) and Claims 11-20 recite a device, therefore each claim falls within one of the four statutory categories.
Step 2A prong 1 (Is a judicial exception recited?):
The representative claims 1 and 11 recite: A method comprising: detecting, a new workflow request from an enterprise; in response to the new workflow request, accessing public safety agencies and based on a determined location of the enterprise, retrieving a list of available local public safety agencies and providing a selectable list of the identified available local public safety agencies; receiving, a proposed workflow build, the proposed workflow build including a trigger and one or more responsive actions, the one or more responsive actions including an assistance action from a selected local public safety agency from the selectable list of available local public safety agencies; retrieving administration definitions for assistance operations specific for the selected local public safety agency; responsive to the responsive action including the assistance action, validating, the trigger and the one or more responsive actions of the proposed workflow build against the retrieved administration definitions; and in response to validating the proposed workflow build, deploying the validated workflow build for execution at the enterprise.
The claims recite a mental process. The examiner finds the claims to merely recite a method for creating a response plan to an emergency by retrieving a list of available public safety agencies, a proposed workflow build including triggers and one or more responsive actions, validating the proposed workflow, and executing the workflow. The claims are found to merely recite a series of steps that can be performed in the human mind or with the use of a simple tool such as pen and paper. As the claim limitations recite steps to create a workflow or an emergency response plan by pre-determining factors such as potential triggers and the responses to those triggers, getting the plan approved, and executing the plan. Merely creating, approving, and executing a plan is found to be similar to concepts the courts have defined as a mental process including observations, evaluations, judgements, and opinions.
Alternatively, the claims recite a certain method of organizing human activity. As the claims recite managing personal behavior, relationships, or interactions between people. The claims are a method for creating, approving, and executing an emergency response plan. The claims merely recite organizing and planning the behavior of individuals according to a proposed plan.
Therefore, the claims are found to recite an abstract idea.
Step 2A Prong 2 (Is the exception integrated into a practical application?): The claims additionally recite additional elements, including;
Claim 1: A workflow server, a computing device associated with an enterprise, display at the computing device, electronically encoded administration definitions, and a database.
Claim 11: A device comprising: a network interface, and a processor, a computing device associated with an enterprise, display at the computing device, electronically encoded administration definitions, and a database.
The additional elements of a computing device and a plurality of generic computer elements are directed to merely reciting instructions to apply a generic computer and technology to execute the method in the recited claim limitations.
The claim limitations recite mere instructions to implement the abstract idea of receiving workflow information to be validated and deployed to create and execute an emergency response plan.
Therefore, the limitations merely amount to adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent) to the judicial exception, or mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea, as discussed in MPEP 2106.05(f). As the claims merely recite a generic computing device to perform basic functions of receiving information to perform the abstract idea.
Furthermore, a method for transmitting, receiving, and processing information does not amount to improvements to the functioning of a computer, or to any other technology or technical field, as discussed in MPEP 2106.05(a), applying the judicial exception with, or by use of, a particular machine, as discussed in MPEP 2106.05(b), effecting a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing, as discussed in MPEP 2106.05(c).
Accordingly, the additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. As the claims are merely directed to utilizing a computer to perform the steps of detecting a new workflow request, retrieving a list of available local public safety agencies and providing the list, receiving a proposed workflow build, retrieving administration definitions, validating the trigger and the one or more responsive actions, and deploying the validated workflow for execution, the additional elements are directed to merely “apply it” or applying the abstract idea on a computer.
Step 2B (Does the claim recite additional elements that amount to significantly more than the judicial exception?):
As discussed above, the additional imitations amount to adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception, or mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, and merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea, as discussed in MPEP 2106.05(f). The additional elements of a system comprising generic computer elements are not directed to an improvement in a technology or technical field but are merely used to perform the abstract idea of receiving, validating, and deploying a workflow. Therefore, the additional elements do not amount to significantly more than the judicial exception.
The dependent claims 2-10 and 12-20 further narrow the abstract idea of building and managing a workflow plan for an emergency response plan for an organization as recited in the independent claims 1 and 11
The dependent claims do not recite any additional elements that have not been discussed in the above analysis.
Therefore, claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101.
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 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 1, 4, 7-11, 13, and 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hewett (US 2007/0015506) in view of Zink (US 2010/0023484) further in view of Dilbeck (US 2010/0188205).
Claims 1 and 11: Hewett discloses (Claim 1) a method comprising: (Claim 11) a device comprising: a network interface; and a processor configured to: detecting, at a workflow server, a new workflow request from a computing device associated with an enterprise (Paragraph [0009-0010]; [0031]; [0041]; Fig. 1, the method of the present invention can be used by private sector agency and organization for emergency preparedness and planning for the gamut of hazards. The client server-based software provides critical flexibility in integrating and synchronizing emergency response planning through the use of a novel automated filter system. The filter system sords and graphically displays user-selected information regarding locations, sequences, relationships, activity implementers, responsible positions, operational story lines, resource allocation, activities, and other items. The method involves input from entities such as organizations which possess response plans, procedures, and protocols for emergency response. This input is used to initiate a formalized and scalable synchronization matrix. The enabling information technology architecture of the present invention provides a software tool that creates an interoperable platform for integrating and synchronizing community and entity emergency plans and response actions);
receiving, at the workflow server from the computing device, a proposed workflow build, the proposed workflow build including a trigger and one or more responsive actions, the one or more responsive actions including an assistance action from a selected local public safety agency on the list of available local public safety agencies selected at the computing device from the selectable list of available local public safety agencies provided to the computing device (Paragraph [0037-0038]; [0053-0058]; Fig. 7, relaying upon a library of relationship centric actions from past practices that can be imported into a synchronization matrix allows the development of cooperative community emergency plans. Libraries allows planners to select form an array of materials that are based in experience. The libraries offer guidance and a baseline starting point to begin an emergency response plan. Planning sets represent a particular emergency. It defines a scenario, comprising one or more hazards involving one or more jurisdictions which must respond to the emergency and a library. The library is used to device the major functional areas within the response. Reports tab provides several predefined reports. The threads tab provides access to various threads and is a reusable collection of activities and their relations. This allows one to produce a specific sequence of activities. The jurisdictions tab provides defining various departments and positions that might be involved. Users are the individuals who have been granted access to data);
retrieving electronically encoded administration definitions for assistance operations specific to the selected local public safety agency (Paragraph [0037-0038]; [0053-0058]; Fig. 7, relaying upon a library of relationship centric actions from past practices that can be imported into a synchronization matrix allows the development of cooperative community emergency plans. Libraries allows planners to select form an array of materials that are based in experience. The libraries offer guidance and a baseline starting point to begin an emergency response plan. Planning sets represent a particular emergency. It defines a scenario, comprising one or more hazards involving one or more jurisdictions which must respond to the emergency and a library. The library is used to device the major functional areas within the response. Reports tab provides several predefined reports. The threads tab provides access to various threads and is a reusable collection of activities and their relations. This allows one to produce a specific sequence of activities. The jurisdictions tab provides defining various departments and positions that might be involved. Users are the individuals who have been granted access to data);
responsive to the responsive action including the assistance action, validating, by the workflow server, the trigger and the one or more responsive actions of the proposed workflow build against the retrieved electronically encoded administration definitions (Paragraph [0050] libraries allow planners to select from an array of materials that are based in experience and validated protocols and practices);
and in response to validating the proposed workflow build, deploying the validated workflow build for execution at the enterprise (Paragraph [0037-0038]; [0053-0058]; [0068]; Fig. 7, relaying upon a library of relationship centric actions from past practices that can be imported into a synchronization matrix allows the development of cooperative community emergency plans. Libraries allows planners to select form an array of materials that are based in experience. The libraries offer guidance and a baseline starting point to begin an emergency response plan. Planning sets represent a particular emergency. It defines a scenario, comprising one or more hazards involving one or more jurisdictions which must respond to the emergency and a library. The library is used to device the major functional areas within the response. Reports tab provides several predefined reports. The threads tab provides access to various threads and is a reusable collection of activities and their relations. This allows one to produce a specific sequence of activities. The jurisdictions tab provides defining various departments and positions that might be involved. Users are the individuals who have been granted access to data. The software can assist the user in the design and implementation of a security strategy).
Hewett disclose a system for providing software to develop and implement a safety plan for a location as well as controlling a network based on the designed plan. However, Hewett does not disclose the following limitations: identifying available local public safety agencies from the database; providing a selectable list of the identified available local public safety agencies to the computing device for display at the computing device;
In the same field of endeavor of generating personalized emergency response plans Zink teaches in response to the new workflow request, accessing a database of public safety agencies and, based on a determined location of the enterprise, identifying available local public safety agencies from the database, identifying available local public safety agencies from the database (Paragraph [0007-0009]; [0064-0066]; [0068]Fig. 6, the invention provides a system and method that manages and tracks substantial detailed information related to users. The system provides users detailed and relevant emergency plans. The system can provide plans tailored to the types of emergencies. The system includes a database management system having data stored. The DMS can have a plurality of local-area datasets, each local-area dataset having prescribed data elements regarding the local area of the residence, including location and contact information for emergency services. The plan generator can include computer readable instructions that include selecting an emergency plan template based upon datasets assigned to a user, assigning items and steps to the emergency plan template based upon datasets assigned to a user, and delivering the emergency plan to the user, the plan having a listing of items, steps, and emergency contacts information. A webpage is shown including local-area datasets. The webpage presents information detailing an exemplary local area, including location and contact information for fire departments, police departments, emergency evacuation centers, and hospitals, to name a few. The system can gather relevant information for publicly available information or through third party data sources. The information is used by the system to populate planning templates with information tailored for the user’s needs).
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system of creating and executing a safety plan as disclosed by Hewett (Hewett [0009]) with the system of in response to the new workflow request, accessing a database of public safety agencies and, based on a determined location of the enterprise, identifying available local public safety agencies from the database, identifying available local public safety agencies from the database as taught by Zink (Zink [0066]). With the motivation of helping to build an execute an emergency response plan (Zink [0006]).
In the same field of endeavor of designing and deploying an emergency response plan Dilbeck teaches and providing a selectable list of the identified available local public safety agencies to the computing device for display at the computing device (Paragraph [0008-0009]; [0048]; [0061-0062]; Fig. 10, a system and method for designing, managing, and executing one or more response plans. Specific plans and resources are defined in advance and a defined plan is executed either automatically or manually according to pre-determined parameter definitions. An “event details” data entry section includes data entry areas. Data entry boxes enable the user to define a plan name and a type of plan. Data entry area enables the user to either create a new message or select a message from a predefined list of messages. Data entry area enables the user to specify the intended recipients of the message. In an exemplary frame that displays emergency services information. Included in the emergency services information is a name of the service, a location, a telephone number, etc. The display presents a list of all currently stored emergency services and provides a button to display a data entry screen that enables the user to create a record for a new service).
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system of creating and executing a safety plan as disclosed by Hewett (Hewett [0009]) with the system of and providing a selectable list of the identified available local public safety agencies to the computing device for display at the computing device as taught by Dilbeck (Dilbeck [0061]). With the motivation of helping to build an execute an emergency response plan (Dilbeck [0006]).
Claims 4 and 13: Modified Hewett discloses the method of claim 1 and the device as per claim 11. Hewett further discloses further comprising: detecting that the assistance administration definitions for the assistance action from the selected local public safety agency indicate an associated required second assistance action from a second local public safety agency; and adding the associated second assistance action from the second local public safety agency to the one or more responsive actions of the proposed workflow build responsive to the trigger (Paragraph [0037-0038]; [0053-0058]; [0068]; Fig. 7, relaying upon a library of relationship centric actions from past practices that can be imported into a synchronization matrix allows the development of cooperative community emergency plans. Libraries allows planners to select form an array of materials that are based in experience. The libraries offer guidance and a baseline starting point to begin an emergency response plan. Planning sets represent a particular emergency. It defines a scenario, comprising one or more hazards involving one or more jurisdictions which must respond to the emergency and a library. The library is used to device the major functional areas within the response. Reports tab provides several predefined reports. The threads tab provides access to various threads and is a reusable collection of activities and their relations. This allows one to produce a specific sequence of activities. The jurisdictions tab provides defining various departments and positions that might be involved. Users are the individuals who have been granted access to data. The software can assist the user in the design and implementation of a security strategy).
Claims 7 and 17: Modified Hewett discloses the method of claim 6 and the device as per claim 16. Hewett further discloses further comprising: when the selected local public safety agency is not in the subset of the available local public safety agencies capable of responding to the incident type, requesting, from the computing device, a modification to the proposed workflow build to: (i) modify the trigger to correspond to another incident type to which the selected local public safety agency is capable of responding; or (ii) select another local public safety agency from the subset of the available local public safety agencies capable of responding to the incident type (Paragraph [0037-0038]; [0053-0058]; [0068]; [0079]; Fig. 7, relaying upon a library of relationship centric actions from past practices that can be imported into a synchronization matrix allows the development of cooperative community emergency plans. Libraries allows planners to select form an array of materials that are based in experience. The libraries offer guidance and a baseline starting point to begin an emergency response plan. Planning sets represent a particular emergency. It defines a scenario, comprising one or more hazards involving one or more jurisdictions which must respond to the emergency and a library. The library is used to device the major functional areas within the response. Reports tab provides several predefined reports. The threads tab provides access to various threads and is a reusable collection of activities and their relations. This allows one to produce a specific sequence of activities. The jurisdictions tab provides defining various departments and positions that might be involved. Users are the individuals who have been granted access to data. The software can assist the user in the design and implementation of a security strategy. It is possible to add a new library to a site).
Claims 8 and 18: Modified Hewett discloses the method of claim 1 and the device as per claim 11. Hewett further discloses wherein the assistance administration definitions are retrieved from one of a centralized public safety agency policy server and a public safety agency policy server under control of the selected local public safety agency (Paragraph [0009-0010]; [0031]; [0041]; Fig. 1, the method of the present invention can be used by private sector agency and organization for emergency preparedness and planning for the gamut of hazards. The client server-based software provides critical flexibility in integrating and synchronizing emergency response planning through the use of a novel automated filter system. The filter system sords and graphically displays user-selected information regarding locations, sequences, relationships, activity implementers, responsible positions, operational story lines, resource allocation, activities, and other items. The method involves input from entities such as organizations which possess response plans, procedures, and protocols for emergency response. This input is used to initiate a formalized and scalable synchronization matrix. The enabling information technology architecture of the present invention provides a software tool that creates an interoperable platform for integrating and synchronizing community and entity emergency plans and response actions).
Claims 9 and 19: Modified Hewett discloses the method of claim 1 and the device as per claim 11. Hewett further discloses further comprising: in response to detecting an error during the validation of the trigger and the one or more responsive actions of the proposed workflow build against the retrieved assistance administration definitions, providing, to the computing device, an indication of the error and an association of the error with one of the trigger or one of the one or more responsive actions (Paragraph [0009-0010]; [0031]; [0041]; Fig. 1, the method of the present invention can be used by private sector agency and organization for emergency preparedness and planning for the gamut of hazards. The client server-based software provides critical flexibility in integrating and synchronizing emergency response planning through the use of a novel automated filter system. The filter system sords and graphically displays user-selected information regarding locations, sequences, relationships, activity implementers, responsible positions, operational story lines, resource allocation, activities, and other items. The method involves input from entities such as organizations which possess response plans, procedures, and protocols for emergency response. This input is used to initiate a formalized and scalable synchronization matrix. The enabling information technology architecture of the present invention provides a software tool that creates an interoperable platform for integrating and synchronizing community and entity emergency plans and response actions).
Claims 10 and 20: Modified Hewett discloses the method of claim 1 and the device as per claim 11. Hewett further discloses further comprising: tracking an actual responsive action taken in response to the trigger; and automatically updating the workflow build based on the actual responsive action (Paragraph [0009-0010]; [0031]; [0041]; Fig. 1, the method of the present invention can be used by private sector agency and organization for emergency preparedness and planning for the gamut of hazards. The client server-based software provides critical flexibility in integrating and synchronizing emergency response planning through the use of a novel automated filter system. The filter system sords and graphically displays user-selected information regarding locations, sequences, relationships, activity implementers, responsible positions, operational story lines, resource allocation, activities, and other items. The method involves input from entities such as organizations which possess response plans, procedures, and protocols for emergency response. This input is used to initiate a formalized and scalable synchronization matrix. The enabling information technology architecture of the present invention provides a software tool that creates an interoperable platform for integrating and synchronizing community and entity emergency plans and response actions).
Claims 2-3, 5-6, 12, 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hewett (US 2007/0015506) in view of Zink (US 2010/0023484) further in view of Dilbeck (US 2010/0188205) even further in view of Gomez (US 2012/0260313).
Claim 2: Modified Hewett discloses the method as per claim 1. However, Hewett does not disclose further comprising: subsequent to validating the new workflow build, transmitting, by the workflow server, the validated workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval; receiving an approval of the workflow build from the selected local public safety agency; and deploying the workflow build for execution at the enterprise in response to receiving the approval from the selected local public safety agency.
In the same field of endeavor of designing and deploying an emergency response plan Gomez teaches further comprising: subsequent to validating the new workflow build, transmitting, by the workflow server, the validated workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval; receiving an approval of the workflow build from the selected local public safety agency; and deploying the workflow build for execution at the enterprise in response to receiving the approval from the selected local public safety agency (Paragraph [0006]; [0022]; [0037-0038]; [0051-0053]; Fig. 4, an emergency and disaster preparedness implementation system incorporating the invention hosted on a computer system. A communications module provides an active alert system. The system is designed to facilitate communication be a number of users for operations involving multiple buildings. Upon selecting a perimeter the system identifies potential staging area and command posts. The system can also provide on the map specific locations of fire and police stations. Selecting landmarks on the map provides detailed information. The system sends alerts to appropriate members staff, management, and first responders. First responders view the updates and either sign off to complete the system update or create a request).
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system of creating and executing a safety plan as disclosed by Hewett (Hewett [0009]) with the system of further comprising: subsequent to validating the new workflow build, transmitting, by the workflow server, the validated workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval; receiving an approval of the workflow build from the selected local public safety agency; and deploying the workflow build for execution at the enterprise in response to receiving the approval from the selected local public safety agency as taught by Gomez (Gomez [0038]). With the motivation of helping to accommodate emergency planning and preparedness by connecting users during an emergency situation (Gomez [0005]).
Claim 3: Modified Hewett discloses the method as per claim 1. However, Hewett does not disclose further comprising: subsequent to validating the new workflow build, transmitting, by the workflow server, the validated workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval; receiving feedback on the workflow build from the selected local public safety agency; and modifying the workflow build in view of the feedback and sending the modified workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval.
In the same field of endeavor of designing and deploying an emergency response plan Gomez teaches further comprising: subsequent to validating the new workflow build, transmitting, by the workflow server, the validated workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval; receiving feedback on the workflow build from the selected local public safety agency; and modifying the workflow build in view of the feedback and sending the modified workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval (Paragraph [0006]; [0022]; [0037-0038]; [0051-0053]; Fig. 4, an emergency and disaster preparedness implementation system incorporating the invention hosted on a computer system. A communications module provides an active alert system. The system is designed to facilitate communication be a number of users for operations involving multiple buildings. Upon selecting a perimeter the system identifies potential staging area and command posts. The system can also provide on the map specific locations of fire and police stations. Selecting landmarks on the map provides detailed information. The system sends alerts to appropriate members staff, management, and first responders. First responders view the updates and either sign off to complete the system update or create a request).
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system of creating and executing a safety plan as disclosed by Hewett (Hewett [0009]) with the system of further comprising: subsequent to validating the new workflow build, transmitting, by the workflow server, the validated workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval; receiving feedback on the workflow build from the selected local public safety agency; and modifying the workflow build in view of the feedback and sending the modified workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval as taught by Gomez (Gomez [0038]). With the motivation of helping to accommodate emergency planning and preparedness by connecting users during an emergency situation (Gomez [0005]).
Claims 5 and 15: Modified Hewett discloses the method of claim 4 and the device as per claim 14. Hewett further discloses further comprising: retrieving second assistance administration definitions for the second local public safety agency (Paragraph [0037-0038]; [0053-0058]; [0068]; Fig. 7, relaying upon a library of relationship centric actions from past practices that can be imported into a synchronization matrix allows the development of cooperative community emergency plans. Libraries allows planners to select form an array of materials that are based in experience. The libraries offer guidance and a baseline starting point to begin an emergency response plan. Planning sets represent a particular emergency. It defines a scenario, comprising one or more hazards involving one or more jurisdictions which must respond to the emergency and a library. The library is used to device the major functional areas within the response. Reports tab provides several predefined reports. The threads tab provides access to various threads and is a reusable collection of activities and their relations. This allows one to produce a specific sequence of activities. The jurisdictions tab provides defining various departments and positions that might be involved. Users are the individuals who have been granted access to data. The software can assist the user in the design and implementation of a security strategy).
However, Hewett does not disclose further validating, by the workflow server, the trigger and the one or more responsive actions of the proposed workflow build against the retrieved second assistance administration definitions; subsequent to further validating the new workflow build, transmitting, by the workflow server, the validated workflow build to the second local public safety agency for approval; and deploying the workflow build for execution at the enterprise in response to receiving an approval from the second local public safety agency.
In the same field of endeavor of designing and deploying an emergency response plan Gomez teaches further validating, by the workflow server, the trigger and the one or more responsive actions of the proposed workflow build against the retrieved second assistance administration definitions; subsequent to further validating the new workflow build, transmitting, by the workflow server, the validated workflow build to the second local public safety agency for approval; and deploying the workflow build for execution at the enterprise in response to receiving an approval from the second local public safety agency (Paragraph [0006]; [0022]; [0037-0038]; [0051-0053]; Fig. 4, an emergency and disaster preparedness implementation system incorporating the invention hosted on a computer system. A communications module provides an active alert system. The system is designed to facilitate communication be a number of users for operations involving multiple buildings. Upon selecting a perimeter the system identifies potential staging area and command posts. The system can also provide on the map specific locations of fire and police stations. Selecting landmarks on the map provides detailed information. The system sends alerts to appropriate members staff, management, and first responders. First responders view the updates and either sign off to complete the system update or create a request).
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system of creating and executing a safety plan as disclosed by Hewett (Hewett [0009]) with the system of further validating, by the workflow server, the trigger and the one or more responsive actions of the proposed workflow build against the retrieved second assistance administration definitions; subsequent to further validating the new workflow build, transmitting, by the workflow server, the validated workflow build to the second local public safety agency for approval; and deploying the workflow build for execution at the enterprise in response to receiving an approval from the second local public safety agency as taught by Gomez (Gomez [0038]). With the motivation of helping to accommodate emergency planning and preparedness by connecting users during an emergency situation (Gomez [0005]).
Claims 6 and 16: Modified Hewett discloses the method of claim 1 and the device as per claim 11. Hewett further discloses further comprising: receiving, at the workflow server, a selection of the trigger prior to a selection of the one or more responsive actions, the trigger associated with an incident type (Paragraph [0050] libraries allow planners to select from an array of materials that are based in experience and validated protocols and practices);
and retrieving respective assistance administration definitions from the subset of the available local public safety agencies capable of responding to the incident type and providing, to the computing device, potential assistance actions from the subset of the available local public safety agencies for selection as the one or more responsive actions (Paragraph [0037-0038]; [0053-0058]; [0068]; Fig. 7, relaying upon a library of relationship centric actions from past practices that can be imported into a synchronization matrix allows the development of cooperative community emergency plans. Libraries allows planners to select form an array of materials that are based in experience. The libraries offer guidance and a baseline starting point to begin an emergency response plan. Planning sets represent a particular emergency. It defines a scenario, comprising one or more hazards involving one or more jurisdictions which must respond to the emergency and a library. The library is used to device the major functional areas within the response. Reports tab provides several predefined reports. The threads tab provides access to various threads and is a reusable collection of activities and their relations. This allows one to produce a specific sequence of activities. The jurisdictions tab provides defining various departments and positions that might be involved. Users are the individuals who have been granted access to data. The software can assist the user in the design and implementation of a security strategy).
However, Hewett does not disclose filtering the list of available local public safety agency to a subset of the available local public safety agencies capable of responding to the incident type and providing the subset of the available local public safety agencies to the computing device.
In the same field of endeavor of designing and deploying an emergency response plan Gomez teaches filtering the list of available local public safety agency to a subset of the available local public safety agencies capable of responding to the incident type and providing the subset of the available local public safety agencies to the computing device (Paragraph [0006]; [0022]; [0037-0038]; [0051-0053]; Fig. 4, an emergency and disaster preparedness implementation system incorporating the invention hosted on a computer system. A communications module provides an active alert system. The system is designed to facilitate communication be a number of users for operations involving multiple buildings. Upon selecting a perimeter the system identifies potential staging area and command posts. The system can also provide on the map specific locations of fire and police stations. Selecting landmarks on the map provides detailed information. The system sends alerts to appropriate members staff, management, and first responders. First responders view the updates and either sign off to complete the system update or create a request).
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system of creating and executing a safety plan as disclosed by Hewett (Hewett [0009]) with the system of filtering the list of available local public safety agency to a subset of the available local public safety agencies capable of responding to the incident type and providing the subset of the available local public safety agencies to the computing device as taught by Gomez (Gomez [0038]). With the motivation of helping to accommodate emergency planning and preparedness by connecting users during an emergency situation (Gomez [0005]).
Claim 12: Modified Hewett discloses the device as per claim 11. However, Hewett does not disclose the processor further configured to: subsequent to validating the new workflow build, transmit the validated workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval; receive an approval of the workflow build from the selected local public safety agency; subsequent to validating the new workflow build, transmit the validated workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval; receive feedback on the workflow build from the selected local public safety agency; and modify the workflow build in view of the feedback and sending the modified workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval.
In the same field of endeavor of designing and deploying an emergency response plan Gomez teaches the processor further configured to: subsequent to validating the new workflow build, transmit the validated workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval; receive an approval of the workflow build from the selected local public safety agency; subsequent to validating the new workflow build, transmit the validated workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval; receive feedback on the workflow build from the selected local public safety agency; and modify the workflow build in view of the feedback and sending the modified workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval (Paragraph [0006]; [0022]; [0037-0038]; [0051-0053]; Fig. 4, an emergency and disaster preparedness implementation system incorporating the invention hosted on a computer system. A communications module provides an active alert system. The system is designed to facilitate communication be a number of users for operations involving multiple buildings. Upon selecting a perimeter the system identifies potential staging area and command posts. The system can also provide on the map specific locations of fire and police stations. Selecting landmarks on the map provides detailed information. The system sends alerts to appropriate members staff, management, and first responders. First responders view the updates and either sign off to complete the system update or create a request).
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system of creating and executing a safety plan as disclosed by Hewett (Hewett [0009]) with the system of further comprising: subsequent to validating the new workflow build, transmitting, by the workflow server, the validated workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval; receiving feedback on the workflow build from the selected local public safety agency; and modifying the workflow build in view of the feedback and sending the modified workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval as taught by Gomez (Gomez [0038]). With the motivation of helping to accommodate emergency planning and preparedness by connecting users during an emergency situation (Gomez [0005]).
Claim 14: Modified Hewett discloses the device as per claim 13. However, Hewett does not disclose the processor further configured to: retrieve second assistance administration definitions for the second local public safety agency; further validate the trigger and the one or more responsive actions of the proposed workflow build against the retrieved second assistance administration definitions; and deploy the workflow build in response to the further validation of the proposed workflow build.
In the same field of endeavor of designing and deploying an emergency response plan Gomez teaches the processor further configured to: retrieve second assistance administration definitions for the second local public safety agency; further validate the trigger and the one or more responsive actions of the proposed workflow build against the retrieved second assistance administration definitions; and deploy the workflow build in response to the further validation of the proposed workflow build (Paragraph [0006]; [0022]; [0037-0038]; [0051-0053]; Fig. 4, an emergency and disaster preparedness implementation system incorporating the invention hosted on a computer system. A communications module provides an active alert system. The system is designed to facilitate communication be a number of users for operations involving multiple buildings. Upon selecting a perimeter the system identifies potential staging area and command posts. The system can also provide on the map specific locations of fire and police stations. Selecting landmarks on the map provides detailed information. The system sends alerts to appropriate members staff, management, and first responders. First responders view the updates and either sign off to complete the system update or create a request).
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system of creating and executing a safety plan as disclosed by Hewett (Hewett [0009]) with the system of further comprising: subsequent to validating the new workflow build, transmitting, by the workflow server, the validated workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval; receiving feedback on the workflow build from the selected local public safety agency; and modifying the workflow build in view of the feedback and sending the modified workflow build to the selected local public safety agency for approval as taught by Gomez (Gomez [0038]). With the motivation of helping to accommodate emergency planning and preparedness by connecting users during an emergency situation (Gomez [0005]).
Therefore, claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see REMARKS, filed February 19, 2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-20 under U.S.C. 101 have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
The applicant argues that claims are directed to a practical application as they recite enabling a computing system to implement the selection and activation of resources in a deterministic manner. However, the examiner respectfully disagrees as the claims recite a method for receiving a proposed workflow build including a trigger and one or more responsive actions including an assistance action from a local public safety agency selected from a selectable list, retrieving administration definitions, validating the workflow, the trigger, and one or more responsive actions, and in deploying the validation workflow build. The claims recite an abstract idea of building an emergency response plan workflow by identifying available services, adding them to the workflow along with information such as triggers and responsive actions, and validating the workflow which can be practically performed in the human mind and are merely a method of organizing human activity as managing personal behavior. The additional elements including a computing device to perform the claim limitations are directed to merely “apply it” or applying generic computer elements to perform the abstract idea of receiving, processing, and displaying information. Merely providing generic computer elements to provide an interface to allow a user to select information to build and validate a workflow is not an improvement to technology or technical field. Therefore, the claims are not directed to a practical application. Furthermore, as the additional elements a directed to “apply it” they do not recite an improvement to a technology and do not amount to significantly more.
Therefore, the examiner maintains the current 101 rejection.
Applicant argues that claims 2-10 and 12-20 are allowable as being dependent on claims 1 and 11 and therefore are rejected under the same rejection.
Applicant’s arguments, see REMARKS, filed February 19, 2026, with respect to the rejections of Claims 1, 4, 7-11, 13, and 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hewett (US 2007/0015506) in view of Zink (US 2010/0023484) further in view of Dilbeck (US 2010/0188205) are not persuasive as the claims were amended and new art was applied.
Claims 1 and 11: Applicant argues that the current prior art does not disclose the amended claim limitations. However, upon further search and consideration the examiner finds that Hewett can be further combined with Zink and Dilbeck to disclose the newly amended claim limitations. Hewett discloses a system of creating an emergency management plan supported by a plurality of agencies. Hewett provides a user interface which allows a user to create a jurisdiction or area, select from a library a plurality of functions, create a plan by adding hazard or trigger points and activities or responses, and generating a visual of the plan. Hewett can be further combined with Zink which teaches a method for generating a personalized emergency response plan. Zink further teaches a system for detecting a user’s location and identifying a plurality of emergency responders in an area that can be added to the emergency response plan (Zink Fig. 6). Hewett and Zink can be further combined with Dilbeck which additionally teaches a system of allowing a user to create an emergency response plan by providing a user interface including a series of dropdown menus to select various elements to add to the emergency response plan.
Therefore, the examiner finds that the combination of the Hewett, Zink, and Dilbeck as capable of teaching the currently amended claimed limitations. Therefore, claims 1 and 11 are newly rejected under U.S.C. 103.
Claims 2-10 and 12-20 were argued as being allowable only as being dependent on claims 1 and 11. Therefore, they are also rejected under the same rejection as above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Smith (US 2017/0215044) System and method for integrated emergency notification.
Piett (US 2013/0203039) Location-based information for emergency management.
Scott (US 2010/0190467) Method of integrating emergency information in a mobile device.
Sigrist (US 2016/0027139) System and method for preparing and implementing emergency response plans.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COREY RUSS whose telephone number is (571)270-5902. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 7:30-4:30.
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/COREY RUSS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3629
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