Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/947,501

METHOD, AN APPARATUS AND A COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR DATA MANAGEMENT

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Nov 14, 2024
Priority
Nov 23, 2023 — FI 20236291
Examiner
MAHROUKA, WASSIM
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Suomen Kuvadata OY
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
7m
Est. Remaining
94%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allowance Rate
223 granted / 260 resolved
+25.8% vs TC avg
Moderate +8% lift
Without
With
+7.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 3m
Avg Prosecution
31 currently pending
Career history
281
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
6.0%
-34.0% vs TC avg
§103
70.4%
+30.4% vs TC avg
§102
6.2%
-33.8% vs TC avg
§112
8.2%
-31.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 260 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1-4, 6-11, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Olszak (US-20070250491). Regarding claim 1: Olszak discloses: a method (Fig. 3, ¶ [0025], and ¶ [0048]), comprising: receiving an initial image (¶ [0046] retrieving image records, and see ¶ [0049] selecting a current view of a retrieved image record); determining at least one inclusive electronic file (¶ [0052] discloses selecting a target location when creating the hyperlink. The target location may need to be called independently of the current View, or the target location may be called utilizing metadata accessible from the current View. ¶¶ [0018] and ¶ [0046] further teach that the linked metadata can include image records, texts, still images, video images, word processing documents, spreadsheets, and other electronic data objects. Accordingly, selecting the target image record or electronic data object constitutes determining an electronic file); generating metadata for said at least one inclusive electronic file, the metadata comprising at least an identification of an initial image and a location on the visual content of the initial image from which a respective inclusive electronic file is navigated to (¶ [0024] disclose that electronic links are composite objects defined by attributes which may also exist as metadata for the image record. Exemplary attributes include the coordinates, resolution and image file/record name of the location at which the portal to the link exists ("representation location"), the coordinates, resolution and image file/record name of the location to which the link connects the user when the hyperlink is activated ("target location"), the coordinates and image file/record name of the location, representation information (e.g., whether the hyperlink is indicated by a box, icon, text, combination thereof, etc.), and annotation information, i.e., information that describes the hyperlink such as the target and intention. For roll-over links, the metadata is simply annotation information. Also see ¶ [0048] – ¶ [0052] ); generating a visual indication to said location on the visual content of the initial image (¶ [0024] teaches representation information specifying whether the hyperlink is indicated by a box, icon, text, combination thereof, etc., ¶¶ [0054] – [0055] further teach that the viewing program parses the metadata to identify icons, text, or sub-images, where provided, for any electronic links and renders the indication at the appropriate location as specified by the representation and target location attributes, including superimposing over the image data ), said visual indication being user-selectable in order to retrieve said at least one inclusive electronic file (¶ [0022] discloses that clickable icon may be provided that may be hidden until revealed when the cursor rolls over the icon. ¶ [0024] identifies the destination as the location to which the link connects the user when the hyperlink is activated ("target location"). ¶¶ [0049] – [0052] further teach selecting locations through a mouse click and navigating to the selected target image record or data object); creating an image model comprising the initial image, at least one inclusive electronic file and said metadata (FIG. 4, ¶ [0042] teaches that image records that are linked together may be treated as whole "image record collections" that can be retrieved virtually as a unit from a number of different storage sites over which the individual image records are distributed. Also see ¶¶ [0017] image records comprises image data and related metadata,[0021] – [0024] image records define image record collection, electronic links from a marked location in one image record to a different image record, link metadata identifying the representation image record, representation coordinates, target image record, and target coordinates ; and storing the image model in a server or in a cloud (FIG. 4, ¶ [0047] teaches that image record may be stored in a server connected to the viewing computer.. ¶ [0059] further teaches that each image record is administered by an image server which may be remotely located. ¶ [0042] teaches that the linked image records are treated as a whole image record collections). Regarding claim 2: Olszak further teaches: wherein the metadata comprises time information relating to an inclusive file (¶ [0017] teaches that mage record includes image data i.e., date and time of creation. Also see ¶¶ [0059] – [0060]). Regarding claim 3: Olszak further teaches: generating an image model on the initial image (¶ [0049] teaches selecting a current view of an image record and selecting a particular location within that displayed image as the representation location and on electronic link. ¶¶ [0054] – [0055] further teach generating iconic or textual metadata for the links and using an image viewing routine for displaying image data corresponding to a given view) and displaying the image model to a user (¶ [0046] teaches a viewing station having a computer 102 for retrieving image records, a display 104 for displaying the image records, a mouse or other pointing device 106 for signaling locations on the display, and one or more input devices 108 for entering metadata. ¶ [0055] further teaches that image viewing routine displays the image data and superimposes the corresponding electronic link metadata over the image). wherein the image model comprises generated visual indications (¶ [0054] teaches that the default iconic or textual metadata may be provided by the computer program as options selectable by the view. ¶ [0055] further teaches that the he viewing program also parses the metadata corresponding to the image data to identify icons, text, or sub-images, where provided, for any electronic links. The metadata is rendered according to viewing options provided to the viewer, and may be superimposed over the image data in the appropriate location as specified by the representation and target location attributes where desired). Regarding claim 4: Olszak further teaches: wherein as a response to user's selection of a visual indication, the method comprises retrieving a corresponding inclusive file (¶¶ [0022], [0024], [0046], [0050] – [0052] disclose retrieving a corresponding link image record in response to the user selecting a hyperlink (visual indication)). Regarding claim 6: Olszak further teaches: wherein the inclusive file is a second image (¶¶ [0022], [0024 teach that an electronic hyperlink provides access from one distinctively marked place or location in an image record, to another place or location in the same or a different image record). Regarding claim 7: Olszak further teaches: determining at least one further inclusive electronic file (¶¶ [0051] – [0052] teach that creation of a hyperlink requires selecting a target location and that the target can be called independently or through existing link metadata. Also see claims 11, 17, 21, and 22); generating metadata for said at least one further inclusive electronic file (¶ [0024] teaches that electronic links are composite objects defined by attributes that may exist as metadata for an image record. ¶ [0058] further teaches that the electronic links themselves are stored as metadata in the image records), the metadata comprising at least a location on the visual content of the second image (¶ [0024] teaches metadata containing the coordinates, resolution and image file/record name of the location at which the portal to the link exists. ¶¶ [0049] – [0050] further teaches selecting a current view of an image record and selecting a particular location in that displayed image as the representation location. The location may be embedded within the image data itself); and an identification of the second image (¶ [0024] teaches that the hyperlink metadata includes the image file or image record name of the representation location); generating a visual indication to said location on the visual content of the second image (¶ [0024] teaches representation information specifying whether a hyperlink is indicated by a box, icon, text, or a combination of such elements. ¶¶ [0054] – [0055] further teach that the viewing program parses the metadata to identify icons, text, or sub-images representing the electronic links and renders the metadata over the image at the location specified by representation attributes); and storing the at least one further inclusive electronic file in a server or in a cloud with the corresponding metadata (¶ [0047] teaches that image records may be stored in a server connected to the viewing computer by a local area network; or at a remote location that transmits the image records over the internet. ¶ [0059] teaches that each image record is administered by image server, which may be remotely located and connected through a local area network, intranet, or the internet. ¶¶ [0059] –[0060] teach that the image server includes image records and corresponding server log files associates with those image records. ¶ [0058] further teaches that the electronic links are stored as metadata in the image records). Regarding claims 8-11, and 13-14: the claims limitations are similar to those of claims 1-4, and 6-7. Therefore, rejected in the same manner as applied above. Olszak discloses an apparatus in FIG. 2. 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. 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(s) 5 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olszak (US 20070250491) in view of Fugitt (US 20070245238). Regarding claim 5: Olszak does not specifically teach: generating a timeline of inclusive files based on the time information. However, in the same field of endeavor, Fugitt teaches: generating a timeline of inclusive files (¶ [0053] discloses that the Timeline Tool 150, as indicated above, includes the timeline visualization 152. Within the timeline visualization 152, a plurality of tick marks 154 are displayed. Each displayed tick mark 154 corresponds to one or more of the data icons 120 displayed over the satellite image 112 in the geospatial data view 110. ¶ [0049] explains that each data icon represents a corresponding data item or information collection and is displayed as an interactive graphical object over the image. ¶ [0128] additionally teaches creating timeline overlays containing RSS or other ingested data and using the same underlying data in linked map and timeline visualization. Also see claims 15-17); based on the time information (¶ [0053] teaches that the timeline includes a display mode selection permitting the user to select the type of date information used to display the data item. ¶ [0138] further teaches the timeline may plot any data items, with a time dimension and explains that RSS data includes a pubDate property used by default to plot the items on the timeline); being stored in their metadata (Olszak ¶ [0017] teaches that each target image record includes related metadata containing the date and time of creation. Fugitt ¶¶ [0053] and [0138] teach using an item’s date property such as publication date, start/end date, or the RSS pubDate property to determine the item’s presentation in the timeline). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Olszak to incorporate the teachings of Fugitt by including: a timeline visualization into Olszak’s linked image record system order to provide additional known way to organize and retrieve Olszak’s linked files according to their existing date and time metadata. Regarding claim 12: the claims limitations are similar to those of claim 5. Therefore, rejected in the same manner as applied above. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hull (US 20070047818) teaches: forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). A source document is converted to an imaged document, from which features are extracted. Hotspots are added to the imaged document, and the imaged document, hotspot definitions, and the feature representation are stored. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WASSIM MAHROUKA whose telephone number is (571)272-2945. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:00-5:00 EST. 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, Stephen Koziol can be reached at (408) 918-7630. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /WASSIM MAHROUKA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2665
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 14, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 23, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12682985
COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD FOR PROVIDING TRAINING DATA FOR A MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHM FOR CLASSIFYING PLANTS INFESTED WITH A PATHOGEN
3y 2m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12682598
CONTROL APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD EXECUTED BY IMAGE CAPTURE SYSTEM
3y 3m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12682683
METHOD FOR PREVENTING HAND GESTURE MISRECOGNITION AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE
3y 2m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12670715
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VIDEO ANALYSIS
2y 6m to grant Granted Jun 30, 2026
Patent 12664848
FACE AUTHENTICATION METHOD
3y 6m to grant Granted Jun 23, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

Strategy Recommendation AI-generated — please review before filing

Get a prosecution strategy drawn from examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Typically takes 5-10 seconds — AI-generated, attorney review required before filing

Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
86%
Grant Probability
94%
With Interview (+7.9%)
2y 3m (~7m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 260 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

Sign in with your work email

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month