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 .
DETAILED ACTION
1. This Office Action is in response to the amendment filed on 02/16/2026.
Claims 10, 12, 19, 22, 23 and 25 have been amended.
Claims 1 and 3-6 have been canceled.
Claims 2 and 7-25 are pending.
Response to Arguments
2. This office action has been issued in response to amendment filed 02/16/2026. Claims 2 and 7-25 are pending. Applicants’ arguments have been carefully and respectfully considered in light of the instant amendment as they relate to the claim rejections under double patenting as will be discussed below. Accordingly, this action has been made final.
Double Patenting
3. 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" ranted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type 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 Omum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and 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 a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
4. Claims 2 and 7-25 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-2 of U.S. Patent No. 12,282,458. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other.
Instant Application 19028839
Patent US 12,282,458
Claim 12:
A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by an application platform of a database system from a client device
coupled to a network, a natural language user input indicative of a new functionality to be
added to an instance of an application provided by the application platform;
identifying custom schema at the database system associated with an identifier
associated with a user of the client device, the custom schema comprising existing custom
metadata for one or more object tables at the database system associated with existing
custom objects associated with the identifier associated with the user of the client device;
determining, by the application platform of the database system, a solution for
achieving the new functionality within the instance of the application using the existing
custom metadata for the one or more object tables associated with the existing custom
objects based at least in part on the custom schema;
providing, by the application platform of the database system, a graphical indication of the solution and a selectable graphical user interface element associated with the solution at the client device; and
in response to selection of the selectable graphical user interface element, automatically updating the custom schema at the database system by creating new custom
metadata to implement the solution within the instance of the application provided by the
application platform.
Claim 1:
A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, at a server, user input defining an objective from a client device coupled to a network, wherein the user input is indicative of a new functionality to be added to a virtual application;
obtaining, at the server, metadata associated with an identifier associated with the virtual application from a database system;
analyzing, at the server, the objective and the metadata to identify a solution for achieving the new functionality within the virtual application;
providing, by the server, a graphical user interface display including a graphical indication of the solution; and
in response to selection of the graphical indication of the solution within the graphical user interface display, updating the database system to implement the solution.
Claim 25:
At least one non-transitory computer-readable
storage medium that provides instructions that, when executed by at least one processor,
are configurable to cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a client device coupled to a network, a natural language user input
indicative of a new functionality to be added to an instance of an application provided by
an application platform of a database system;
identifying custom schema at the database system associated with an identifier
associated with a user of the client device, the custom schema comprising existing custom
metadata for one or more object tables at the database system associated with existing
custom objects associated with the identifier associated with the user of the client device;
determining a solution for achieving the new functionality within the instance of
the application using the existing custom metadata for the one or more object tables
associated with the existing custom objects based at least in part on the custom schema;
providing a graphical indication of the solution and a selectable graphical user
interface element associated with the solution at the client device; and
automatically updating the custom schema at the database system by creating new custom metadata to implement the solution within the instance of the application provided by the application platform in response to selection of the selectable graphical user
interface element.
Claim 16:
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that provides instructions that, when executed by a processor, are configurable to cause said processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving user input defining an objective from a client device coupled to a network, wherein the user input is indicative of a new functionality to be added to a virtual application;
obtaining metadata associated with an identifier associated with the virtual application from a database system;
analyzing the objective and the metadata to identify a solution for achieving the new functionality within the virtual application;
providing a graphical user interface display including a graphical indication of the solution; and
in response to selection of the graphical indication of the solution within the graphical user interface display, updating the database system to implement the solution.
Examiner's Note
5. Functionality (According to paragraph 29 of the instant specification): "The user input
may be analyzed to identify any words (or variants) that match or otherwise correspond to fields,
objects, actions and/or other functionality that may be supported by the application platform
124. For example, the desired functionality could be a new piece of data that the user would like
to track, a relationship between different data object that the user would like to monitor, a new
graphical user interface display or layout, or the like."
Identifying a custom schema at the database system (According to Google): "Identifying a
custom schema at the database system" refers to the process of either defining a specific, user-
designed blueprint for data organization (the typical use in data modeling) or specifying which
existing schema a particular application or user should use within a database instance. Defining a Custom Schema In the context of database design, a database schema is a logical blueprint that defines how data is organized and the relationships between data elements. A "custom" schema is a user-created version of this blueprint tailored to specific application or business needs, rather than a default system schema."
Functionality within an application (According to Google): "Functionality within an application
refers to the set of capabilities and operations it can perform to help users accomplish specific
tasks. It encompasses all the core features, user interactions, and processes that allow an application to do what it was designed for, such as transferring money in a banking app or
logging in with a password."
Zhang et al, US 20110004499, [Paragraph 48 ("provide a systematic way to allow architects
that are designing a solution to a business problem to generate and apply this reusable design
knowledge to selected architectural artifacts or models. The reusable design knowledge is captured as solution patterns that are used as a guide to determine and configure the architectural artifacts and models that comply with industry standards or best practices")] [Paragraph 49 ("The solution patterns are implemented as software components that facilitate required actions based on pre-defined specifications and rules.", i.e., determining a solution for achieving the new functionality)] [Paragraphs 5 and 58 ("allows the user to transform a business goal artifact into a set of aligned candidate service artifacts " AND "Solution design pattern rules for the set of architectural artifacts are derived, wherein the solution design pattern rules define transformation relationships among the set of architectural artifacts and define the attributes and business constraints of the set of architectural artifacts", i.e., "architectural artifacts" are custom schemas)] [Paragraph 38 ("a connection for user input through a keyboard, a mouse, and/or some other suitable input device ")].
Cook et al, US 20180121519, [Abstract and paragraph 5("The data file is read and a column is
filtered from the data file to generate the output data file in response to the preselected schema
excluding the column" AND "Reading the data file may also comprise executing a first query
against the data file to generate a first schema, and registering the first schema in a temporary table. The system may create a formatted and ordered string containing content in response to
the reading the data file ")].
Darji et al, US 20230418524, [Abstract and paragraphs 253 and 317 ("A solution for the issue is determined based on at least one of information associated with the storage system or information associated with one or more other storage systems. A response including a
description of the solution for the issue is generated" AND "The generative AI model may
generate a response to the sender of the original content that describes the solution to the issue.
For example, the generative AI model may generate a response that includes a text description of
the solution, a video describing the solution, or one or more illustrations of the solution")]
[Paragraph 316 ("AI model may include audio and visual recognition capabilities as well as
natural language processing that enables the generative Al to identify the issue that is described
within the content")].
Li et al, US 20150066994, [Abstract and paragraphs 7-8 ("A free storage capacity of the super
schema is evaluated according to holes not occupied by any table in the super schema. A sharing
relationship of the plurality of tables is determined according to the free storage capacity of the
super schema. The sharing relationship of a large number of tables in a database can be managed effectively, so as to design or optimize the sharing solution among the tables")].
Ahmed et al, US 20120191650, [Abstract and paragraphs 2-3 ("A solution authoring tool that
includes an authoring environment that allows for the authoring of multiple projects of a
solution including a database project that has a schema and a partner project that has a reference to the schema. When the database project is built and deployed, the database schema
is made ready for runtime ")].
Allen et al, US 20060163338, [Paragraph 8 ("A supply chain visibility solution is disclosed that
combines RFID technology The gathered data and attributes are stored in a data store
according to a customizable schema and published for consumption by one or more business
processes")] [Paragraph 40 ("The user can manually input data into some of the fields (e.g.,
input text, choose from a menu). ")].
Chen et al, US 20130104134, [Abstract and paragraph 10 ("An approach for composing an
analytic solution is provided. After associating descriptive schemas with web services and web-
based applets, a set of input data sources is enumerated for selection. A desired output type is
received. Based on the descriptive schemas that specify required inputs and outputs of the web
services and web-based applets, combinations of web services and web-based applets are
generated. The generated combinations achieve a result of the desired output type from one of
the enumerated input data sources. Each combination is derived from available web services and
web-based applets. The combinations include one or more workflows that provide an analytic
solution. A workflow whose result satisfies the business objective may be saved. Steps in a
workflow may be iteratively refined to generate a workflow whose result satisfies the business
objective ")].
Conclusion
6. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 filled 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 extension fee 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.
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to [Hung D. Le], whose telephone number is [571-270-1404]. The examiner can normally be communicated on [Monday to Friday: 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.].
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Apu Mofiz can be reached on [571-272-4080]. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Hung Le
04/09/2026
/HUNG D LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2161