Appeal 2007-0345
Application 09/812,417
Regarding claim 3, the claimed return and help features merely recite
desired results intended to be achieved by the method. However, the claim
fails to recite any structure, physical step, or machine to perform the claimed
method steps.20 Likewise, claims 6-8 fail to recite any structure, physical
step, or machine to perform the claimed method steps.21
In short, claims 1-4 and 6-8 are so broad that they are directed to the
abstract idea itself, rather than a practical implementation of the concept. In
addition, the claims are “so abstract and sweeping” that they would “wholly
pre-empt” all applications of the notion of visually representing a future
20 Although the dissent states that the return and help features in
combination with navigating “seems…to be [a] statutory computer-
implemented process,” Dissent, at 35, merely allowing a user to navigate
hardly requires a machine. Indeed, a user can “navigate” merely by
following instructions or a perusing a list of items. See, e.g., P. 27-28, infra,
of this opinion (citing one example of a implementing the recited steps of
claim 1 without a machine). In short, no machine is required to navigate to
either a “preference menu” or “dependent help categories” – mere
descriptive material that likewise does not require a machine, much less a
computer, to implement or display.
21 The dissent finds the recited recording, notifying, and display prevention
steps as computer-implemented process steps. Dissent, at 36. But no
machine, let alone a computer, is required to implement these steps. Each of
these steps could be implemented without a machine in the context of the
example noted on P. 27-28, infra, of this opinion (citing one example of a
implementing the recited steps of claim 1 without a machine). As we note in
that example, the student can select a number of specified options (“future
program actions”) on a printed form including taking the course for credit
which would result in “recording” the future program in the student’s
academic record. Additionally, notifying the user of the display schedule of
the selected future program could be implemented merely by the university
indicating course availability. Moreover, preventing the display of a
selected future program (e.g., selected course) could be implemented by
merely not including the selected course in a printed list.
22
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Last modified: September 9, 2013