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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicants’ submission filed on March 10, 2026 has been entered.
Claims 6 and 10 have been canceled without prejudice. Claims 1-3, 5, 7-9 and 11 are pending and an action on the merits is as follows.
Rejections of claims 1-3 and 5-11 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph have been withdrawn.
Applicants’ arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-3, 5, 7-9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1 and 7 include the limitation “a face expression recognition sensor (configured to detect) face expressions of a user in front of the plurality of sensors”. However there is a lack of antecedent basis for “the plurality of sensors”. It is unclear whether applicants intend to reference the face expression recognition senor, further define the face expression recognition sensor as comprising a plurality of sensors, or introduce additional elements into the claims. For examining purposes, this limitation is interpreted as stating “a plurality of sensors including a face expression recognition sensor (configured to detect) face expressions of a user in front of the plurality of sensors”. However there is a lack of antecedent basis for “the plurality of sensors”.
Claims 2, 3, 5, 8, 9 and 11 depend from claims 1 or 7 and therefore inherit all claimed limitations. These claims do not correct the deficiencies of claims 1 or 7.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 3, 5 and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amores-Llopis et al. (US 10,095,315 B2) in view of Chen et al. (US 2023/0278828 A1), further in view of Clements (US 9,477,317 B1).
Claims 1 and 7: Amores-Llopis et al. discloses a contactless method and system for provisioning elevator service from a source floor to a destination floor, comprising: detecting, by a plurality of sensors (210.1-210.3), gestures of a user in front of the plurality of sensors (column 7 lines 40-52), where gestures include face expressions (facial movement) (column 2 lines 29-34). The plurality of sensors then include a face expression recognition sensor to recognize face expressions. A facial gesture recognition device determines a first direction that corresponds to an elevator upward direction or a second direction that corresponds to an elevator downward direction based on the detected face expression of the user, consistent with traditional two button elevator systems (column 9 lines 54-59). A memory is included, and a processor initiates a request for an elevator service, based on the determined said first direction or said second direction (column 9 lines 46-59). This reference fails to disclose the plurality of sensors to be located on a panel outside of an elevator, after the user enters a compartment of said elevator in response to the initiated elevator request, an electronic device to generate a scan code, wherein said scan code is a destination code of said destination floor, a scan code reader located on an inner panel of the compartment of said elevator to scan the generated scan code, the processor to determine a destination floor number from said scanning of the generated scan code and the processor to provision said elevator to said determined destination floor number. This reference further fails to disclose the direction to be determined based on eye movement in the detected face of the user.
However Chen et al. teaches a contactless method and system for provisioning elevator service where an acquisition device (9) is integrated in each of a plurality of panels (floor terminals 8) (page 4 paragraph [0029]), and includes a plurality of sensors (sensor array) (page 4 paragraph [0030]). Therefore a plurality of sensors is integrated into a panel outside of an elevator. After a user enters a compartment of an elevator in response to an initiated elevator request (calling an elevator to a boarding floor), a scan code (QR code) is generated on an electronic device (mobile communications device 20) as shown in Fig. 5B, wherein said scan code is a destination code of a selected desired destination floor, and a scan code reader (credential acquisition device 9) located on in the elevator scans the generated scan code, such that a destination floor number is determined from the said scanning of the generated scan code by a processor and said elevator is provisioned to said determined destination floor number, similar to the process described with respect to Fig. 4A (page 6 paragraph [0054]-[0055]). The scan code reader is located on an inner panel of the compartment of said elevator (page 3 paragraph [0029]).
Given the teachings of Chen et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the contactless method and system for provisioning elevator service disclosed in Amores-Llopis et al. with providing the plurality of sensors to be located on a panel outside of an elevator, after the user enters a compartment of said elevator in response to the initiated elevator request, an electronic device to generate a scan code, wherein said scan code is a destination code of said destination floor, a scan code reader located on an inner panel of the compartment of said elevator to scan the generated scan code, the processor to determine a destination floor number from said scanning of the generated scan code and the processor to provision said elevator to said determined destination floor number. Doing so would provide “improved security for the building system as a whole in case the activation code … [is] subject to unauthorized decoding or decrypting efforts (hacking)… [since the] system generates a new and independent encryption key for each request of an elevator service” as taught in Chen et al. (page 2 paragraph [0010]). These references fail to disclose the direction to be determined based on eye movement in the detected face of the user.
However Clements teaches a contactless method and system for provisioning elevator service using control panel (402) (column 22 lines 13-15), where inputs corresponding to operational functions of the elevator include eye tracking via eye tracking sensor (408) (column 22 lines 41-45).
Given the teachings of Clements, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the contactless method and system for provisioning elevator service disclosed in Amores-Llopis et al. as modified by Chen et al. with providing the direction to be determined based on eye movement in the detected face of the user. Doing so would allow for contactless elevator requests to be more subtle, thereby alleviating anxiety of passengers who are uncomfortable making excessive gestures.
Claim 3: Amores-Llopis et al. modified by Chen et al. and Clements discloses a method as stated above, where said processor further controls a gate (door) of the elevator to open or close at specified landings, as is recognized in the art.
Claims 5 and 9: Amores-Llopis et al. modified by Chen et al. and Clements discloses a method and system as stated above, where said destination floor is disclosed in Amores-Llopis et al. to be determined based on body action (gesture) of the user by a gesture detector (column 9 lines 57-66).
Claim 8: Amores-Llopis et al. modified by Chen et al. and Clements discloses a system where the electronic device generates the scan code, as stated above. The scan code is shown in Fig. 5B of Chen et al. to be a QR code. Therefore the electronic device is a QR code generating device.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amores-Llopis et al. (US 10,095,315 B2) modified by Chen et al. (US 2023/0278828 A1) and Clements (US 9,477,317 B1) as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Caroni (US 2021/0188592 A1).
Claim 2: Amores-Llopis et al. modified by Chen et al. and Clements discloses a method as stated above, but fails to disclose an elevator to be identified by the processor at a first location, where the first location is closest location from the source floor.
However Caroni teaches a method for provisioning elevator service, where an elevator is identified by a processor at a first location, where the first location is closest location from a source floor (waiting floor) (page 3 paragraph [0027]).
Given the teachings of Caroni, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed in Amores-Llopis et al. as modified by Chen et al. and Clements with providing an elevator to be identified by the processor at a first location, where the first location is closest location from the source floor. Doing so would allow a “calculation of a minimum traveling time … at the time of the reception of the destination call, at least requires for traveling to the [source] floor” as taught in Caroni (page 3 paragraph [0027]).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amores-Llopis et al. (US 10,095,315 B2) modified by Chen et al. (US 2023/0278828 A1) and Clements (US 9,477,317 B1) as applied to claim 7 above, further in view of Oh et al. (US 8,253,548 B2).
Claim 11: Amores-Llopis et al. modified by Chen et al. and Clements discloses a system as stated above, but fails to disclose a light indicator to indicate arrival of the provisioned elevator.
However Oh et al. teaches a system for provisioning elevator service, where a light indicator (hall lantern) indicate arrival of a provisioned elevator (column 2 lines 28-33).
Given the teachings of Oh et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system disclosed in Amores-Llopis et al. as modified by Chen et al. and Clements with providing a light indicator to indicate arrival of the provisioned elevator. Doing so would provide an intuitive notification system for passengers similar to most elevator systems.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER UHLIR whose telephone number is (571)270-3091. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-4.
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, Anita Coupe can be reached at 571-270-3614. 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.
/Christopher Uhlir/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619 May 2, 2026
Prosecution Insights