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
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 13-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Step 1:
The claims are directed to a process (method as introduced in Claim 1), and/or system (Claim 24), and/or non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with executable instructions (Claim 23), thus Claims 13-24 fall within one of the four statutory categories. See MPEP 2106.03.
Step 2A, Prong 1:
The claimed invention recites an abstract idea according to MPEP §2106.04. The independent claims which recite the following claim limitations as an abstract idea, are underlined below.
Claims 21, 23, and 24 recite (as represented by the language of Claim 1):
receiving, from the user terminal, as input information, at least child identification information identifying a child and risk assessment information regarding a risk assessment to support a protection decision for the child, wherein the risk assessment information includes already inputted item information in which one or more input items related to risk assessment for the child have been completed; and
enabling the user terminal to display, as evaluation information for the child, preventive effect information for a predetermined indicator related to child abuse when multiple types of intervention service or support service are combined and implemented, at least based on at least one of information indicating the predetermined intervention service or information indicating the support service and the already inputted item information.
The underlined claim limitations as emphasized above, as drafted, recite a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation covers the performance of managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people (including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions) in the form of analyzing and reviewing data for implementing child protective services. Other than reciting a computer implementation, nothing in the claim elements precludes the step from encompassing the performance of managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people which represents the abstract idea of certain methods of organizing human activity. But for the recitation of generic implementation of computer system components, the claimed invention merely recites a process for analyzing and comparing data to determine what child protective services to implement).
Step 2A, Prong 2:
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the claims recite additional elements such as:
a computer that is connected via a network to a user terminal;
an information processing system, including a server terminal that is connected via a network to a user terminal;
a user terminal for transmitting and displaying data;
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (and/or memory) storing an executable program; and/or
the server terminal (including a processor) and/or computer used to execute the executable program.
In particular, the additional elements cited above beyond the abstract idea are recited at a high-level of generality and simply equivalent to a generic recitation and basic functionality that amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the judicial exception using generic computer technology components.
Accordingly, since the specification describes the additional elements in general terms, without describing the particulars, the additional elements may be broadly but reasonably construed as generic computing components being used to perform the judicial exception (see specification at [0013]). These claimed additional elements merely recite the words “apply it" (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception, or merely include instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, or merely using a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea, as discussed in MPEP 2106.05(f).
Thus, the additional claim elements are not indicative of integration into a practical application, because the claims do not involve improvements to the functioning of a computer, or to any other technology or technical field (MPEP 2106.05(a)), the claims do not apply the abstract idea with, or by use of, a particular machine (MPEP 2106.05(b)), the claims do not effect a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing (MPEP 2106.05(c)), and the claims do not apply or use the abstract idea in some other meaningful way beyond generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment, such that the claim as a whole is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception (MPEP 2106.05(e)). Therefore, the claims do not, for example, purport to improve the functioning of a computer. Nor do they effect an improvement in any other technology or technical field. Accordingly, the additional elements do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea and the claims are directed to an abstract idea.
Step 2B:
The claims do not include additional elements, individually or in combination, that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer components. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept at Step 2B. Thus, the claim is not patent eligible.
Dependent Claims:
Claims 14-22 recite further elements related to the analyzing and display steps of the parent claims. These activities fail to differentiate the claims from the related activities in the parent claims and fail to provide any material to render the claimed invention to be significantly more than the identified abstract ideas, as outlined below.
Claim 14 recites “enabling the user terminal to display, as the evaluation information, respective preventive effect information when two or more types of intervention or support are implemented with respect to one indicator”, which further specifies additional types of data displays, but does not lead toward eligibility. The additional types of display are part of the abstract idea do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide an inventive concept.
Claim 15 recites “enabling the user terminal to display, as the evaluation information, respective preventive effect information when two or more types of intervention or support are each implemented with respect to one indicator side-by-side”, which further specifies additional types of data displays, but does not lead toward eligibility. The additional types of display are part of the abstract idea do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide an inventive concept.
Claim 16 recites “wherein the predetermined indicator related to child abuse is at least one of a probability of severe abuse, a recurrence rate, or a number of days of response”, which further specifies specific types of data, but does not lead toward eligibility. The additional specific types of data are part of the abstract idea do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide an inventive concept.
Claim 17 recites “wherein the preventive effect information is at least one of information on increase or decrease in a predetermined indicator as a result of implementing intervention or support, a value of a predetermined indicator before and after implementing intervention or support, information on increase or decrease in a number of re- referrals for child maltreatment, or information on increase or decrease in necessary resources of staff”, which further specifies specific types of data, but does not lead toward eligibility. The additional specific types of data are part of the abstract idea do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide an inventive concept.
Claim 18 recites “enabling the user terminal to display preventive effect information when the same intervention or support is implemented with respect to two or more indicators”, which further specifies additional types of data displays, but does not lead toward eligibility. The additional types of display are part of the abstract idea do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide an inventive concept.
Claim 19 recites “enabling the user terminal to display preventive effect information when intervention or support is implemented for a specific type of target person with respect to one or more indicators”, which further specifies additional types of data displays, but does not lead toward eligibility. The additional types of display are part of the abstract idea do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide an inventive concept.
Claim 20 recites “enabling the user terminal to display respective preventive effect information when intervention or support is implemented for each of multiple types of target persons with respect to one or more indicators”, which further specifies additional types of data displays, but does not lead toward eligibility. The additional types of display are part of the abstract idea do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide an inventive concept.
Claim 21 recites “wherein the server terminal is further configured to allow selection and setting of at least one of the indicators related to child abuse, an intervention service, or a support service, and enables the user terminal to display preventive effect information related to the set indicator, intervention service, or support service, and wherein the method further comprises enabling the user terminal to display preventive effect information related to the set indicator, intervention service, or support service”, which further specifies additional types of data displays, but does not lead toward eligibility. The additional types of display are part of the abstract idea do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide an inventive concept.
Claim 22 recites “wherein the server terminal is further configured such that one of the indicators, intervention service, or support service is fixedly set, and the other is selectable and settable, and wherein the method further comprises enabling the user terminal to display preventive effect information related to the set indicator, intervention service, or support service”, which further specifies additional types of data displays, but does not lead toward eligibility. The additional types of display are part of the abstract idea do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide an inventive concept. Additionally, merely providing the ability to select different data to display does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide an inventive concept.
The claims do not provide any new additional limitations or meaningful limits beyond abstract idea that are not addressed above in the independent claims therefore, they do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application nor do they provide significantly more to the abstract idea. Thus, after considering all claim elements, both individually and as a whole, it has been determined that the claims do not integrate the judicial exception into a practical application or provide an inventive concept. Therefore, Claims 14-22 are ineligible.
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) 13-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takaoka et al. (JP 2020184185 A)1 in view of Singh (US 2016/0117466 A1).
1 Includes translated drawings, provided in the attached PDF, Results for Foreign Patents request.
In regards to Claims 13, 23, and 24, Takaoka discloses:
A service support method/system for supporting child welfare services, provided by a server terminal that is connected via a network to a user terminal associated with a user of a child welfare center, comprising:
receiving, from the user terminal, as input information, at least child identification information identifying a child and risk assessment information regarding a risk assessment to support a protection decision for the child, wherein the risk assessment information includes already inputted item information in which one or more input items related to risk assessment for the child have been completed; (page 3, lines 1-5, “…for each child (that is, for each child ID), data on a plurality of items related to information on the child related to the notification of abuse and risk assessment information of the child…”, shows the data in the database is associated with a child ID, the data in the database including already inputted information, such as notification of abuse information, see at least page 7, lines 10-17 & 31-38, information is inputted for the notification of abuse and stored (already inputted data associated with the child/case (see also page 11, lines 7-12); page 12, lines 4-8, shows an identifier used to provide risk assessment information to a user terminal; page 19, lines 13-25; etc., displays assessment data to support a protection decision, includes data regarding multiple types of responses (protection decisions), simulation results represent completed assessments that can be used to support decision making for protective responses)
enabling the user terminal to display, as evaluation information for the child, preventive effect information for a predetermined indicator related to child abuse [for] multiple types of intervention service or support service, at least based on at least one of information indicating the predetermined intervention service or information indicating the support service and the already inputted item information (page 21, lines 14-20, “…uses the data of the already entered items and the second index value among the third plurality of items regarding (E) information about the child related to the notification of abuse and the risk assessment information of the child in the past. Including a step of entering into a second probabilistic model based on the abuse case of the child to identify a third indicator value indicating the likelihood that the notification to the child will recur for at least one of the above types of child response.”, shows the preventive effect information (likelihood that the notification to the child will recur) for a predetermined indicator related to child abuse for multiple types of intervention/support responses when implemented (based on past data that demonstrates response types and results), based on at least one of information indicating the predetermined intervention service or information indicating the support service and the already inputted item information (see also page 10, lines 3-10; page 19, lines 13-25; etc., displays assessment data to support a protection decision, includes data regarding multiple types of responses (protection decisions), simulation results represent completed assessments that can be used to support decision making for protective responses))
Takaoka discloses the above system/method for displaying predictions related to predetermined indicators of child abuse, including for multiple types of intervention or support service and corresponding effect information. Takaoka does not explicitly disclose displaying data for combined intervention or support services, however, Singh teaches analyzing multiple intervention/support services that can be combined and implemented simultaneously ([0158], shows that user can be subject to multiple intervention techniques (“one or more of”); [0161], outcomes of intervention techniques can be monitored/recorded; [0163]; [0180], reports can include recommendations for interventions based on previous evaluations and data and multiple recommendations (for multiple interventions, comparable to predictions in Takaoka), can be provided)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the system of Takaoka so as to have included the intervention/support services that can be combined and implemented, as taught by Singh in order to improve decision-making and provide more effective support to those in need (Takaoka, Abstract; page 15, lines 16-20; Singh, [0050])).
In regards to Claim 14, Takaoka discloses:
enabling the user terminal to display, as the evaluation information, respective preventive effect information when two or more types of intervention or support are implemented with respect to one indicator([Figure 6]; including, but not limited to 61-63; page 9, lines 17-20, server provides data for display to the user terminal, the display (provided by the server) allows selecting and setting of intervention/support service, for example selecting 63 sets the display (items 64-67 related to “temporarily protected”))
In regards to Claim 15, Takaoka discloses:
enabling the user terminal to display, as the evaluation information, respective preventive effect information when two or more types of intervention or support are each implemented with respect to one indicator side-by-side ([Figure 7], 71-73)
In regards to Claim 16, Takaoka discloses:
wherein the predetermined indicator related to child abuse is at least one of a probability of severe abuse, a recurrence rate, or a number of days of response (at least page 9, lines 32-35)
In regards to Claim 17, Takaoka discloses the above system/method for displaying predictions related to predetermined indicators of child abuse. Takaoka does not explicitly disclose wherein the preventive effect information is at least one of information on increase or decrease in a predetermined indicator as a result of implementing intervention or support, a value of a predetermined indicator before and after implementing intervention or support, information on increase or decrease in a number of re-referrals for child maltreatment, or information on increase or decrease in necessary resources of staff, however, Singh teaches wherein the preventive effect information is at least one of information on increase or decrease in a predetermined indicator as a result of implementing intervention or support, a value of a predetermined indicator before and after implementing intervention or support, information on increase or decrease in a number of re-referrals for child maltreatment, or information on increase or decrease in necessary resources of staff (Fig. 31B; [0169], shows the change in the risk (increases and decreases), the risk representing an indicator used to determine recommended interventions)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the system of Takaoka so as to have included wherein the preventive effect information is at least one of information on increase or decrease in a predetermined indicator as a result of implementing intervention or support, a value of a predetermined indicator before and after implementing intervention or support, information on increase or decrease in a number of re-referrals for child maltreatment, or information on increase or decrease in necessary resources of staff, as taught by Singh in order to provide additional data to improve decision-making and provide more effective support to those in need (Takaoka, Abstract; page 15, lines 16-20; Singh, [0050])).
In regards to Claim 18, Takaoka discloses:
enabling the user terminal to display preventive effect information when the same intervention or support is implemented with respect to two or more indicators ([Figure 6]; including, but not limited to 65, shows preventive effect information for multiple indicators for the same intervention or support type)
In regards to Claim 19, Takaoka discloses:
enabling the user terminal to display preventive effect information when intervention or support is implemented for a specific type of target person with respect to one or more indicators ([Figure 6]; including, but not limited to 66, data can be further limited to target type (“…girls aged 1-5 years…”))
In regards to Claim 20, Takaoka discloses:
enabling the user terminal to display respective preventive effect information when intervention or support is implemented for each of multiple types of target persons with respect to one or more indicators ([Figure 6]; including, but not limited to 66, data can be further limited to target type (“…girls aged 1-5 years…”); page 4, line 33-page 5, line 5, shows the predictors target types (such as age groups), see also page 7, lines 15-17, includes data that can be used to analyses specific types of persons)
In regards to Claim 21, Takaoka discloses:
wherein the server terminal is further configured to allow selection and setting of at least one of the indicators related to child abuse, an intervention service, or a support service, and enables the user terminal to display preventive effect information related to the set indicator, intervention service, or support service, and
wherein the method further comprises enabling the user terminal to display preventive effect information related to the set indicator, intervention service, or support service ([Figure 6]; including, but not limited to 61-63; page 9, lines 17-20, server provides data for display to the user terminal, the display (provided by the server) allows selecting and setting of intervention/support service, for example selecting 63 sets the display (items 64-67 related to “temporarily protected”))
In regards to Claim 22, Takaoka discloses:
wherein the server terminal is further configured such that one of the indicators, intervention service, or support service is fixedly set, and the other is selectable and settable, and
wherein the method further comprises enabling the user terminal to display preventive effect information related to the set indicator, intervention service, or support service ([Figure 6]; including, but not limited to 61-63; page 9, lines 17-20, server provides data for display to the user terminal, the display (provided by the server) allows selecting and setting of intervention/support service, for example selecting 63 sets the display (items 64-67 related to “temporarily protected”))
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHAUN D SENSENIG whose telephone number is (571)270-5393. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 10:00am-4:00pm.
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/S.D.S/ Examiner, Art Unit 3629
/NATHAN C UBER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3626