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`
`UNITED STATES‘BEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS
`Washington, DC 20231
`
`
`.OCKET NO.
`
`
`
`FIRST NAMED APPLICANT
`
`;,
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`_
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`ATTORNEAII
`
`
`
`_
`
`ABT UNIT
`
`DATE MAILED:
`
`NOTICE OF ALLOWABILITY
`
`'v>I-I
`
` This communIcation is responsive to
`
`It not Included
`All the claims being allowable PROSECUTION ON THE MERITS IS (0R REMAINS) CLOSED In this application.
`herewith (or previously mailed) a Notice 01 Allowance And Issue Fee Due or other appropriate communication will be sent in due
`course
`A
`The allowed claims areME.
`
`The drawings tiled on
`are acceptable.
`Acknowledgment
`is made of the claim lor priority under 35 U.S.C, 119. The certified copy has [-1 been received. [-1 not been
`received [.] been tiled in parent application Serial No.
`_
`__
`. tiled on
`Note the attached Examiner'5 Amendment
`Note the attached Examiner Interview Summary Record PTOL-413 "
`Note the attached Examiner5 Statement of Reasons for Allowance
`Note the attached NOTICE OF REFERENCES CITED, PTO-392
`Note the attached INFORMATION DISCLOSURE CITATION PTO-1449
`
`m__.
`
`amen:IIIE1pg20a.
`
`PART II.
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR RESPONSE to comply with the requirements noted below is set to EXPIRE THREE MONTHS
`FROM THE "DATE MAILED‘
`indicated on this torm. Failure to timely comply will result
`in the ABANDONMENT at
`this application
`_ Extensions ol time may be obtained under the provisions of 37 CFR l 136(a)
`
`1, CI Note the attached EXAMINER‘S AMENDMENT or NOTICE OF INFORMAL APPLICATION, PTO-152. which discloses that the oath
`or declaration is deticient. A SUBSTITUTE OATH OR DECLARATION IS REQUIRED
`2 m APPLICANT MUST MAKE THE DRAWING CHANGES INDICATED BELOW IN THE MANNER SET FORTH ON THE REVERSE SIDE
`OF THIS PAPER
`rawin
`inlormalities are indicated on the NOTICE RE PATENT DRAWINGS PTO-948 attached hereto-pr- to Paper No.
`06—; CORRECTION Is REQUIRED.
`has been approved by the examiner. CORRECTION IS
`b D The proposed drawing correction tiled on
`REQUIRED.
`
`0, CI Approved drawing corrections are described by the examiner in the attached EXAMINER'S AMENDMENT, CORRECTION IS
`REQUIRED.
`
`d. x Formal drawings are now REQUIRED.
`
`Any reSponse to this letter should include in the upper-right hand corner, the following inlormation Irom the NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE
`AND ISSUE FEE DUE: ISSUE BATCH NUMBER, DATE OF THE NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE, AND SERIAL NUMBER.
`Attachments:
`_ Examiner‘s Amendment
`' - Examiner Interview Summary Record. PTOL- 413
`@Reasons lor Allowance
`3.7313320262322755:SEIZ‘IZTfif.mg
`
`'
`
`_ Notice of Inlormal Application. PTO-152
`_ Notice re Patent Drawings. PTO-948
`_ Listing 01 Bonded DraItsmen
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`THE APPLICATION IDENTIFIED ABOVE HAS BEEN EXAMINED AND IS ALLOWED FOR ISSUANCE AS A PA TENT.
`PROSECUTION ON THE MERITS IS CLOSED.
`
`' THE ISSUE-FEE MUST BE PAID WITHIN THREE MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DA TE OF THIS NOTICE OR THIS
`APPLICA TION SHALL BE REGARDED AS ABANDONED. THIS STATUTORY PERIOD CANNOT BE EXTENDED.
`
`HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE:
`I. Review the SMALL ENTITY status shown above.
`It the SMALL ENTITY is shown as YES, verify your
`current SMALL ENTITY status:
`
`A.
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`If the status is changed, pay twice the amount of the
`FEE DUE shown above and notify the Patent and
`Trademark Office of the change in status, or
`If the status is the same, pay the FEE DUE shown
`above.
`
`If the SMALL ENTITY is shown as NO:
`
`A' Pay FEE DUE shown above, or
`
`B.
`
`,
`.
`'
`_
`_
`.
`B. File verified statement of Small Entity Status, before, or wrth,
`payment of 1/2 the FEE DUE shown above.
`II. Part B-Issue Fee Transmittal should be completed and returned to the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) with your
`ISSUE FEE. Even if the ISSUE FEE has already been paid by charge to deposit account, Part B Issue Fee Transmittal
`should be completed and returned.
`If you are charging the. ISSUE FEE to your deposit account, section “4b" of Part
`B-Issue Fee Transmittal should be completed and an extra copy of the form should be submitted.
`III. All communications regarding this application must give application number and batch number.
`Please direct all communications prior to issuance to Box ISSUE FEE unless advised to the contrary.
`
`IMPORTANT REMINDER: Utility patents issuing an applications filed on or after Dec. 12, 1980 may require payment of
`maintenance fees. It is patentee’s responsibility to‘ensure timely payni'ent of maintenance
`fees when due.
`‘
`
`,
`PTOL-85 (REV. 10—96) Approved for use through 06/30/99. (0651-0033)
`V
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`PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE COPY
`
`‘
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`002
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`fiu.s.covenNMENr PRINTING OFFICE 1997-433-221/62716
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` 002
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`

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`Serial Number: 08/862,176
`
`Art Unit: 2771
`
`Page 2
`
`REASONS FOR ALLOWANCE
`
`l.
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`The following is an Examiner's Statement of Reasons for
`
`Allowance:
`
`The prior art made of record, not teaching nor suggesting
`
`the various embodiments of the independent claims, does not
`
`warrant a rejection under 35 USC, Sections 102 or 103.
`
`In reviewing the prior art approaches to retrieving a
`
`desired entity of a desired entity type from a relational
`
`database,
`
`the Examiner noted that in the claims of the present
`
`invention,
`
`the retrieving a specific relation instance record
`
`defining a relation of said provided relation type between said
`
`provided entity and said desired entity from a relation instance
`
`table and retrieving a desired entity type record containing said
`
`desired entity type from an entity definition table features are
`
`not disclosed,
`
`taught or suggested by any prior art.
`
`Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be
`
`submitted no later than the payment of the Issue Fee and,
`
`to
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`avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the Issue
`
`603
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` 003
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`

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`1
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`9,
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`Serial Number: 08/862,176
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`Autllnfiz277l
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`Page 3
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`Fee.
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`Such submissions should be clearly labeled "Comments on
`
`Statement of Reasons for Allowance."
`
`2.
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier
`
`communications from the examiner should be directed to Ruay L. HO
`
`whose telephone number is (703) 305-3834.
`
`The examiner can
`
`normally be reached on Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful,
`
`the examiner's supervisor, Thomas Black, can be reached on (703)
`
`305—9707.
`
`The fax phone number for this Group is (703) 305—9731.
`
`Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this
`
`application or proceeding should be directed to the Group
`
`receptionist whose telephone number is (703) 305—3800.
`
`Ruay L. Ho
`
`February 19, 1998
`
`[zéZéZ//
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`, ”
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`004
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` 004
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`

`”.4
`
`Form PTO 948 (Revt 10—94)
`
`US. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE - Patent and Trademark Office
`
`Application No. g 62‘ ; [2;
`
`NOTICE OF DRAFl‘SPERSON’S PATENT DRAWING REVIEW
`
`PTO Draftpersons review all originally filed drawings regardless of whether they are designated as formal or informal. Additionally,
`patent Examiners will review the drawings for compliance with the regulations. Direct telephone inquiries concerning this review to
`the Drawing Review Branch, 703-305—8404.
`
`Th
`
`e drawi gs filed (insert date)
`
`112'
`f not objected to by the Dr ftsper n under 37 CFR 1.84 or 1.152.
`B.
`objected to by the Draftsperson under 37 CFR l84 or 1.152 as
`indicated below. The Examiner will require submission of new, corrected
`drawings when necessary. Corrected drawings must be submitted
`according to the instructions on the back of this Notice.
`
`,are
`
`22
`
`5.
`
`I. DRAWINGS. 37 CFR l.84(a): Acceptable categories of drawings:
`Black ink. Color.
`_ Not black solid lines. Fig(s)
`__ Color drawings are not acceptable until petition is granted.
`Fig(S) __
`2. PHOTOGRAPHS. 37 CFR 1.84(b)
`_ Photographs are not acceptable until petition is granted.
`Fig(s)
`__ Photographs not properly mounted (must use brystol board or
`photographic double~weight paper). Fig(s)
`_ Poor quality (half-tone). Fig(s)
`3. GRAPHIC FORMS. 37 CFR 1.84 (d)
`_ Chemical or mathematical formula not labeled as separate figure.
`Fig(s)
`_ Group of waveforms not presented as a single figure, using
`common vertical axis with time extending along horizontal axis.
`Fig(S)
`_ Individuals waveform not identified with a separate letter
`designation adjacent to the vertical axis. Fig(s)
`4. TYPE OF PAPER. 37 CFR 1.84(c)
`_, Paper not flexible, strong, white, smooth, nonshiny, and durable.
`Sheet(s)
`_ Erasures, alterations, overwritings, interlineations, cracks, creases,
`and folds copy machine marks not accepted. Fig(s)
`Mylar, velum paper is not acceptable (too thin). Fig(s)
`‘ ZE OF PAPER. 37 CFR 1.84m: Acceptable sizes:
`
`' )
`
`1.6 cm. by 27.9 cm. (8 112 by ll inches)
`21.0 cm. by 297 cm. (DIN size A4)
`All drawing sheets not the same size. Sheet(s)
`Afiurawing sheet not an acceptable size. Sheet(s)
`ARGINS. 37 CFR l.84(g): Acceptable margins:
`6.
`Paper size
`
`
`,
`izrecmx279
`'13‘ ches
`l/2Xllinche ‘ x
`
`2.
`cm.
`2.5cm.
`
`
`Q E
`
`2
`
`
`
`
`_ View and enlarged view not labled separatly or properly.
`Fig(s>____
`Sectional views. 37 CFR 1.84 (h) 3
`_ Hatching not indicated for sectional portions of an object.
`Fig(s)
`__ Cross section not drawn same as view with parts in cross section
`with regularly spaced parallel oblique strokes. Fig(s)
`8. ARRANGEMENT 0F VIEWS. 37 CFR 1.840)
`_ Words do not appear on a horizontal, left-to-right fashion when
`page is either upright or turned so that the top becomes the right
`side, except for graphs. Fig(s)
`9. SCALE. 37 CFR I.84(k)
`Scale not large enough to show mechanism with crowding
`when drawing is reduced in size to two-thirds in reproduction.
`Fig(S)
`_ Indication such as ”actual size” or scale 1/2" not permitted.
`Fig(s)
`10. CHARACTER 0F LINES, NUMBERS, & LETTERS. 37 CFR
`1.234(1)
`_Lines, numbers & letters not uniformly thick and well defined
`clean durable, and black (except for color drawings).
`Fig(s)
`ll. SHADING. 37 CFR 1.84(m)
`__ Solid black shading areas not permitted.
`Fig(s)__.._.._
`_ Shade lines. pale, rough and blurred. Fig(s)
`12. NUMBERS, LETTERS. & REFERENCE CHARACTERS. 37 CFR
`1.84(p)
`__ Numbers and reference characters not plain and legible. 37 CFR
`1.84(p)(l) Fig(s)
`__ Numbers and reference characters not oriented in same direction
`as the view. 37 CFR 1.84(p)(l) Fig(s)
`___Engiish alphabet not used. 37 CFR 1.84(p)(2)
`Flam—.—
`_Numbers, letters, and reference characters do not measure at least
`.32 cm. (1/8 inch)in height. 37 CFR(p)(3)
`Film)”
`[3. LEAD LINES. 37 CFR 1.84(q)
`__ Lead lines cross each other. Fig(s)
`_._ Lead lines missing. Fig(s)
`l4, NUMBERING 0F SHEETS OF DRAWINGS. 37 CFR 1.813(1)
`_ Sheets not numbered consecutively, and in Arabic numerals,
`beginning with number I. Sheet(s)
`15. NUMBER OF VIEWS. 37 CFR l.84(u)
`
`_ Views not numbered consecutively, and in Arabic numerals,
`beginning with number I, Fig(s)
`Margins do not conform to chart above.
`~ View numbers not preceded by the abbreviation Fig.
`Sheet(s)
`
`_Top (T) _. left (L) _Right (R) *Bottom (B)
`Fig(S)
`'
`16. CORRECTIONS. 37 CFR l.84(w)
`7. VIEWS. 37 CFR 1.84(h)
`_ Corrections not made from prior PTO-948,
`REMINDER: Specification may require revision to correspond to
`Fig(s)—_~
`drawing changes.
`17. DESIGN DRAWING. 37 CFR [.152
`_ All views not grouped together. Fig(s)
`____ Surface shading shown not appropriate. Fig(s)
`_ Views connected by projection lines or lead lines.
`__ Solid black shading not used for color contrast.
`Fig(8)_____._..
`Fig(s)
`Partial views. 37 CFR l.84(h) 2
`
`COMMENTS:
`
`ATTACHMENT TO PAPER N0'-@ét(a 7 7
`WT) Coriv
`
`REVIEWER
`
`.a 005
`
`,
`
`DATEJO 2057
`
` 005
`
`

`

`Notice of References Cited
`
`Applicatio No.
`1/1,;
`miner
`
`Ap- lice-nus)
`10’ 0K
`V
`Group A“ Unit
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`III—__—
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` I
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`NAME
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`CLASS
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`SUBCLASS
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`DOCUMENT NO.
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`DATE
`
`COUNTRY
`
`NON-PATENT DOCUMENTS
`DATE I
`DOCUMENT (Including Author, Title, Source, and Pertinent Pages)
`
`_—m
`
`us. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTO-892 (Rev. 9-96)
`
`" A copy of this reference Is not being funished with this Office action.
`(See Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. Section 707.05(a).)
`,
`006
`
`.
`6
`Part of Paper No. \
`'U.S. GPO: 1995:0031 1mm 7a
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` 006
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