DETAILED ACTION
Acknowledgements
This office action is in response to the claims filed 08/28/2025.
Claims 1, 2, 7, 8, and 10-17 are amended.
Claim 5 is cancelled.
Claims 1-4, and 6-18 are pending.
Claims 1-4, and 6-18 have been examined.
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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities: The claim is labelled “Currently Amended” but there are no markings for any amendments. Appropriate correction is required.
Reopening of Prosecution After Appeal Brief
In view of the appeal brief filed on 03/27/2026, PROSECUTION IS HEREBY REOPENED. The new grounds of rejections are set forth below.
To avoid abandonment of the application, appellant must exercise one of the following two options:
(1) file a reply under 37 CFR 1.111 (if this Office action is non-final) or a reply under 37 CFR 1.113 (if this Office action is final); or,
(2) initiate a new appeal by filing a notice of appeal under 37 CFR 41.31 followed by an appeal brief under 37 CFR 41.37. The previously paid notice of appeal fee and appeal brief fee can be applied to the new appeal. If, however, the appeal fees set forth in 37 CFR 41.20 have been increased since they were previously paid, then appellant must pay the difference between the increased fees and the amount previously paid.
A Supervisory Patent Examiner (SPE) has approved of reopening prosecution by signing below:
/NEHA PATEL/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3699
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/28/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
101
The 101 rejection is withdrawn.
112
Due to Applicant’s amendments, prior 112 rejections are withdrawn.
103
Shibata teaches both a NFC connections and Wi-Fi connections.
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Figure 11 shows the 2 phases and the different connections made in Shibata. Shibata states, shown in the Red arrows(First Phase), “When accepting selection of the connection execution button in the setting screen in T820, the printer 100 broadcasts an Advertise signal including the public key PPK1 and the MAC address “abc” via the BT I/F 120 in T822. The Advertise signal is a signal for informing a presence of the printer to devices around the printer 100. T824 is similar to T124 of FIG. 3. The terminal 10 receives the Advertise signal from the printer 100 via the BT I/F 20 in T822. Then, the terminal 10 obtains information in the Advertise signal (that is, the public key PPK1 and the MAC address “abc”).” A signal is sent to devices around the printer. This is the one of the near connection signals, ex. Bluetooth or NFC, and information is transmitted via the signal.
Shibata teaches “In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the printer 100 is provided with a Bluetooth interface 120 (hereinbelow termed “BT I/F 120”). The BT I/F 120 is an I/F for executing wireless communication according to a Bluetooth scheme (hereinbelow termed “BT scheme”). The BT scheme is a wireless communication scheme according to IEEE 802.15.1 standard and standards complying thereto, for example. More specifically, the BT I/F 22 supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). The BLE is a standard that is implemented in version 4.0 of the BT scheme and newer versions thereof. In the BLE, an Advertise signal to be described later can be used. Further, the terminal 10 is also provided with a BT I/F 20 similar to the BT I/F 120 of the printer 100.” Additionally, for the transmission of information, Shibata teaches “(Variant 11) “Second wireless interface” is not limited to the BT I/F 120, and may be, for example, an NFC I/F for executing wireless communication according to another communication scheme such as Near Field Communication (NFC), infrared communication, and transferjet (registered trademark).” It appears the use of NFC is not limited to a single phase as the NFC can be used interchangeably for the pairing and communication of information.
Figure 11 shows the 2 phases and the different connections made in Shibata. Shibata states, shown in the Green arrows(Second Phase), Shibata discloses “the second phase comprising: setting up a second connection of a short-distance radio communication type between a short-distance radio communication interface of the printer and the terminal”.
According to the disclosure (¶ 28, 29), “According to one embodiment of the invention, the short-distance radio connection is set up in accordance with the Wi-Fi protocol….A Wi-Fi connection offers a greater range than Bluetooth, and this can be useful in rooms with a large surface area.” The short-distance radio connection is WiFi, as taught in Shibata.
Shibata discloses “Further, in T954, the terminal 10 sends a completion notification to the printer 100 via the Wi-Fi I/F 16 with intermediation of the AP 6. The completion notification is a notification indicating that the terminal 10 and the printer 100 have established the Wi-fi connections with the same ap 6… . In T958, the printer 100 stops sending the Advertise signal. ” There are two different phases and different connections made between the terminal and the printer to send data. The first connection is a signal to devices near to each other and the second connection is a Wi-Fi connection.
Finally, Ali teaches setting up a first connection of a near-field connection type between the printer and the terminal using a near-field communication interface; the data to be printed being encrypted by the terminal using the shared cryptographic key to form encrypted data, printing the decrypted data using the wireless printer (Abstract; ¶ 11, 29, 36-39, 46-52)
Ali- the first wireless network is one from the set of a Bluetooth wireless network, a near field communication wireless network, and an infrared wireless network. In certain examples, the second wireless network is an ad hoc Wi-Fi network…a “wireless network” refers generally to a computer network established between computing devices via wireless connections, e.g., without direct electrical conductor connectivity between the computing devices. In an example, the first wireless network may be a Bluetooth wireless network. In another example, the first wireless network may be a near field communication wireless network… The encrypted document and the encryption key are sent to the printer, where the printer is to utilize the encryption key to decrypt the encrypted document and is to print the document following decryption…The mobile computing device is to connect to the second wireless network and send the encrypted document and the encryption key to the printer via the second wireless network. The printer, having received the encrypted document and the encryption key, is thus enabled to print the document. (Abstract; ¶ 11, 29, 50)
According to Applicant’s disclosure(¶ 79-87), “The first phase, namely the pairing phase, comprises steps E1 to E12. Such a pairing phase is for example implemented every morning when the merchant powers on the payment terminal 11 and the data-reception device 10… At a step E1, … the payment terminal 11 is positioned by the merchant near the device. data reception 10…. During a step E5, the payment terminal 11 sends a message MSG1 through the near-field connection to the data-reception device 10. The message MSG1 comprises in particular the temporary public cryptographic key KPub11 of the payment terminal 11.” The device is turned on, which in the disclosure is not part of the “first phase”. The first phase begins at E1 when the devices are positioned and at E5, several steps after the device is turned on and operating, the shared keys are “obtained”. Similarly, in Shibata (column 5, line 42-61; claim 13), “Firstly, the first-time BS process executed by the printer 100 in T12 of FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In an initial state of FIG. 3, power of the printer 100 has never been turned on since the printer 100 was shipped. When accepting a turn-ON operation by the user in T100, the printer 100 creates a public key PPK1 and a private key psk1 in T102…when power of the communication device is turned on, create the first public key and store the first public key in the memory.” The steps after the devices are on and operating, Shibata (column 7, line 11-29, column 9, line 46-49) discloses “the terminal 10 creates a public key TPK1 and a private key tsk1 of the terminal 10 in T141. Next, in T142, the terminal 10 creates a shared key SK1 according to Elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman key exchange (ECDH) by using the created private key tsk1 and the public key PPK1 of the printer 100 obtained in T134 of FIG. 3. Then, in T144, the terminal 10 encrypts a random value RV1 by using the created shared key SK1 to create encrypted data ED1.In T200, the terminal 10 sends an AReq via the Wi-Fi I/F 16 to the printer 100 with the MAC address “abc” obtained in T134 of FIG. 3 as its destination. The AReq is a signal requesting the printer 100 to execute authentication. The AReq includes the public key TPK1 of the terminal 10 created in T141, the encrypted data ED1 created in T144, and a capability of the terminal 10.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-4, and 6-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 8, 13 and 14 recite “a first phase of obtaining a shared cryptographic key triggered when the terminal and the wireless printer are powered on,…. According to the disclosure(¶ 11, 12, 80-85, 112), “The first phase, namely the pairing phase, comprises steps E1 to E12. Such a pairing phase is for example implemented every morning when the merchant powers on the payment terminal 11 and the data-reception device 10…. At a step E1, in order to be able to edit receipts comprising data relating to transactions made such as the number of items purchased, their price, etc., the payment terminal 11 is positioned by the merchant near the device. data reception 10…. steps E7 and E8 for obtaining a temporary shared cryptographic key KPart are executed by the payment terminal 11 and by the data-reception device 10..… When the distance separating the payment terminal 11 and the data-reception device 10 is less than or equal to the range of transmission of an NFC chip, a near-field connection is set up… Once the payment terminal 11 and the data-reception device 10 are paired, the merchant can at any time trigger a secure data transfer between the payment terminal 11 and the data-reception device 10.” The disclosure describes a first phase, a “pairing phase” implemented when the merchant powers on the devices. Additionally, multiple steps are performed by the devices before the step of “obtaining” shared keys occurs, which means it is not triggered by powering on a device. There is no support for the recited limitation of triggering “obtaining a shared cryptographic key” when “the terminal and the wireless printer are powered on”. Dependent claims 2-4, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 15-18 are also rejected.
Claims 1, 8, 13,and 14 recite “a second phase of securely receiving the data to be printed, the second phase following the first phase and being triggered when the data to be printed are generated by the terminal,” similarly, claims 11 and 12 recite “the setting up of the second connection being triggered when data to be printed are generated by the payment terminal”. According to the disclosure(¶ 79-81, 101-104), “a second phase of secure transmission of data relating to transactions carried out by the payment terminal 11… The second phase, namely the phase of secure transmission, comprises steps E13 to E18. Such a phase of secure transmission is implemented for each transaction made by the payment terminal 11…. At a step E13, the payment terminal 11 performs a transaction, such as a payment transaction following the purchase of a product by a consumer…. At a step E14, a short-distance radio connection is set up between the data-reception device 10 and the payment terminal 11 by means of the data exchanged in the messages MSG1 and MSG2 exchanged during the steps E5 and E6.” The disclosure describes the second phase as “the phase of secure transmission” and also, as the first step of the second phase, describes the terminal performing a payment transaction. Performing a payment transaction is not synonymous with generating or receiving data to be printed. The disclosure makes no mention of the second phase being about securely receiving the data to be printed, or that the second phase of “securely receiving the data to be printed” is triggered “when the data to be printed are generated by the terminal”. There is no support for the recited limitation. Dependent claims 2-4, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 15-18 are also rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-4, and 6-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibata (US 11,029,897) (“Shibata”), and in view of Ali et al. (US 20190107982) (“Ali”).
Regarding claims 1, 11 and 13, Shibata discloses a first phase of obtaining a shared cryptographic key triggered when the terminal and the wireless printer are powered on, the first phase comprising: (Figure 2-4, 8-11; column 5, line 42-61, column 16, line 22-67, column 19, line 24-33)
Claim Interpretation – According to the disclosure (¶ 80, 81), “The first phase, namely the pairing phase, comprises steps E1 to E12. Such a pairing phase is for example implemented every morning when the merchant powers on the payment terminal 11 and the data-reception device 10….”
Shibata - Firstly, the first-time BS process executed by the printer 100 in T12 of FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In an initial state of FIG. 3, power of the printer 100 has never been turned on since the printer 100 was shipped. When accepting a turn-ON operation by the user in T100, the printer 100 creates a public key PPK1 and a private key psk1 in T102…when power of the communication device is turned on, create the first public key and store the first public key in the memory. (column 5, line 42-61; claim 13)
setting up a first connection between the printer and the terminal,(column 5, line 42-61, column 16, line 22-67, column 19, line 8-33).
Shibata - When accepting the turn-ON operation by the user in T800, the printer 100 executes processes similar to T102 to T106 of FIG. 3. A setting screen displayed in T807 includes a connection execution button for causing the printer 100 to execute a process for establishing a Wi-Fi connection with the AP 6… (Variant 10) In the third embodiment as above, the printer 100 determines that the printer 100 and the terminal 10 are capable of communicating with each other with the intermediation of the AP 6.. Variant 11) “Second wireless interface” is not limited to the BT I/F 120, and may be, for example, an NFC I/F for executing wireless communication according to another communication scheme such as Near Field Communication (NFC), infrared communication, and transferjet (registered trademark). (column 16, line 22-67, column 19, line 8-33)
generating, by a hardware processor of the printer, a pair of temporary cryptographic keys of the printer, the pair of temporary cryptographic keys comprising a temporary private cryptographic key and a temporary public cryptographic key, (column 5, line 46-61, column 8, line 1-67, column 9, line 46-67).
Shibata - In T206, the printer 100 creates a new public key PPK2 and a new private key psk2 of the printer 100. In a variant, the public key PPK2 and the private key psk2 may be created at a time of T102 and stored in the memory 134 in advance.. (column 8, line 1-67)
transmitting, by the hardware processor, through the first connection, the temporary public cryptographic key of the printer, (column 5, line 46-67, column 6, line 59-67, column 8, line 1-67, column 9, line 46-67).
Shibata - In T206, the printer 100 creates a new public key PPK2 and a new private key psk2 of the printer 100. In a variant, the public key PPK2 and the private key psk2 may be created at a time of T102 and stored in the memory 134 in advance. Next, in T207, the printer 100 creates a shared key SK2 in accordance with the ECDH by using the public key TPK1 of the terminal 10 in the AReq of T200 and the created private key psk2 of the printer 100. Then, in T208, the printer 100 encrypts the obtained random value RV1 and a new random value RV2 by using the created shared key SK2 to create encrypted data ED2. In T210, the printer 100 sends an ARes to the terminal 10 via the Wi-Fi I/F 116. This ARes includes the public key PPK2 of the printer 100 created in T206, the encrypted data ED2 created in T208, and a capability of the printer 100.(column 8, line 1-67)
receiving, by the hardware processor, through the first connection, a temporary public cryptographic key of the terminal, and (column 5, line 46-67, column 6, line 59-67, column 7, line 11-29, column 8, line 1-67, column 9, line 46-67)
Shibata - the terminal 10 creates a public key TPK1 and a private key tsk1 of the terminal 10 in T141. Next, in T142, the terminal 10 creates a shared key SK1 according to Elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman key exchange (ECDH) by using the created private key tsk1 and the public key PPK1 of the printer 100 obtained in T134 of FIG. 3. Then, in T144, the terminal 10 encrypts a random value RV1 by using the created shared key SK1 to create encrypted data ED1.In T200, the terminal 10 sends an AReq via the Wi-Fi I/F 16 to the printer 100 with the MAC address “abc” obtained in T134 of FIG. 3 as its destination. The AReq is a signal requesting the printer 100 to execute authentication. The AReq includes the public key TPK1 of the terminal 10 created in T141, the encrypted data ED1 created in T144, and a capability of the terminal 10. (column 7, line 11-29, column 9, line 46-49)
generating, by the hardware processor, a shared cryptographic key from the temporary private cryptographic key of the printer and from the temporary public cryptographic key of the terminal, and (Fig 4; column 5, line 46-67, column 6, line 59-67, column 7, line 11-67, column 8, line 1-67)
Shibata - Specifically, in T202, the printer 100 firstly creates a shared key SK1 in accordance with the ECDH by using the public key TPK1 of the terminal 10 in the AReq and the private key psk1 of the printer 100 stored in advance in the memory 134. (column 7, line 48-67, column 9, line 46-49)
a second phase of securely receiving transaction the data to be printed, the second phase following the first phase and being triggered when the data to be printed are generated by the terminal, (Figure 8-11; column 5, line 46-67, column 6, line 59-67, column 7, line 11-67, column 9, line 1-67)
Shibata - When accepting the selection of the YES button in the confirmation screen in T140 of FIG. 3, the terminal 10 creates a public key TPK1 and a private key tsk1 of the terminal 10 in T141. Next, in T142, the terminal 10 creates a shared key SK1 according to Elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman key exchange (ECDH) by using the created private key tsk1 and the public key PPK1 of the printer 100 obtained in T134 of FIG. 3. Then, in T144, the terminal 10 encrypts a random value RV1 by using the created shared key SK1 to create encrypted data ED1. (column 7, line 11-67)
the second phase comprising: setting up a second connection of a short-distance radio communication type between a short-distance radio communication interface of the printer and the terminal, the data to be printed being encrypted by the terminal using the shared cryptographic key to form encrypted data (column 7, line 11-67, column 16, line 22-67, column 17, line 1-67, column 19, line 8-33).
Claim Interpretation – According to the disclosure (¶ 28, 29), “According to one embodiment of the invention, the short-distance radio connection is set up in accordance with the Wi-Fi protocol….A Wi-Fi connection offers a greater range than Bluetooth, and this can be useful in rooms with a large surface area.”
Shibata - Further, in T954, the terminal 10 sends a completion notification to the printer 100 via the Wi-Fi I/F 16 with intermediation of the AP 6. The completion notification is a notification indicating that the terminal 10 and the printer 100 have established the Wi-fi connections with the same ap 6… . In T958, the printer 100 stops sending the Advertise signal. (column 17, line 1-67, column 16, line 22-67, column 19, line 8-33)
receiving, by the hardware processor, through the second connection, the encrypted data, and(column 5, line 46-67, column 6, line 59-67, column 7, line 11-67, column 16, line 22-67, column 19, line 8-33).
Shibata - In T200, the terminal 10 sends an AReq via the Wi-Fi I/F 16 to the printer 100 with the MAC address “abc” obtained in T134 of FIG. 3 as its destination. The AReq is a signal requesting the printer 100 to execute authentication. The AReq includes the public key TPK1 of the terminal 10 created in T141, the encrypted data ED1 created in T144, and a capability of the terminal 10. (column 7, line 11-67, column 16, line 22-67, column 19, line 8-33)
decrypting, by the hardware processor, the encrypted data using the shared cryptographic key, and printing the data using the wireless printer. (Figure 8-11; column 4, line 59-65, column 5, line 46-67, column 6, line 59-67, column 7, line 11-67, column 8, line 1-67, column 9, line 1-67, column 13, line 21-67, column 14, line 1-67, column 17, line 1-67).
Shibata - Thus, the printer 100 can suitably decrypt, in T204, the encrypted data ED1 in the AReq by using the created shared key SK1, as a result of which the printer 100 can obtain the random value RV1… When the above processes are executed, the terminal 10 and the printer 100 come to establish the Wi-Fi connections with the same AP 6. In this case, the printer 100 can receive print data from the terminal 10 in T970 with the intermediation of the AP 6. As a result, the printer 100 can execute print according to the print data in T972. (column 7, line 48-67, column 17, line 1-39)
Shibata does not disclose setting up a first connection of a near-field connection type between the printer and the terminal using a near-field communication interface; the data to be printed being encrypted by the terminal using the shared cryptographic key to form encrypted data, printing the decrypted data using the wireless printer.
Ali teaches setting up a first connection of a near-field connection type between the printer and the terminal using a near-field communication interface; the data to be printed being encrypted by the terminal using the shared cryptographic key to form encrypted data, printing the decrypted data using the wireless printer (Abstract; ¶ 11, 29, 36-39, 46-52)
Ali- the first wireless network is one from the set of a Bluetooth wireless network, a near field communication wireless network, and an infrared wireless network. In certain examples, the second wireless network is an ad hoc Wi-Fi network…a “wireless network” refers generally to a computer network established between computing devices via wireless connections, e.g., without direct electrical conductor connectivity between the computing devices. In an example, the first wireless network may be a Bluetooth wireless network. In another example, the first wireless network may be a near field communication wireless network… The encrypted document and the encryption key are sent to the printer, where the printer is to utilize the encryption key to decrypt the encrypted document and is to print the document following decryption…The mobile computing device is to connect to the second wireless network and send the encrypted document and the encryption key to the printer via the second wireless network. The printer, having received the encrypted document and the encryption key, is thus enabled to print the document. (Abstract; ¶ 11, 29, 50)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Shibata and Ali in order to provide a more secure means for data transfer by restricting access to only the intended recipient (Ali; ¶ 1).
Regarding claim 2, Shibata teaches wherein the temporary public cryptographic key of the wireless printer is transmitted through the first connection with an address of a short-distance radio interface of the terminal to be used by the hardware processor to set up the second connection (column 5, line 46-61, column 6, line 7-64, column 7, line 1-67, column 8, line 1-67, column 9, line 46-67).
Regarding claim 3, Shibata teaches wherein the second connection is set up in accordance with a Bluetooth low-consumption protocol ( column 15, line 53-67, column 16, line 24-64).
Regarding claim 4, Shibata teaches wherein the short-distance radio connection is set up in accordance with a Wi-Fi protocol ( column 3, line 10-64, column 6, line 7-14, column 15, line 53-67, column 16, line 24-50, column 17, line 1-67).
Regarding claims 6 and 9, Shibata teaches deleting, by the hardware processor, the shared cryptographic key when a period of validity of the shared cryptographic key expires (Figure 8; column 12, line 60-67, column 14, line 25-67, column 15, line 1-50, column 17, line 5-33).
Regarding claims 7 and 10, Shibata teaches deleting, by the hardware processor, the shared cryptographic key when a number of uses by the terminal of the shared cryptographic key to encrypt data is reached (Figure 8; column 12, line 60-67, column 14, line 25-67, column 15, line 1-50, column 17, line 5-33).
Regarding claims 8, 12 and 14, Shibata discloses a first phase of obtaining a shared cryptographic key triggered when the terminal and the is wireless printer are powered on, the first phase comprising: Figure 2-4, 8-11; column 5, line 42-61, column 16, line 22-67, column 19, line 24-33)
Claim Interpretation – According to the disclosure (¶ 80, 81), “The first phase, namely the pairing phase, comprises steps E1 to E12. Such a pairing phase is for example implemented every morning when the merchant powers on the payment terminal 11 and the data-reception device 10….”
Shibata - Firstly, the first-time BS process executed by the printer 100 in T12 of FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In an initial state of FIG. 3, power of the printer 100 has never been turned on since the printer 100 was shipped. When accepting a turn-ON operation by the user in T100, the printer 100 creates a public key PPK1 and a private key psk1 in T102…when power of the communication device is turned on, create the first public key and store the first public key in the memory. (column 5, line 42-61; claim 13)
setting up a first connection between the terminal and the printer,(column 5, line 42-61, column 16, line 22-67, column 19, line 8-33).
Shibata - When accepting the turn-ON operation by the user in T800, the printer 100 executes processes similar to T102 to T106 of FIG. 3. A setting screen displayed in T807 includes a connection execution button for causing the printer 100 to execute a process for establishing a Wi-Fi connection with the AP 6… (Variant 10) In the third embodiment as above, the printer 100 determines that the printer 100 and the terminal 10 are capable of communicating with each other with the intermediation of the AP 6.. Variant 11) “Second wireless interface” is not limited to the BT I/F 120, and may be, for example, an NFC I/F for executing wireless communication according to another communication scheme such as Near Field Communication (NFC), infrared communication, and transferjet (registered trademark). (column 16, line 22-67, column 19, line 8-33)
generating, by a hardware processor of the terminal, a pair of temporary cryptographic keys of the terminal, the pair of temporary cryptographic keys comprising a temporary private cryptographic key and a temporary public cryptographic key, (column 7, line 11-67, column 8, line 11-67).
Shibata - T140 of FIG. 3, the terminal 10 creates a public key TPK1 and a private key tsk1 of the terminal 10 in T141. (column 7, line 11-67)
transmitting, by the hardware processor, through the first connection, the temporary public cryptographic key of the terminal, (column 7, line 11-67, column 8, line 11-67).
Shibata - the terminal 10 sends an AReq via the Wi-Fi I/F 16 to the printer 100 with the MAC address “abc” obtained in T134 of FIG. 3 as its destination. The AReq is a signal requesting the printer 100 to execute authentication. The AReq includes the public key TPK1 of the terminal 10 created in T141, the encrypted data ED1 created in T144, and a capability of the terminal 10. (column 7, line 11-67)
receiving, by the hardware processor, through the first connection, a temporary public cryptographic key of the printer, and (column 5, line 46-67, column 6, line 59-67, column 7, line 11-29, column 8, line 1-67, column 9, line 46-67)
Shibata - the terminal 10 creates a public key TPK1 and a private key tsk1 of the terminal 10 in T141. Next, in T142, the terminal 10 creates a shared key SK1 according to Elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman key exchange (ECDH) by using the created private key tsk1 and the public key PPK1 of the printer 100 obtained in T134 of FIG. 3. Then, in T144, the terminal 10 encrypts a random value RV1 by using the created shared key SK1 to create encrypted data ED1.In T200, the terminal 10 sends an AReq via the Wi-Fi I/F 16 to the printer 100 with the MAC address “abc” obtained in T134 of FIG. 3 as its destination. The AReq is a signal requesting the printer 100 to execute authentication. The AReq includes the public key TPK1 of the terminal 10 created in T141, the encrypted data ED1 created in T144, and a capability of the terminal 10. (column 7, line 11-29, column 9, line 46-49)
generating, by the hardware processor, a shared cryptographic key from the temporary private cryptographic key of the terminal and from the temporary public cryptographic key of the printer, and (column 7, line 11-67, column 8, line 11-67).
Shibata - Next, in T142, the terminal 10 creates a shared key SK1 according to Elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman key exchange (ECDH) by using the created private key tsk1 and the public key PPK1 of the printer 100 obtained in T134 of FIG. 3. Then, in T144, the terminal 10 encrypts a random value RV1 by using the created shared key SK1 to create encrypted data ED1. (column 7, line 11-67)
a second phase of securely transmitting data to be printed, the second phase following the first phase and being triggered when the data to be printed are generated by the terminal, the second phase comprising: setting up, by the hardware processor, a second connection of a short-distance radio communication type between a short-distance radio communication interface of the terminal and the printer, (column 7, line 11-67, column 8, line 11-67, column 16, line 22-67, column 17, line 1-67, column 19, line 8-33).
Claim Interpretation – According to the disclosure (¶ 28, 29), “According to one embodiment of the invention, the short-distance radio connection is set up in accordance with the Wi-Fi protocol….A Wi-Fi connection offers a greater range than Bluetooth, and this can be useful in rooms with a large surface area.”
Shibata - Further, in T954, the terminal 10 sends a completion notification to the printer 100 via the Wi-Fi I/F 16 with intermediation of the AP 6. The completion notification is a notification indicating that the terminal 10 and the printer 100 have established the Wi-fi connections with the same ap 6… . In T958, the printer 100 stops sending the Advertise signal… In this case, the printer 100 can receive print data from the terminal 10 in T970 with the intermediation of the AP 6. As a result, the printer 100 can execute print according to the print data in T972. (column 17, line 1-67, column 16, line 22-67, column 17, line 1-67, column 19, line 8-33)
encrypting, by the hardware processor, the data using the shared cryptographic key, and (column 7, line 11-67, column 8, line 11-67).
Shibata - Next, in T142, the terminal 10 creates a shared key SK1 according to Elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman key exchange (ECDH) by using the created private key tsk1 and the public key PPK1 of the printer 100 obtained in T134 of FIG. 3. Then, in T144, the terminal 10 encrypts a random value RV1 by using the created shared key SK1 to create encrypted data ED1. (column 7, line 11-67)
transmitting, by the hardware processor, through the second connection, the encrypted data (column 7, line 11-67, column 8, line 11-67).
Shibata - In T200, the terminal 10 sends an AReq via the Wi-Fi I/F 16 to the printer 100 with the MAC address “abc” obtained in T134 of FIG. 3 as its destination. The AReq is a signal requesting the printer 100 to execute authentication. The AReq includes the public key TPK1 of the terminal 10 created in T141, the encrypted data ED1 created in T144, and a capability of the terminal 10. (column 7, line 11-67)
Shibata does not disclose setting up a first connection of a near-field connection type between the terminal and the printer using a near-field communication interface; encrypting, by the hardware processor, the data to be printed using the shared cryptographic key.
Ali teaches setting up a first connection of a near-field connection type between the terminal and the printer using a near-field communication interface; encrypting, by the hardware processor, the data to be printed using the shared cryptographic key. (Abstract; ¶ 11, 15, 29, 36-39, 46-52, 76)
Ali- the first wireless network is one from the set of a Bluetooth wireless network, a near field communication wireless network, and an infrared wireless network. In certain examples, the second wireless network is an ad hoc Wi-Fi network…a “wireless network” refers generally to a computer network established between computing devices via wireless connections, e.g., without direct electrical conductor connectivity between the computing devices. In an example, the first wireless network may be a Bluetooth wireless network. In another example, the first wireless network may be a near field communication wireless network… encryption engine 222 represents generally a combination of hardware and programming to encrypt a document utilizing an encryption key. …The encrypted document and the encryption key are sent to the printer, where the printer is to utilize the encryption key to decrypt the encrypted document and is to print the document following decryption…The mobile computing device is to connect to the second wireless network and send the encrypted document and the encryption key to the printer via the second wireless network. The printer, having received the encrypted document and the encryption key, is thus enabled to print the document. (Abstract; ¶ 11, 29, 47, 50)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Shibata and Ali in order to provide a more secure means for data transfer by restricting access to only the intended recipient (Ali; ¶ 1).
Regarding claims 15 and 17, Shibata discloses wherein the pair of temporary cryptographic keys of the wireless printer is randomly generated (column 5, line 46-61, column 8, line 1-67, column 9, line 46-67).
Regarding claims 16 and 18, Shibata discloses wherein the shared cryptographic key is generated in accordance with the elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol (column 7, line 11-22).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Krukar (US 20190373137) teaches the printer and NFC with the decrypted data before print with key that are shared.
Beatty (WO2016069775) teaches printer, NFC and a shared secret
Watanabe (US20200169418) teaches the exchange and generation of the keys and sharing them
Bhandaru(US 20180020353) teaches the generated key pairs, the transmission and shared secret
Maniar (US 20140279479) teaches the keys, encrypted transaction Data and NFC
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/ILSE I IMMANUEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3699
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