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
This responds to Applicant’s Arguments/Remarks filed 09/14/2026. Claims 1, 7-15, 19-20 have been amended. Claims 1-20 are now pending in this Application.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 9/14/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 09/14/2026 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 8, 12-14, 15-18, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Su (U.S. Pub No. 2018/0260190 A1), and in view of Hou et al (U.S. Pub No. 2023/0267322 A1), da Trindade et al (U.S. Pub No. 2020/0265049 A1).
As per claim 1, Su discloses a system comprising:
a non-transitory memory; and one or more hardware processors coupled with the non-transitory memory and configured to execute instructions from the non-transitory memory to cause the system to (Par [0108]):
receive a query for graph data associated with a first graph and a second graph, wherein the first graph is associated with a first graph schema, wherein the second graph is associated with a second graph schema, and determine a merged graph schema, wherein the merged graph comprising schema data from the first graph schema and the second graph schema, subsequent to receiving the query, generate the merged graph, wherein generating the merged graph comprises merging a portion of the first graph and a portion of the second graph based on the merged graph schema: (Par [0027-0034, 0082-0089]);
execute the query using the merged graph; and determine the graph data based on executing the query (Par [0042, 0049, 0082-0089]);
provide the graph data as a response to the query (Par [0057]).
Su does not explicitly disclose wherein the first graph schema specifies at least one of a vertex type or an edge type that is excluded from the second graph schema and query.
However, Hou discloses wherein the first graph schema specifies at least one of a vertex type or an edge type that is excluded from the second graph schema (par [0092, 0113-0115]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the features as disclosed in Hou into the teaching of Su in order to improve quality to parsing errors does not require any additional cost (Par [0009]).
Su discloses resource type, split and merge graphs. Su and Hou do not explicitly disclose first graph schema specifying (i) a first plurality of vertex types that defines a first set of assets represented by a first plurality of vertices in the first graph and (ii) a first plurality of edge types that defines a first set of relationship represented by a first plurality of edges in the first graph; a second graph schema specifying (i) a second plurality of vertex types that define a second set of assets represented by a second plurality of vertices in the second graph and (ii) a second plurality of edge types that defines a second set of relationship represented by a second plurality of edge in the second graph.
However, da Trindade discloses first graph schema specifying (i) a first plurality of vertex types that defines a first set of assets represented by a first plurality of vertices in the first graph and (ii) a first plurality of edge types that defines a first set of relationship represented by a first plurality of edges in the first graph; a second graph schema specifying (i) a second plurality of vertex types that define a second set of assets represented by a second plurality of vertices in the second graph and (ii) a second plurality of edge types that defines a second set of relationship represented by a second plurality of edge in the second graph; the first plurality vertex types or an edge type from the first plurality of edge types (Par [0028, 0030-0031, 0035-0041]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the features as disclosed in da Trindade into the teaching of Su as modified by Hou in order to improve the query evaluation cost (Par [0071]).
As per claim 2, Su discloses the system of claim 1, wherein executing the instructions further causes the system to generate the merged graph schema based on the query (Par [0027-0034, 0082-0089]).
As per claim 3, the system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the first graph is a first portion of the first graph, and wherein executing the instructions further causes the system to:
determine that the first portion of the first graph, but not a second portion of the first graph, is related to the query, wherein generating the merged graph comprises excluding the second portion of the first graph from the merged graph (Par [0042, 0049, 0082-0089]).
As per claim 4, Su discloses the system of claim 1, wherein executing the instructions further causes the system to: generate a result for the query based on processing the graph data (Par [0042, 0049, 0082-0089]).
As per claim 5, Su discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the graph data obtained from the merged graph is inaccessible from the first graph and the second graph (Par [0038-0039, 0043]).
As per claim 8, Su discloses a method comprising:
receiving, by a computer system and from a computer application, a query for graph data (Par [0027]);
determining, by the computer system, that the graph data cannot be obtained from any single graph from a plurality of graphs, wherein the plurality of graph comprises a first graph associated with a first graph schema (Par [0088-0089]);
determining, by the computer system, a merged graph schema for the query based on the first graph schema and the second graph schema; generating, by the computer system, a merged graph based on combining a portion of the first graph and a portion of the second graph according to the merged graph schema (Par [0027-0034, 0082-0089]);
executing, by the computer system, the query using the merged graph; and providing, to the computer application a result from the executing the query (Par [0042, 0049, 0082-0089]).
Su does not explicitly disclose wherein the first graph schemas in the plurality of graph schemas is different from other graph schemas in the plurality graph schemas.
However, Hou discloses wherein the first graph schemas in the plurality of graph schemas is different from other graph schemas in the plurality graph schemas (par [0092, 0113-0115]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the features as disclosed in Hou into the teaching of Su in order to improve quality to parsing errors does not require any additional cost (Par [0009]).
Su discloses resource type, split and merge graphs. Su and Hou do not explicitly disclose first graph schema specifying (i) a first plurality of vertex types that defines a first set of assets represented by a first plurality of vertices in the first graph and (ii) a first plurality of edge types that defines a first set of relationship represented by a first plurality of edges in the first graph; a second graph schema specifying (i) a second plurality of vertex types that define a second set of assets represented by a second plurality of vertices in the second graph and (ii) a second plurality of edge types that defines a second set of relationship represented by a second plurality of edge in the second graph.
However, da Trindade discloses first graph schema specifying (i) a first plurality of vertex types that defines a first set of assets represented by a first plurality of vertices in the first graph and (ii) a first plurality of edge types that defines a first set of relationship represented by a first plurality of edges in the first graph; a second graph schema specifying (i) a second plurality of vertex types that define a second set of assets represented by a second plurality of vertices in the second graph and (ii) a second plurality of edge types that defines a second set of relationship represented by a second plurality of edge in the second graph; the first plurality vertex types or an edge type from the first plurality of edge types (Par [0028, 0030-0031, 0035-0041]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the features as disclosed in da Trindade into the teaching of Su as modified by Hou in order to improve the query evaluation cost (Par [0071]).
As per claim 12, Su discloses the method of claim 8, wherein the generating the merge graph comprises: accessing (i) a first vertex from the first graph and (ii) a second vertex from the second graph; and generating an edge that connect the first vertex and the second vertex based on the merged graph schema (Par [0027-0034, 0082-0089]).
Su does not explicitly disclose wherein the edge does not exist in either the first graph or the second graph.
However, Hou discloses wherein the edge does not exist in either the first graph or the second graph (Par [0020, 0022, 0041, 0045, 0072, 0082]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the features as disclosed in Hou into the teaching of Su in order to improve quality to parsing errors does not require any additional cost (Par [0009]).
Su discloses resource type, split and merge graphs. Su and Hou do not explicitly disclose a first vertex and a second vertex.
However, da Trindade discloses a first vertex and a second vertex (Par [0028, 0030-0031, 0035-0041]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the features as disclosed in da Trindade into the teaching of Su as modified by Hou in order to improve the query evaluation cost (Par [0071]).
As per claim 13, Su discloses the method of claim 8, wherein the merging is performed subsequent to the receiving the query (Par [0027-0034, 0082-0089]).
As per claim 14, Trinh discloses the method of claim 8, wherein the merged graph is generated without modifying the first graph or the second graph (Par [0022-0023]).
As per claim 15, Su discloses a non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon machine-readable instructions executable to cause a machine to perform operations comprising:
receive a query for graph data associated with a first graph and a second graph, wherein the first graph is associated with a first graph schema, wherein the second graph is associated with a second graph schema, and determine a merged graph schema, wherein the merged graph comprising schema data from the first graph schema and the second graph schema
subsequent to receiving the query, generate the merged graph, wherein generating the merged graph comprises merging a portion of the first graph and a portion of the second graph based on the merged graph schema: (Par [0027-0034, 0082-0089]);
execute the query using the merged graph; and determine the graph data based on executing the query (Par [0042, 0049, 0082-0089]);
providing the graph data as a response to the query (Par [0057]).
Su does not explicitly disclose wherein the first graph schemas in the plurality of graph schemas is different from other graph schemas in the plurality graph schemas.
However, Hou discloses wherein the first graph schemas in the plurality of graph schemas is different from other graph schemas in the plurality graph schemas (par [0092, 0113-0115]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the features as disclosed in Hou into the teaching of Su in order to improve quality to parsing errors does not require any additional cost (Par [0009]).
Su discloses resource type, split and merge graphs. Su and Hou do not explicitly disclose first graph schema specifying (i) a first plurality of vertex types that defines a first set of assets represented by a first plurality of vertices in the first graph and (ii) a first plurality of edge types that defines a first set of relationship represented by a first plurality of edges in the first graph; a second graph schema specifying (i) a second plurality of vertex types that define a second set of assets represented by a second plurality of vertices in the second graph and (ii) a second plurality of edge types that defines a second set of relationship represented by a second plurality of edge in the second graph.
However, da Trindade discloses first graph schema specifying (i) a first plurality of vertex types that defines a first set of assets represented by a first plurality of vertices in the first graph and (ii) a first plurality of edge types that defines a first set of relationship represented by a first plurality of edges in the first graph; a second graph schema specifying (i) a second plurality of vertex types that define a second set of assets represented by a second plurality of vertices in the second graph and (ii) a second plurality of edge types that defines a second set of relationship represented by a second plurality of edge in the second graph; the first plurality vertex types or an edge type from the first plurality of edge types (Par [0028, 0030-0031, 0035-0041]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the features as disclosed in da Trindade into the teaching of Su as modified by Hou in order to improve the query evaluation cost (Par [0071]).
As per claim 16, Su discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the portion of the first graph is a first portion of the first graph, and wherein the operations further comprise:
determining that the first portion of the first graph, but not a second portion of the first graph, is related to the query, wherein the generating the merged graph comprises excluding the second portion of the first graph from the merged graph (Par [0042, 0049, 0082-0089]).
As per claim 17, Su discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the query is received from a computer device, and wherein: the query result is provided to the computer device (Par [0042, 0112]).
As per claim 18, Su discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the graph data is inaccessible from the first graph or the second graph (Par [0038-0039, 0043]).
As per claim 20, Su discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the generating the merged graph comprises:
accessing a first vertex from the first graph and a second vertex from the second graph; and generating an edge that connect the first vertex and the second vertex based on the merged graph schema (Par [0027-0034, 0082-0089]).
Su discloses resource type, split and merge graphs. Su and Hou do not explicitly disclose a first vertex and a second vertex.
However, da Trindade discloses a first vertex and a second vertex (Par [0028, 0030-0031, 0035-0041]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the features as disclosed in da Trindade into the teaching of Su as modified by Hou in order to improve the query evaluation cost (Par [0071]).
Claim(s) 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Su (U.S. Pub No. 2018/0260190 A1), and Hou et al (U.S. Pub No. 2023/0267322 A1), and da Trindade et al (U.S. Pub No. 2020/0265049 A1), and further in view of Grady (U.S. Patent No. 11,816,160).
As per claim 6, Su does not explicitly disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the first graph and the second graph are associated with different domains.
However, Grady discloses wherein the first graph and the second graph are associated with different domains (Col 1 lines 54-65).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the features as disclose in Grady into the teaching of Su as modified by in order to improve database technologies (Col 1 lines 22-24).
As per claim 7, Grady discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the first graph is not domain-specific, and wherein the second graph is specific for a particular domain (Col 9 lines 20-50).
Claim(s) 9-11, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Su (U.S. Pub No. 2018/0260190 A1), and Hou et al (U.S. Pub No. 2023/0267322 A1), and da Trindade et al (U.S. Pub No. 2020/0265049 A1), and further in view of Trinh et al (U.S. Pub No. 2025/0200618 A1).
As per claim 9, Su discloses the method of claim 8, wherein the two or more of the plurality of graphs comprises a first graph associated with a first graph schema and a second graph associated with a second graph schema (Par [0027-0034, 0082-0089]).
Su does not explicitly disclose wherein the first graph schema specifies a first data type that is excluded from the second graph schema.
However, Trinh discloses wherein the first graph schema specifies a first data type that is excluded from the second graph schema (Par [0004, 0006]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the features as disclose in Trinh into the teaching of Su as modified by Hou in order to improve the quality of the graph, sub-graph information (Par [0023]).
As per claim 10, Trinh discloses the method of claim 9, wherein the second graph schema specifies a second vertex type that is excluded from the first graph schema, and wherein the merged graph schema specifies both of the first vertex type and the second vertex type (Par [0006]).
As per claim 11, da Trindade discloses the method of claim 9, wherein the portion of the first graph comprises one or more vertices associated with the first vertex type (Par [0037]).
As per claim 19, Su discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first graph schema specifies a first data type, wherein the second graph schema specifies a second data type that is excluded from the first graph schema (Par [0027-0034, 0082-0089]).
Su does not explicitly disclose wherein the first graph schema specifies a first vertex type that is excluded from the second graph schema.
However, Trinh discloses wherein the first graph schema specifies a first vertex type that is excluded from the second graph schema (Par [0004, 0006]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the features as disclose in Trinh into the teaching of Su as modifed by Hou in order to improve the quality of the graph, sub-graph information (Par [0023]).
Conclusion
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September 30, 2026
/THU N NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2154
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