Appendix C

Appendix C. Future-State Workflow Tables
Table C-1. Future-state SI-assisted workflow
Workflow
Step No.
Step Name
Primary Actor
Systems / Tools
Key Inputs
Core Action
Key Output
Main Burden / Risk
Future-State SI-Assisted Workflow
Ingest case file
SI system with examiner oversight
PE2E-DAV, SLIC, sequence listing
Claims, specification, sequence listing, annotations
Read and structure the relevant application content
Structured case summary
Must accurately process both structured and unstructured content Future-State SI-Assisted Workflow
Extract search-relevant features
SI system with examiner oversight
SI analysis layer
SEQ ID NOs, fragments, identity ranges, variants, fusions, wildcards Identify the sequence-related claim features that affect search scope Search-feature inventory
Must preserve examiner review and control
Future-State SI-Assisted Workflow
Generate candidate search strategy
SI system with examiner oversight
SI analysis layer, ABSS workflow logic
Search-feature inventory, known tool capabilities
Recommend search type, query groupings, parameters, and databases Proposed search plan
Recommendations must be explainable and auditable
Future-State SI-Assisted Workflow
Examiner review of strategy
Examiner
SI user interface
Proposed search plan
Accept, reject, or revise the SI recommendations
Finalized search plan
Examiner remains responsible for search sufficiency
Future-State SI-Assisted Workflow
Prepare search submission
SI system and examiner
ABSS, STIC request workflow
Finalized search plan
Convert the approved plan into ABSS or STIC-ready instructions Search-ready submission package
Must fit existing USPTO workflows
Future-State SI-Assisted Workflow
Execute search
Examiner or STIC-EIC 1600
ABSS, STIC request workflow
Search-ready submission package
Run the search or submit the customized request
Search submitted
SI should support, not autonomously decide, examination actions Future-State SI-Assisted Workflow
Ingest result files
SI system with examiner oversight
PE2E-DAV, GenBase UI
ABSS result files
Parse and organize results across queries and databases Structured result set
Must handle large and heterogeneous output files
Future-State SI-Assisted Workflow
Triage and prioritize results
SI system with examiner oversight
SI result-analysis layer
Structured result set, claim features