Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 19/289,053

System and Method for Modification, Personalization and Customizable Filtering of Search Results and Search Result Ranking in an Internet-Based Search Engine

Non-Final OA §DP
Filed
Aug 03, 2025
Priority
Nov 15, 2018 — provisional 62/767,644 +3 more
Examiner
GEBRESENBET, DINKU W
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Digerati Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
71%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 6m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 71% — above average
71%
Career Allowance Rate
431 granted / 608 resolved
+10.9% vs TC avg
Strong +35% interview lift
Without
With
+34.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 5m
Avg Prosecution
11 currently pending
Career history
619
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.6%
-38.4% vs TC avg
§103
84.7%
+44.7% vs TC avg
§102
11.4%
-28.6% vs TC avg
§112
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 608 resolved cases

Office Action

§DP
DETAILED ACTION 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 . Claims 1-20 are present and claims 1-20 are pending. Drawings The drawings received on 03 August 2025 are accepted by the Examiner. Priority This application is a CON of 18/674,417 05/24/2024 PAT 12380174 18/674,417 is a CON of 17/951,373 09/23/2022 PAT 12008059 17/951,373 is a CON of 16/675,891 11/06/2019 PAT 11455356; 16/675,891 has PRO 62/767,644 11/15/2018 This Office Action is Non-Final. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on March 09, 2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner. 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 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 Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); 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 nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b). The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) 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 www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp. Claims 1, 17, 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over Claims 1, 17, 20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,380,174; over claims 1,18 and 23 of U.S. Patent No. 12,008,059 and over claims 1, 14 and 27 of U.S. Patent No 9,734,219 and over claims 1, 17 and 32 of U.S. Patent No 11,445,356. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1, 17, 20 of the instant application are obvious variants of claims 1, 17, 20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,380,174; claims 1,18 and 23 of U.S. Patent No. 12,008,059 and claims 1, 14 and 27 of U.S. Patent No 9,734,219 and of claims 1, 17 and 32 of U.S. Patent No 11,445,356. Claims Comparison Table U.S. Patent No. 11,445,356 U.S. Patent No. 12008059 U.S. Patent No. 12,380,174 Instant application 19289053 1. A computer server system coupleable to a network for personalization of network search results and search result rankings, the server system comprising: a network input and output interface for network data transmission and reception, the network input and output interface adapted to receive at least one query from a respondent or co-respondent via the network; to transmit a plurality of return queries to the respondent or co-respondent via the network; to receive a plurality of responses to the plurality of return queries from the respondent or co-respondent via the network; to receive a maximum transit time duration from the respondent or co-respondent via the network; to transmit personalized network search results and search result rankings to the respondent or co-respondent via the network; and to receive an override of a pause state from the respondent or co-respondent via the network; at least one data storage device adapted to store the plurality of return queries; and one or more processors coupled to the at least one data storage device and to the network input and output interface, the one or more processors adapted to access the at least one data storage device and using the at least one query, to select the plurality of return queries for transmission; to search the at least one data storage device for corresponding pluralities of responses to the plurality of return queries from one or more co-respondents or respondents, respectively; to comparatively pair-wise score the plurality of responses to the plurality of return queries against the corresponding pluralities of responses to the plurality of return queries of the co-respondent or respondent respectively and generate a plurality of pair-wise alignment scores for a plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations; to time duration filter the plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations by determining one or more transit time durations, for a mode of transportation and a transit route, for each respondent and co-respondent combination of the plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations, and when a transit time duration for the mode of transportation and the transit route, of the one or more transit time durations of a respondent and co-respondent combination of the plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations, is greater than the maximum transit time duration, to assign the pause state to the respondent and co-respondent combination for the mode of transportation and the transit route; to sort and rank the plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations according to the plurality of pair-wise alignment scores and the time duration filter to generate sorted and ranked respondents or co-respondents, the sorted and ranked respondents or co-respondents not including the respondent and co-respondent combination having the pause state for the mode of transportation and the transit route; and to output the personalized network search results and search result rankings as a listing of one or more of the sorted and ranked respondents or co-respondents with an option to override the pause state for the respondent and co-respondent combination for the mode of transportation and the transit route. 1. A computer server system coupled to a network for personalization of network search results and search result rankings, the server system comprising: a network input and output interface configured to transmit and receive network data, the network input and output interface further configured to receive at least one query from a respondent or co-respondent via the network; to transmit a plurality of return queries to the respondent or co-respondent via the network; to receive a plurality of responses to the plurality of return queries from the respondent or co-respondent via the network; and to transmit personalized network search results and search result rankings to the respondent or co-respondent via the network; at least one data storage device storing the plurality of return queries; and one or more processors coupled to the at least one data storage device and to the network input and output interface, the one or more processors configured to access the at least one data storage device and using the at least one query, to select the plurality of return queries for transmission; to search the at least one data storage device for corresponding pluralities of responses to the plurality of return queries from one or more co-respondents or respondents, respectively; to comparatively pair-wise score the plurality of responses to the plurality of return queries against the corresponding pluralities of responses to the plurality of return queries and generate a plurality of pair-wise alignment scores for a plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations; to sort and rank the plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations according to the plurality of pair-wise alignment scores; to time duration filter the plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations; and to output a listing of the sorted and ranked respondents or co-respondents, with an option to override any assigned pause state for one or more respondent and co-respondent combinations, to form the personalized network search results and search result rankings. 1. A computer server system coupled to a network for personalization of network search results and search result rankings, the server system comprising: a network input and output interface configured to receive at least one query from a respondent or co-respondent via the network; to transmit a plurality of return queries to the respondent or co-respondent via the network; to receive a plurality of responses to the plurality of return queries from the respondent or co-respondent via the network; and to transmit personalized network search results and search result rankings to the respondent or co-respondent via the network; at least one data storage device storing the plurality of return queries; and one or more processors coupled to the at least one data storage device and to the network input and output interface, the one or more processors configured to access the at least one data storage device and using the at least one query, to select the plurality of return queries for transmission; to search the at least one data storage device for corresponding pluralities of responses to the plurality of return queries from one or more co-respondents or respondents, respectively; to comparatively pair-wise score the plurality of responses to the plurality of return queries against the corresponding pluralities of responses to the plurality of return queries and generate a plurality of pair-wise alignment scores for a plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations; to sort and rank the plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations according to the plurality of pair-wise alignment scores; to time duration filter the plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations by determining at least one transit time duration; and to output a listing comprising the sorted and ranked respondents or co-respondents with an option to override any assigned pause state for one or more respondent and co-respondent combinations, to form the personalized network search results and search result rankings. 1. A computer server system coupled to a network for personalization of network search results and search result rankings, the server system comprising: 5 10 15 20 25 30 a network input and output interface configured to transmit and receive network data, the network input and output interface further configured to receive at least one query from a respondent or co-respondent via the network; to transmit a plurality of return queries to the respondent or co-respondent via the network; to receive a plurality of responses to the plurality of return queries from the respondent or co-respondent via the network; and to transmit personalized network search results and search result rankings to the respondent or co respondent via the network; at least one data storage device storing the plurality of return queries; and one or more processors coupled to the at least one data storage device and to the network input and output interface, the one or more processors configured to access the at least one data storage device and using the at least one query, to select the plurality of return queries for transmission; to search the at least one data storage device for corresponding pluralities of responses to the plurality of return queries from one or more co-respondents or respondents, respectively; to comparatively pair-wise score, for each respondent and co-respondent combination of a plurality respondent and co-respondent combinations, the plurality of responses of a respondent against the corresponding pluralities of responses of a co-respondent of each respondent and co-respondent combination of the plurality of respondent and co respondent combinations and generate a plurality of pair-wise alignment scores; to sort and rank the plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations according to the plurality of pair wise alignment scores; to time duration filter the plurality of respondent and co-respondent combinations by determining one or more transit time durations and assign the pause state to any respondent and co-respondent combination when the one or more transit time durations for the respondent and co-respondent combination are greater than a maximum time duration; and to output a listing comprising the sorted and ranked respondents or co-respondents with an option to override any assigned pause state for one or more respondent and co-respondent combinations, to form the personalized network search results and search result rankings. Allowable subject matter Claims 1-20 are allowed over the prior art. Remarks The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Balasia et al. (US 9734219 B1) discloses a computer server system and method are disclosed for personalization and customizable filtering of network search results and search result rankings, such as for Internet searching. A representative server system comprises: a network interface to receive a query from a respondent or co-respondent; at least one data storage device storing a plurality of return queries; and one or more processors adapted to access the data storage device and using the query, to select the return queries for transmission; to search the data storage device for corresponding pluralities of responses to the return queries from other co-respondents or respondents. Poirier et al. (US 20160132835 A1) discloses process for analyzing the geolocalization data of the work sites, the employees' or the candidates' place of residence (current or future) for one or several companies in order to calculate the travel time (for several modes of transportation) and the distance between each location, based on several search criteria. The invention allows one or more users to view the travel time and/or distance in relation to a worksite at the time of selection of a candidate or an employee for a given job. It may also allow an employee to find a job that matches a specific travel time. Employees could also find a home that is located within a specific travel time from their current or future place of work. Marks et al. (US 20130261956 A1) discloses a method for estimating a travel time between an origin and a destination. The method comprises determining a plurality of travel options from the origin to the destination. Further, each travel option is divided into a plurality of serial travel segments such that the travel segments serially connect the origin to the destination. For each of the travel options, the method further comprises estimating a time of travel in each of the travel segments. The estimated time of travel in a given travel segment is a function of both the nature of travel service associated with the segment and the one or more second user preferences associated with a travel service used in the segment. Allen et al. (US 20160196336 A1) discloses mechanisms, in a Question and Answer (QA) system, are provided for performing a personalized context based search of a corpus of information. A question is received, by the QA system, from a first user via a source device. A first user profile associated with the first user, which specifies a personality trait of the first user, is retrieved. First candidate answers to the original question are generated based on a search of a corpus and second users having a similar personality trait to the personality trait of the first user are identified. Similar questions to that of the original question, which were previously submitted to the QA system by the one or more second users are identified. Second candidate answers based on the one or more similar questions are generated by the QA system. A final answer based on the first candidate answers and the second candidate answers is generated and output to the user via the source device. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DINKU W GEBRESENBET whose telephone number is (571)270-1636. The examiner can normally be reached between 8:00AM-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, Amy Ng can be reached on 571- 270-1698. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /DINKU W GEBRESENBET/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2164
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Prosecution Timeline

Aug 03, 2025
Application Filed
Jun 30, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §DP (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
71%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+34.9%)
3y 5m (~2y 6m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 608 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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