DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The Office Action is in response to claims filed on 6/30/2025 where claims 1-20 are pending and ready for examination.
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.
Applicant's arguments filed 6/30/2025 have been read in their entirety (Pages 5-9) and are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments is unpersuasive. The proper inquiry under MPEP 2143.03 is not whether Deugo “needs” Berger’s event data.
Berger ([0055]) discloses that the QR code is the trigger for the request to the RSVP server. When scanned, the QR code initiates a browser request, which is based on the 2D barcode because the request is derived from the URL encoded in the code. In response to that request, Berger teaches that the server provides access to RSVP event data ([0054] – [0056]), including RSVP responses, event information (date, time, location), and user comments.
The mere fact that Berger teaches the server responds with information stored in the databases confirms that a request was necessarily received by the server. A server cannot provide or present data stored in a database absent a corresponding request. Thus, Berger teaches both (i) receiving a request based on the 2D barcode and (ii) generating a response containing the event data to be displayed.
Applicant’s argument that the event information “is not linked to the QR code” is unpersuasive. The claim does not require that the event data itself be embedded in the barcode. It requires only that the request be based on the barcode. In Berger, scanning the QR code triggers the request, and the server responds with the event data from its database. This squarely meets the claimed limitation.
The Applicant appears to be taking a Product Engineering Management decision with respect to what one of ordinary skill in the art can execute or perform to solve problems. One of ordinary skill in the art is a skilled artisan addressing problems and making predictable design choices. The Supreme Court has made clear that “the combination of familiar elements according to known methods is likely to be obvious when it does no more than yield predictable results” (KSR Int’l v. Teleflex, 550 U.S. 398, 416 (2007). Further, “any need or problem known in the field of endeavor at the time of the invention and addressed by the patent can provide a reason for combining elements in the manner claims” (Id. At 550 U.S. 420, citing United States v. Adams, 383 U.S. 39 (1966).
Here, Deugo teaches event tracking via QR codes, while Berges teaches using a QR code as a trigger for a server request, and response with event data ([0054]-[0056]) and generating a printer file including the barcode ([0047], [0055]). One of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to combine these features to yield the predictable result or enhancing event tracking with server-based retrieval and printing of event information.
In summary, the examiner is maintaining both the USC 103 and USC 102 rejections. The claims are analyzed under the broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI) consistent with the specification. As per MPEP 2171, it is claims themselves that define the metes and bounds of the invention, not the specification per se.
The examiner further notes that the claims recite steps in functional terms, but do not require any particular order of operations, absent explicit language in the claims. The claim language sets forth what the server system is configured to do, but does not limit the system to performing the recited functions in any strict sequence. Thus, applicant’s arguments attempting to impose a specific ordering onto the limitations are unpersuasive.
With respect to the USC 103 rejection, one of ordinary skill in the art, faced wit the problem of managing event information, would have recognized that the use of a trigger such as a QR code be applied in numerous obvious ways to facilitate requests and responses for event data. Given that the claims are not limited to a particular order of steps, one of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to implement a variety of predictable request/response arrangements – a matrix of possible flows – including those taught by Berger in combination with Deugo.
Accordingly, the examiner maintains the claims remain unpatentable over USC 102 over Berger and under USC 103 over Deugo in combination with Berger.
Applicant’s response to the examiner’s taking of Official Notice is not a proper traversal. Applicant merely states that “whether claims 8 and 9 are obvious is not admitted”, without providing evidence or specific reasoning to rebut the examiner’s position that the features noticed are well known in the art. Such a response fails to comply with MPEP 2144.03©, which requires a proper traversal to specifically point out the alleged error or to provide evidence that the noticed fact is not common knowledge. Accordingly, applicant’s statement is treated as a non-traversal, and the features recited in claims 8 and 9 are considered to be well known in the art.
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 1-3, 5-6, 8-9, 13, 15-16, and 18 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Deugo, “Using QR-Codes ford Attendance Tracking”, 2015 in view of Bracken (US 2012/0215571) and in further view of Berger (US 2011/0283196)
Regarding claim 1, An event management system, the system comprising:
a server system comprising an electronic processor, the server system configured to (Duego; Duego teaches a server which facilitates and/or coordinates event tracking;
see e.g. Page 7 “Our, working system has the following features. Ultimately attendance tracking is stored on our server ... we support the having a user scan up to 1000 QR codes ...”):
receive event data that is to be displayed on an end user device (Duego, Duego teaches the user of the event tracking system may input event based information that will be ultimately displayed on the user’s device ;
see e.g. Page 3, Section 3.1 QR Code Generation:
Students generate their QR Codes by going to our QR Code Generation website, as shown in Fig. 2. At the site their first step is to enter their relevant information ... For general events, there is also a comment filed included to collect other relevant data”
see e.g. Figures 1, 2);
generate a computer display format for the event data to be displayed (Duego; Duego teaches event data is formatted in particular manner for subsequent displaying on a user device;
see e.g. Page 5, Column 2, Fig. 9 illustrating the displaying of EVENT DATA “COMP:1601”A:2015:WINTER.):
receive event data that is to be printed (Duego; Duego teaches data associated with the event may be printed;
see e.g. Page 4, Column 1 “... hit the Print Your QR code button that will display the QR code on its own web page and initiate the corresponding browser’s printing functionality. One can print the QR code on a printer or print it as PDF file ... the QR Code can then be printed, emailed, or moved onto a student’s mobile device”);
generate a 2D barcode linking to the event data to be displayed (Duego ; Duego teaches the generation of QR barcodes
see e.g. Section 3.1 QR Code Generation “ ... QR Barcode Scanner App ...”
see e.g. Page 4, Column 1 “The QR code generation and its three steps provide a quick and easy approach for student to generated their individualized QR codes an be able to save them to disk or print them out. The next part of our approach is for students to bring their QR code to class in order for their attendance to be tracked):
Duego suggests but does not expressly disclose:
a printer configured to receive the printer file from the server system and generate a sign including the event data to be printed and the 2D barcode.
However in analogous art Bracken discloses:
a printer configured to receive the printer file from the server system and generate a sign including the event data to be printed and the 2D barcode (Bracken;
see e.g. Fig 12 [0032] illustrating the printing of a paper printout (i.e. sign) comprising 2D barcode and event data;
see e.g. Fig.13 [0033], Fig. 14 [0034] and Fig. 15 [0035]
see e.g. [0042] “ ... print my badge .. the system generates a document 31 unique to that individual ...” )
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Duego with Bracken’s printing scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for increased efficiencies in event management and coordination activities.
Duego in view of Bracken does not expressly disclose
generate a printer file including the event data to be printed and the 2D barcode;
receive a request, based on the 2D barcode, for the event data to be displayed; and
generate a response containing the event data to be displayed
However in analogous art Berger discloses:
generate a printer file including the event data to be printed and the 2D barcode (Berger; A conventional printer file is inherently generated an present in order to fulfill conventional printing services;
see e.g. [0055] “... the URL 501 is printed with alphanumeric characters on the back of the stationery/card along with a QR code or other bar code format which may be scanned to link to the RSVP website ... the QR code and/or the URL may be shortened versions of the real URL and upon selecting the shortened version, the users web browser may be redirected by the online stationery service 10 to the actual URL of the RSVP website”);
receive a request, based on the 2D barcode, for the event data to be displayed (Berger;
see e.g. [0055] “... the URL 501 is printed with alphanumeric characters on the back of the stationery/card along with a QR code or other bar code format which may be scanned to link to the RSVP website ... the QR code and/or the URL may be shortened versions of the real URL and upon selecting the shortened version, the users web browser may be redirected by the online stationery service 10 to the actual URL of the RSVP website”
see e.g. [0052], [0057]
Berger ([0055]) expressly discloses that a QR code (a 2D barcode) is provided , and when scanned, the QR code causes the user’s browser to issue a request that links to the RSVP website. This request is necessarily based on the 2D barcode because the request originates from the URL encoded within the QR code. Once the request is sent , the server responds by directing the browser to the RSVP site. Paragraphs [0054] and [0056] further show that the RSVP server provides access to event data stored I its databases, including the RSVP responses, event information such as date/time/location, and comments which are then displayed to the user.
Thus Berger teaches that scanning the QR code is the trigger for generating a request to the server, and the server generates a response containing the event data to be displayed. The claim does not require that the vent data itself be embedded in the QR code; it requires only that the request be based on tgeh 2D barcode. Berger squarely meets this requirement];
) and
generate a response containing the event data to be displayed (Berger;
see e.g. [0054] “ ... The RSVP response and other data related to the event 401 may be stored within the stationary services databases 115 and made accessible to the user (e.g. via web browser 145 of client 150) and/or to the invitees ...”
see e.g. [0056] “Regardless of how the invitees 451 link to the Web Pages 505 ... the invitees can access and modify various different types of event data .. the invitees may enter an RSVP response 550, review event information 551 ... and submit comments or other text related to the event 554 ...”
see e.g. [0051] “ .. design of RSVP response which allow invitees to specify whether they will be attending the event .. the online stationary service 100 prints ...”
The Examiner notes Berger provides merging of the Online Stational or Greeting Card Service embodiment with an RSVP System (see e.g. [0052], [0053])
The Examiner notes the Applicant’s specification is described within the context of an RSVP system (see e.g. Applicant’s specification [57])
)
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Berger’s RSVP scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating known techniques resulting in increased efficiencies of event management platforms.
Regarding claim 2, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger disclose the event management system of claim 1 wherein the display format is a webpage.
wherein the display format is a webpage (The combined solution per Berger provides for one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize webpages via Berger’s RSVP web pages;
see e.g. Berger [0055] “... RSVP service 400 includes a web page generation module 400 for dynamical generating a series of RSVP web pages ... the URL 501 is printed with alphanumeric characters on the back of the stationery/card along with a QR code or other bar code format which may be scanned to link to the RSVP website ... the QR code and/or the URL may be shortened versions of the real URL and upon selecting the shortened version, the users web browser may be redirected by the online stationery service 10 to the actual URL of the RSVP website)
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Berger’s RSVP scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating known techniques resulting in increased efficiencies of event management platforms
Regarding claim 3, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger disclose the event management system of claim 2, wherein the server system is configured to generate a webpage containing the event data to be displayed and send the webpage in response to receiving a request for the event data to be displayed (The combined invention per Berger.
see e.g. [0054] “... The RSVP response and other data related to the event 401 may be stored within the stationary services databases 115 and made accessible to the user (e.g. via web browser 145 of client 150) and/or to the invitees ...”
see e.g. [0056] “Regardless of how the invitees 451 link to the Web Pages 505 ... the invitees can access and modify various different types of event data .. the invitees may enter an RSVP response 550, review event information 551 ... and submit comments or other text related to the event 554 ...” see e.g. [0052], [0057) .
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Berger’s RSVP scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating known techniques resulting in increased efficiencies of event management platforms
Regarding claim 5, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger disclose the event management system of claim 1, wherein the server system is configured to
receive responses to the event data displayed in respone to a request based on a 2D barcode (The combined solution per Berger’s RSVP scheme;
see e.g. [0055] “... the URL 501 is printed with alphanumeric characters on the back of the stationery/card along with a QR code or other bar code format which may be scanned to link to the RSVP website ... the QR code and/or the URL may be shortened versions of the real URL and upon selecting the shortened version, the users web browser may be redirected by the online stationery service 10 to the actual URL of the RSVP website”
see e.g. [0054] “ ... The RSVP response and other data related to the event 401 may be stored within the stationary services databases 115 and made accessible to the user (e.g. via web browser 145 of client 150) and/or to the invitees ...”
see e.g. [0056] “Regardless of how the invitees 451 link to the Web Pages 505 ... the invitees can access and modify various different types of event data .. the invitees may enter an RSVP response 550, review event information 551 ... and submit comments or other text related to the event 554 ...”
see e.g. [0051] “ .. design of RSVP response which allow invitees to specify whether they will be attending the event .. the online stationary service 100 prints ...” see e.g. [0052],[0057]
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Berger’s RSVP scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating known techniques resulting in increased efficiencies of event management platforms.
Regarding claim 6, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger disclose the event management system of claim 5, wherein the displayed event data includes response requests, and the server system is configured to receive a response request and associate it with the displayed event data (The combined invention per Berger and Bracken provides the modification and/or editing of event data;
see e.g. [0054] “... The RSVP response and other data related to the event 401 may be stored within the stationary services databases 115 and made accessible to the user (e.g. via web browser 145 of client 150) and/or to the invitees ...”
see e.g. [0056] “Regardless of how the invitees 451 link to the Web Pages 505 ... the invitees can access and modify various different types of event data .. the invitees may enter an RSVP response 550, review event information 551 ... and submit comments or other text related to the event 554 ...” see e.g. [0052], [0057]
see e.g. Bracken [0040] “... allows the attendee to access their record and change/edit the information appearing on the badge”
see e.g. Bracken Fig. 12 illustrating the web page displaying event data)).
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Berger’s RSVP scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating known techniques resulting in increased efficiencies of event management platforms
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Duego with Bracken’s printing scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for increased efficiencies in event management and coordination activities.
Regarding claim 8, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger discloses the event management system of claim 1, Duego does not expressly disclose wherein the data content overlap between the event data to be printed and the event data to be displayed is less than 10 percent (This feature per the Office Action of 12/18/2022 is deemed as Applicant Admitted Prior Art. Therefor it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate this feature. The motivation being the combined solution provides for implementing a known technique providing for system optimization.).
Regarding claim 9, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger disclose the event management system of claim 8, Duego does not expressly disclose wherein there is no overlap in data content between the event data to be printed and the event data to be displayed ((This feature per the Office Action of 12/18/2022 is deemed as Applicant Admitted Prior Art. Therefor it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate this feature. The motivation being the combined solution provides for implementing a known technique providing for system optimization).
Regarding claim 13, claim 13 comprises the same and/or similar subject matter as claim 1 and is considered an obvious variation; therefore it is rejected under the same rationale.
Regarding claim 15, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger disclose the method of claim 13, wherein the displayed event data includes response requests, and further comprising receiving responses to event data displayed in response to a request based on a 2D barcode and associating it with the displayed event data (The combined solution per Berger;
see e.g. [0054] “... The RSVP response and other data related to the event 401 may be stored within the stationary services databases 115 and made accessible to the user (e.g. via web browser 145 of client 150) and/or to the invitees ...”
see e.g. [0056] “Regardless of how the invitees 451 link to the Web Pages 505 ... the invitees can access and modify various different types of event data .. the invitees may enter an RSVP response 550, review event information 551 ... and submit comments or other text related to the event 554 ...” see e.g. [0052], [0055].[0057]
Regarding claim 16, claim 16 comprises the same and/or similar subject matter as claim 7 and is considered an obvious variation; therefore it is rejected under the same rationale.
Regarding claim 18, claim 18 comprises the same and/or similar subject matter as claim 9 and is considered an obvious variation; therefore it is rejected under the same rationale.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger and in further view of Tamanimi (US 10,270,771)
Regarding claim 4, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger disclose the event management system of claim 1, and although Duego teaches (QR Barcodes, see e.g. Section 3.1 “... QR Barcode ...”), Duego does not expressly disclose wherein the 2D barcode encodes a Uniform Resource Locator.
However in analogous art Tamanimi discloses:
wherein the 2D barcode encodes a Uniform Resource Locator (Tamanimi; Tamanimi teaches encoding URLs into QRs and barcodes;
see e.g. Column 20, Line 56 – Column 21, Line 5 “ ... generate a graphic pattern 818 that encodes a uniform resource locator (URL) ... the graphic pattern 818 may include a QR code, a barcode, a string of letters/number, or any other visual information ...”)
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Duego with Tamanimi’s URL encoding scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for increased efficiencies in event management and coordination activities.
Claims 7 and 17 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger and in further view of Aoki (US 2002/0063693)
Regarding claim 7, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger disclose the event management system of claim 1, Duego does not expressly disclose wherein the event data to be printed has less than 10 percent of the data content of the event data to be displayed.
However in analogous art Aoki discloses:
determining portions (e.g. percentages) of text to be printed (Aoki
see e.g. [0119] “... in the event that the preview data is made up of multiple sets of data, the user can specify portions thereof to be printed in particular (trimming). In the event that trimming is performed, the data printing execution request containing the request for printing the specified portion is transmitted to the data output control terminal”)
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Duego with Aoki’s printing scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for one of ordinary skill in the art to intelligently control portions of percentages of datasets to be presented resulting in the ability to implement particular percentage ranges.
Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger and in further view of Aoki disclose:
wherein the event data to be printed has less than 10 percent of the data content of the event data to be displayed (The combined solution per Aoki provide for manipulation of the event data set to be printed (e.g. Bracken, Fig. 12) to realize a 10% amount).
Regarding claim 17, claim 17 comprises the same and/or similar subject matter as claim 7 and is considered an obvious variation; therefore it is rejected under the same rationale.
Claims 10 and 19 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger and in further view of Grubb (US 5,272,623)
Regarding claim 10, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Burger disclose the event management system of claim 1, wherein the server system, in response to a request for the event data to be displayed based on the 2D barcode, is configured to generate a response containing a portion of the event data to be displayed and asking for personal data from an end user associated with the request (The combined invention per Bracken and/or Berger provides for a user to edit user information associated with the event which can be facilitated by conventional menus and/or categories to provide manipulating portions of data)
see e.g. Bracken [0041] “When the attendee/exhibitor, chooses “edit my badge” they are automatically directed to their registration record where they may edit the fields of data that display on the badge ...”
Berger:
see e.g. [0055] “... the URL 501 is printed with alphanumeric characters on the back of the stationery/card along with a QR code or other bar code format which may be scanned to link to the RSVP website ... the QR code and/or the URL may be shortened versions of the real URL and upon selecting the shortened version, the users web browser may be redirected by the online stationery service 10 to the actual URL of the RSVP website”
see e.g. [0054] “ ... The RSVP response and other data related to the event 401 may be stored within the stationary services databases 115 and made accessible to the user (e.g. via web browser 145 of client 150) and/or to the invitees ...”
see e.g. [0056] “Regardless of how the invitees 451 link to the Web Pages 505 ... the invitees can access and modify various different types of event data .. the invitees may enter an RSVP response 550, review event information 551 ... and submit comments or other text related to the event 554 ...”
see e.g. [0051] “ .. design of RSVP response which allow invitees to specify whether they will be attending the event .. the online stationary service 100 prints ...” see e.g. [0052],[0057]
).
.As evidence of the rational above, Grubb discloses:
displaying portions of user data for configuration (Grubb; Grubb teaches the utilization of conventional menu lists comprising categories of user data for users to configure data;
see e.g. Column 27, Lines 27 - 29“... user data input along with user selection in relation to separate menu lists of categories ...”
see e.g. Abstract “... user provides input data as well as from the data base selects categories and selective answers questions ...”)
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Duego with Grubb’s menus. The motivation being the combined invention provides for increased efficiencies with respect to users providing portions of data.
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Berger’s RSVP scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for incorporating known techniques resulting in increased efficiencies of event management platforms
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Duego with Bracken’s printing scheme. The motivation being the combined solution provides for increased efficiencies in event management and coordination activities.
Regarding claim 19, claim 19 comprises the same and/or similar subject matter as claim 10 and is considered an obvious variation; therefore it is rejected under the same rationale.
Claims 11 and 20 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger and in further view of Grubb and in further view of Duff (US 2012/0191735)
Regarding claim 11, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger and in further view of Grubb disclose the event management system of claim 10, wherein the server system is further configured to receive a response containing personal data from an end user (The combined invention provides for inputting and/or modifying user data associated with the event; see e.g. Bracken [0041] “ ... edit my badge ...”), however the combined solution does not provide for validation of the data and therefore does not expressly disclose determine whether the personal data is valid, and generate a response containing the rest of the event data to be displayed if the personal data is valid.
However in analogous art Duff discloses:
determine whether the personal data is valid, and generate a response containing the rest of the event data to be displayed if the personal data is valid (Duff; Duff teaches validating user input data with conventional response;
see e.g. [0109] “... validates the update data against one or more cells within the user session data table ... verification that update data complies with a data validation mask”
see e.g. [0071] “... second request 215 may be appropriately validated ...”
see e.g. [0087] “... pursuant to successful validatin, the update data 215A may be written into updateable cell 290B ... host organization 110 further receives the second request 215 from the client device 106A behaving update data 215A therein and the host organization 110 further a) validates the update data 215A against the one or more cells ... an error message may responsively be generated and the write/update/modification will fail ...”
see e.g. [0097 “ ... Validation may include verifying that update data corresponds to an updateable field or cell within the user session data table, or verifying that update data complies with a validation mask corresponding to the target location of the update data”).
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Duego with Duff’s validation scheme. The motivation being the combined invention provides for increased efficiencies in managing event data.
Regarding claim 20, claim 20 comprises the same and/or similar subject matter as claim 11 and is considered an obvious variation; therefore it is rejected under the same rationale.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger and in further view of Valentine (US 2017/0116893)
Regarding claim 12, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger disclose the event management system of claim 1, although the combined invention per Bracken provides for utilizing various types of paper to print the sign and subsequently insert it into a plastic badge holder (see e.g. [0034], [0035]), the combined solution does not expressly disclose wherein the sign is composed of corrugated plastic.
However in analogous art Valentine discloses:
wherein the sign is composed of corrugated plastic (Valentine. Valentine teaches within the context of conferences and/or events teaches the utilization of several readily available materials including corrugated plastic;
see e.g. [0016] “... tradeshow, convention, corporate event, sporting event, conference, exhibition, general event ...”
see e.g. [0019] “... The display may be made from any material known in the art that will become known in the art, including ... plastic (e.g. corrugate plastic) ...”)
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Duego with Valentine’s display material (i.e. corrugated plastic) The motivation being the combined solution provides for a more durable badge and provides a pathway for larger signs to be printed for particular sessions at a conference where conference participants could scan a large corrugated plastic sign comprising all of the conference event data explicitly taught by Duego in view of Bracken.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger and in further view of O’Connor (US 2015/0056599)
Regarding claim 12, Duego in view of Bracken and in further view of Berger disclose the event management system of claim 1, although the combined invention per Bracken provides for utilizing various types of paper to print the sign and subsequently insert it into a plastic badge holder (see e.g. [0034], [0035]), the combined solution does not expressly disclose wherein the sign is composed of corrugated plastic.
However in analogous art O’Connor discloses:
wherein the sign is composed of corrugated plastic (O’Connor; O’Connor teaches within the context of conferences and/or events the utilization of corrugated plastic to realize a container (e.g. badge)
see e.g. [0066] “Fig. 6 illustrates a frontal view of an embodiment of the present invention, namely a special form of notebook which features a double corrugated plastic rail or overlay, allowing the notebook to have depth creating a container”)
Therefore it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Duego with O’Connor’s display material (i.e. corrugated plastic) The motivation being the combined solution provides for a more durable badge.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 13 are rejected under 35 USC 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Berger
Regarding claim 1,Berger discloses an event management system, the system comprising:
a server system comprising an electronic processor, the server system configured to (Berger; see e.g. Fig. 4 illustrating Online Stationery/Card service 100 residing on a conventional server system comprising an conventional electronic processor;
see e.g. [0091] “... server running on Linux ...”
see e.g. [0092] “... general purpose or special purpose processor ...”):
receive event data that is to be displayed on an end user device (Berger;
see e.g. Fig. 4 illustrating Event Data 401 being received via RSVP service 400;
see e.g. Fig. 5 illustrating Event Data 401 being received via RSVP 400 which may be readily displayed on Client Devices comprising Client 451 (recipient) or Client (host) 151;
see e.g. Fig. 5 illustrating Event Information 501
see e.g. [0056] “ ... event information 551 (e.g. date, time and location; ticket information ...” see e.g. [0056] “... event information 551])
see e.g. Fig. 14 illustrating Event Data 401 being received via RSVP service 400 which may be readily displayed on Client Devices 1400(s)
see e.g. [0054] “... RSVP responses and other data related to the event 401 may be stored within the stationery service databases 115 and made accessible to the user (e.g. via web browser 145 of client 150) and/or to the invitees ...”);
generate a computer display format for the event data to be displayed (Berger; Berger teaches the Online Stationary Service comprises a format Conversion;
see e.g. [0053] “... the RSVP service 400 may be executed within the online stationary/card/photo service 100 ... all of the features of the stationery service 100 ... select a particular stationery/card design template 135 ... for a particular event ... the underlying principles of the invention are not limited to any particular type of event ...”
see e.g. [0077] “ ... RSVP web pages 505 ...graphical objects around the RSCP web pages ...”
see e.g. [0035] “... selects and personalized a stationery design ...”
see e.g. [0037] “... formatted print job 155 on the online stationery service ...”
see e.g. [0050] “... theme, color, cards format, card size ...”
see e.g. [0051] “... design stationery for a particular event ... the stationary design may include the design of RSVP response cards ...”
see e.g. [0057] “... stationary card design ...”
);
receive event data that is to be printed (Berger; Berger teaches the reception of event data which is subsequently printed;
see e.g. [0056] “,,, the invitees can access and modify various different types of event data. For example, the invitees may enter an RSVP response 550, review event information 551 (e.g., date, time and location; ticket information) .. submit comments or other text related to the event 554 ...”
see e.g. [0053] “... transmitted to a print service 252 for printing ...”
see e.g. Fig. 4 illustrating Print Services 252
see e.g,.[0051] “.. the online stationary service 100 prints ...”
see e.g. [0055] “... the URL 501 is printed with alphanumeric characters on the back of the stationery/card along with a QR code or other bar code format which may be scanned to link to the RSVP website ...”
see e.g. [0057] “... a unique URL which includes alphanumeric characters related to the event ...”;
generate a 2D barcode linking to the event data to be displayed (Berger; Berger teaches the generation of a QR code or other bard code format for the RSVP system (i.e. comprising event data);
see e.g. [0055] “... RSVP service 400 includes a web page generation module 400 for dynamical generating a series of RSVP web pages ... the URL 501 is printed with alphanumeric characters on the back of the stationery/card along with a QR code or other bar code format which may be scanned to link to the RSVP website ... the QR code and/or the URL may be shortened versions of the real URL and upon selecting the shortened version, the users web browser may be redirected by the online stationery service 10 to the actual URL of the RSVP website”);
generate a printer file including the event data to be printed and the 2D barcode (Berger; A conventional printer file is inherently generated an present in order to fulfill conventional printing services;
see e.g. [0055] “... the URL 501 is printed with alphanumeric characters on the back of the stationery/card along with a QR code or other bar code format which may be scanned to link to the RSVP website ... the QR code and/or the URL may be shortened versions of the real URL and upon selecting the shortened version, the users web browser may be redirected by the online stationery service 10 to the actual URL of the RSVP website”);
receive a request, based on the 2D barcode, for the event data to be displayed (Berger;
see e.g. [0055] “... the URL 501 is printed with alphanumeric characters on the back of the stationery/card along with a QR code or other bar code format which may be scanned to link to the RSVP website ... the QR code and/or the URL may be shortened versions of the real URL and upon selecting the shortened version, the users web browser may be redirected by the online stationery service 10 to the actual URL of the RSVP website”
see e.g. [0052], [0057]
Berger ([0055]) expressly discloses that a QR code (a 2D barcode) is provided , and when scanned, the QR code causes the user’s browser to issue a request that links to the RSVP website. This request is necessarily based on the 2D barcode because the request originates from the URL encoded within the QR code. Once the request is sent , the server responds by directing the browser to the RSVP site. Paragraphs [0054] and [0056] further show that the RSVP server provides access to event data stored I its databases, including the RSVP responses, event information such as date/time/location, and comments which are then displayed to the user.
Thus Berger teaches that scanning the QR code is the trigger for generating a request to the server, and the server generates a response containing the event data to be displayed. The claim does not require that the vent data itself be embedded in the QR code; it requires only that the request be based on tgeh 2D barcode. Berger squarely meets this requirement); and
generate a response containing the event data to be displayed (Berger;
see e.g. [0054] “ ... The RSVP response and other data related to the event 401 may be stored within the stationary services databases 115 and made accessible to the user (e.g. via web browser 145 of client 150) and/or to the invitees ...”
see e.g. [0056] “Regardless of how the invitees 451 link to the Web Pages 505 ... the invitees can access and modify various different types of event data .. the invitees may enter an RSVP response 550, review event information 551 ... and submit comments or other text related to the event 554 ...”
see e.g. [0051] “ .. design of RSVP response which allow invitees to specify whether they will be attending the event .. the online stationary service 100 prints ...”); and
a printer configured to receive the printer file from the server system and generate a sign including the event data to be printed and the 2D barcode (Berger;
see e.g. Abstract “... a print module to generate and transmit a print job for printing ... network address .. receiving the relationship responses ... ”
see e.g. [0037] “ ... formatted print job 155 on the online stationary service 100. The print service 152 then accesses the print job by selecting the hyperlink. Regardless of how the print job is accessed, at 215, the formatted print job 155 is transmitted to either an internal printer 151 or external print service”
see e.g. [0055] “... the URL 501 is printed with alphanumeric characters on the back of the stationery/card along with a QR code or other bar code format which may be scanned to link to the RSVP website ... the QR code and/or the URL may be shortened versions of the real URL and upon selecting the shortened version, the users web browser may be redirected by the online stationery service 10 to the actual URL of the RSVP website”; ).
The Examiner notes Berger provides merging of the Online Stational or Greeting Card Service embodiment with an RSVP System (see e.g. [0052], [0053])
The Examiner notes the Applicant’s specification is described within the context of an RSVP system (see e.g. Applicant’s specification [57])
Regarding claim 13, claim 13 comprises the same elements and functions as claim 1 and may be rejected based on the same rationale.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to TODD L. BARKER whose telephone number is (571) 270 0257. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 5:00pm.
If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner's supervisor Vivek Srivastava can be reached on (571) 272 7304.
/TODD L BARKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2449