DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to Arguments and Terminal Disclaimer submitted on August 26, 2026 for Preliminary Amendment to Continuation Application # 19/249,559 filed on June 25, 2025 in which claims 1-3, 5-18 and 20 are presented for examination.
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 .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged. The Provisional Application# 63/455,642 filed on March 30, 2023.
Status of claims
Claims 1-3, 5-18 and 20-22 are pending, of which claims 1-3, 5-18 and 20-22 are rejected under Double Patenting.
No claims are amended.
Claims 4 and 19 are canceled.
Claims 21 and 22 are newly added.
Obviousness Double Patenting
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” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the claims at issue 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 Ornum, 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 reference 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. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The USPTO internet Web site contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit http://www.uspto.gov/forms/. The filing date of the application will determine what form should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
Claims 1-3, 5-18 and 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-19 of U.S. Patent 12,373,496 B2 (‘496).
With respect to the above, the instant Application are performing an obvious variant of the features claimed in the ‘496 application.
19/249,559
U.S. 12,373,496 B2
Claim 1:
Claim 1:
A system for executing a search in a dataset comprising: a set of storage elements configured to store:
a directed property graph that is derived from the dataset, wherein the directed property graph comprises a plurality of value vertices, a plurality of entity vertices, and a plurality of edges, wherein each edge couples an entity vertex to a value vertex and comprises a label that is indicative of an association between the entity vertex and the value vertex, and wherein each entity vertex corresponds to an entity of the dataset, an associated edge corresponds to a property of the entity, and an associated value vertex corresponds to a data value of the property;
a value index table comprising a mapping between each unique data value of the directed property graph and a value identifier (ID) assigned to the corresponding unique data value; and
a vertex index table comprising a mapping between the value ID assigned to each unique data value and a vertex ID of the corresponding value vertex; and
processing circuitry that is coupled to at least one of the set of storage elements, and is configured to:
receive a search query that comprises a first reference value;
identify, from the plurality of value vertices, a first value vertex having a first data value that is associated with the first reference value, wherein the identification is based on the value index table and the vertex index table;
track (i) a first set of edges, of the plurality of edges, coupled to the first value vertex and (ii) a first set of entity vertices, of the plurality of entity vertices, coupled to the first value vertex by way of the first set of edges; and
generate a response to the search query based on the first data value, a first set of labels of the first set of edges, and a first set of entities of the dataset represented by the first set of entity vertices.
A system for executing a search in a dataset, the system comprising:
a first storage element configured to store a directed property graph that is derived from the dataset, wherein the directed property graph comprises a plurality of value vertices, a plurality of entity vertices, and a plurality of edges, wherein each edge couples an entity vertex to a value vertex and comprises a label that is indicative of an association between the entity vertex and the value vertex, and wherein each entity vertex corresponds to an entity of the dataset, an associated edge corresponds to a property of the entity, and an associated value vertex corresponds to a data value of the property;
a second storage element configured to store a value index table comprising a mapping between each unique data value of the directed property graph and a value identifier (ID) assigned to the corresponding unique data value;
a third storage element configured to store a vertex index table comprising a mapping between the value ID assigned to each unique data value and a vertex ID of the corresponding value vertex; and
processing circuitry that is coupled to the first storage element, and configured to:
receive a search query that comprises a first reference value;
identify, from the plurality of value vertices, a first value vertex having a first data value that is associated with the first reference value, wherein the identification is based on the value index table and the vertex index table; track (i) a first set of edges, of the plurality of edges, coupled to the first value vertex and (ii) a first set of entity vertices, of the plurality of entity vertices, coupled to the first value vertex by way of the first set of edges; and
generate a response to the search query based on the first data value, a first set of labels of the first set of edges, and a first set of entities of the dataset represented by the first set of entity vertices.
“Omission of element and its function in combination is obvious expedient if theremaining elements perform same functions as before.” See In re Karlson (CCPA) 136USPQ 184, decide Jan 16, 1963, Appl. No. 6857, U.S. Court of Customs and Patent Appeals.
It would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to storage in first, second and third storage elements having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter. Doing so would have enhanced the ‘496 patent.
With respect to claims 2-3, 5-18 and 20 they are also rejected since this claims are similar to 2-19 of the ‘496 patent.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed regarding 35 U.S.C. 101 on August 26, 2026 have been fully considered and examiner withdraws the 35 U.S.C. 101 rejection due to persuasive arguments to overcome the rejection.
Terminal Disclaimer filed on August 26, 2026 have been disapproved on September 03, 2026 for the reason stated in the mailed office action. Examiner request to submit the corrected the Terminal Disclaimer form to overcome the Obviousness Double Patenting rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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 filed 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAVAN MAMILLAPALLI whose telephone number is (571)270-3836. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F. 8am - 4pm, EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ann J Lo can be reached on (571) 272-9767. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PAVAN MAMILLAPALLI/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2159
