DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
01. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
02. Applicant’s claim for domestic priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) is acknowledged.
Drawings
03. The drawings were received on 03/12/2025. These drawings are accepted.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
04. 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.
05. 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 of this title, 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.
06. Claims 1 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nockley (US PGPub 2021/0057072), in view of Kumar (US PGPub 2011/0257989).
Consider claim 1, Nockley discloses a method of validating time points for data structures with access tokens in networked environments (paragraphs [0022], a method is performed to determine compliance with the dispensing of prescriptions), comprising:
identifying, by a server, a data structure assigned to a user and a computer-readable instruction associated with the data structure (paragraphs [0022], [0027], a user obtains and utilizes a prescription for a drug along with information relating to the prescription. The claimed “data structure” is defined in Applicant’s specification, e.g. paragraph [0064], to be a prescription drug that is available for a patient), the data structure indicating (i) an access token to authorize intake associated with a condition in the user (paragraphs [0022], [0027], an authorization for the prescription is received. The claimed “access token” is defined in Applicant’s specification, e.g. paragraph [0064], to be an authorization for a prescription/drug), and (ii) a service associated with the access token is received (paragraph [0023], the system comprises a platform that allows for client terminals to communicate with a prescription database over a network. The claimed “service” is defined in Applicant’s specification, e.g., paragraphs [0060], [0062], to be some type of platform that allows for the processing of the prescriptions).
obtaining, by the server, a distribution schedule defining a plurality of [time] points, at each of which a corresponding portion of a value is to be assigned to one or more record objects associated with the user in response to satisfying a corresponding target condition associated with the data structure in accordance with the computer-readable instruction (paragraphs [0083], [0115], [0125], various data points are defined that represent the patient’s obtaining of the prescriptions, including all requested refills, as well as payment and insurance information, which is provided by the patient utilizing the patient account. The claimed “record objects” are defined in Applicant’s specification, e.g. paragraph [0102], to be a type of account, such as a type of financial account);
receiving, by the server, prior to a [time] point of the plurality of [time] points, data associated with the data structure from the user (paragraphs [0076], [0087], a user submits a prescription fill request in order to obtain a prescription drug, such that the request is received before the prescription is filled);
determining, by the server, that the data satisfies the target condition defined by the distribution schedule for the time point (paragraphs [0023] – [0025], a determination is made that no problems exist with the current prescription refill request, meaning it satisfies a condition for obtaining the refill);
transmitting, by the server, to a processing service associated with the one or more record objects, a request to assign the corresponding portion of the value of the time point to the one or more record objects, responsive to determining that the data satisfies the target condition (paragraphs [0023], [0077], [0079], [0109], [0115], in response to determining that a condition is met, which would be that there are no problems with fulfilling of the prescription refill request, a positive response is transmitted to a service that can be used to provide the prescription refill to the patient, which includes a patient providing payment for the prescription refill. The claimed “portion” is defined in the Applicant’s specification, e.g. paragraph [0064], to be an amount billed, such as for a prescription drug refill).
Although Nockley discloses different criteria for determining when and how to fulfill prescription drug requests for a patient, Nockley does not specifically teach that these points are time points.
In the same field of endeavor, Kumar discloses a method comprising:
a distribution schedule defining a plurality of time points (paragraphs [0037], [0055], time points are used for the distributing of a prescription drug refill, including a number of refills, a next refill date, a number of authorized refills, and an expiration date).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the time point values for the distributing of a prescription drug to a patient taught by Kumar into the managing of prescription drug refills taught by Nockley for the purpose of allowing prescription refills to only be filled at specific times, so that the patient would not be able to obtain too much of a drug, which would help prevent overdoses and selling on the black market.
Consider claim 2, and as applied to claim 1 above, Hockley discloses a method comprising:
receiving, by the server, prior to a second time point of the plurality of time points, second data associated with the data structure from the user (paragraph [0024], [0077], a patient supplies a request for obtaining a prescription refill);
determining, by the server, that the second data does not satisfy the target condition defined by the distribution schedule for the second time point (paragraphs [0024], [0077], a determination is made that a problem with filling the prescription exists);
refraining, by the server, from transmitting a second request to transfer the corresponding portion of the value to the processing service, responsive to determining that the second data does not satisfy the target condition (paragraphs [0024], [0077], as a result of determining that a problem exists with fulfilling the prescription refill, the refill is not supplied and an alert can be issued.
Consider claim 3, and as applied to claim 1 above, Hockley discloses a method comprising:
transmitting, by the server, a notification message to the computing device for presentation on a user interface to indicate a transfer of the corresponding portion of the value to the one or more record objects associated with the user (paragraph [0077], a warning alert can be issued and displayed about the prescription).
Consider claim 4, and as applied to claim 1 above, Hockley discloses a method comprising:
updating, by the server, a user record object associated with the user to identify a remaining portion of the value available to be transferred across the one or more record objects (paragraphs [0109], [0115], the patient provides payment information, which can be updated in order to determine whether or not a prescription has been paid for).
Consider claim 5, and as applied to claim 1 above, Hockley discloses a method comprising:
receiving the data further comprises receiving the data indicating use of the access token by the user at a second value defined by the data structure (paragraphs [0022], [0078], a complete medication history can be obtained from multiple sources, which is used to determine what prescriptions a patient has accessed).
Consider claim 6, and as applied to claim 1 above, Hockley discloses a method comprising:
obtaining the distribution schedule further comprises retrieving, from a computer-readable instruction provider service, the distribution schedule of the computer-readable instruction accepted by the user to accept the data structure (paragraphs [0076], [0079], a patient is able to determine, which the assistance of medical professionals, what type of prescription distribution is necessary or acceptable).
Consider claim 7, and as applied to claim 1 above, Hockley discloses a method comprising:
the target condition further comprises at least one of: (i) a receipt of the access token, (ii) a performance of an activity by the user, or (iii) an issuance of the access token by the access token service (paragraphs [0026], [0081], authorization of the prescription is determined to have been obtained or distributed).
Consider claim 8, and as applied to claim 1 above, Hockley discloses a method comprising:
identifying the data structure further comprises identifying the data structure to which assignment for the user is switched from a second data structure previously associated with the user (paragraphs [0073], [0074], [0078], a complete history of prescriptions is obtained for a patient, which includes prescriptions that they patient previously and/or currently has taken).
Consider claim 9, and as applied to claim 1 above, Hockley discloses a method comprising:
obtaining the distribution schedule further comprises obtaining the distribution schedule of a computer-readable instruction associated with the data structure (paragraph [0107], instructions are included that are used to determine the prescription and related information).
Consider claim 10, and as applied to claim 1 above, Hockley discloses a method comprising:
receiving the data further comprises receiving historical data identifying activities performed by the user via the computing device (paragraphs [0083], [0109], data is obtained relating to the complete medical and/or prescription history for the patient).
Claims 11 – 20 recite the same embodiments as claims 1 – 10 and are rejected under the same rational. The only difference is that claims 11 – 20 recite a system, whereas claim 1 – 10 recite a method. Since the same claim limitations are otherwise present, the same claim rejections are applied therein.
Relevant Prior Art Directed to State of Art
07. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hill et al. (US PGPub 2020/0005919) discloses a method of processing submission and fulfillment of pharmaceutical prescriptions by providers in real time. The method includes incorporating all types of healthcare data for patients and providers in order to allow faster and more comprehensive access to data to deliver prescriptions in a timely and efficient manner.
Conclusion
08. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to Christopher Raab whose telephone number is (571) 270-1090. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
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, Ajay Bhatia can be reached on (571) 272-3906. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER J RAAB/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2156
April 17, 2026
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