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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/18/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
This communication is filed in response to the action filed on 12/18/2025.
Claims 1, 4, 6-7, 9-14 are currently amended. Claims 3 and 5 are canceled. Claims 1-2, 4, 6-14 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 12/18/2025 and on 11/18/2025 on page 2, and on page 9, under REMARKS with respect to 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 claim rejections to claims 1-2, 4, 6-14 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections to the claims have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of US 2022/0277065 A1 and US 2022/0131698 A1 under 35 U.S.C. 103.
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 1-2, 4, and 6-14 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 claims contain 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. The phrase repeated in independent claims 1, 12, and 13, taking claim 1 as the example at lines 16-17 recites “a case where the second face information satisfies a second criterion being a criterion regarding whether authentication is possible and being higher than the first criterion” which is indefinite as higher is a term of relativity and the criterion is never further defined in the claims or written description/specification. The specification lacks written description in order to properly understand what is meant by the second criterion being higher than the first criterion.
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.
The term “higher” in independent claims 1, 12, and 13 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “higher” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Further, within the context of the claims the phrase is used as such “a second criterion being a criterion regarding whether authentication is possible and being higher than the first criterion”, wherein defining the criterion would give further scope to the relative term “higher” used in the claims. Claims 1, 12, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) and dependent claims 2, 4, 6-11, and 14 are rejected for dependence upon a rejected corresponding independent claim.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
Claims 1-2, 4, 9-10, and 12-13 are rejected under 35 § U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over US 2022/0277065 A1 to PATEL et al. (hereinafter “PATEL”) in view of US 2022/0131698 A1 to BADRINARAYANAN et al. (hereinafter “BADRINARAYANAN”).
As per claim 1, PATEL discloses after the storage stores the first face information and the customer unique information (the system receives first authentication information that includes first facial image data for a unique user ID and determines a first matching criteria; abstract; figs 3, 5, 13A-B; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0077], [0089-0091]), acquiring second face information of the customer, and attribute information of the customer (the system is adapted to, via a camera, capture a second facial image of the user and determines a second matching criteria; abstract; figs 3, 5, 13A-B; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0077], [0089-0091], [0101-0102]), and, in a case where the second face information satisfies a second criterion being a criterion regarding whether authentication is possible and being higher than the first criterion (the first matching criteria and the identity chain is used to generate the second matching criteria which is updated regularly with each input image and is to be of higher accuracy than the first as the users appearance changes over time; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0060], [0084], [0091], [0101-0102]), determining the first face information associated with the second face information, and performing second registration processing of causing the storage to store, for use in future authentication, the second face information and the attribute information in association with the customer unique information associated with the determined first face information (the system following a determination that the third/Nth facial image data 652 for the user meets the second matching criteria, the system 100 transmits authorization information for the transaction, and updates (stores information) to the identity chain using the third/Nth image, adding additional facial image data in the identity chain 600 improves the accuracy of the authentication process by making a robust set of image data available to authenticate the user using the stored biometric information associated with the user ID; figs 3, 5, 13A-B; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0077], [0089-0091]). PATEL fails to disclose a customer management apparatus comprising: at least one memory configured to store instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising: acquiring, from a registration terminal installed at an entrance of a first store, first face information of a customer who wishes to enter the first store, and customer unique information being information uniquely allocated to the customer; and, in a case where the first face information satisfies a first criterion regarding whether authentication is possible, performing, without authentication of the customer, first registration processing of causing a storage to store the first face information and the customer unique information in association with each other; and after the first registration processing is completed, controlling a store entry apparatus to open the entrance of the first store.
BADRINARAYANAN discloses a customer management apparatus comprising (a system and method for managing users activities relating towards access to a resource the resource being a market/grocery store; abstract; figs 2-4; paragraphs [0003], [0037], [0054]): at least one memory configured to store instructions (the system comprising a memory for storing programs, instructions, and data; paragraphs [0035], [0254]); and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising (a computing processor for executing said stored programs, instructions, and data; paragraphs [0035] [0254]): acquiring, from a registration terminal installed at an entrance of a first store, first face information of a customer who wishes to enter the first store, and customer unique information being information uniquely allocated to the customer (acquiring user information via image sensors on a access device 255 stated to be a terminal at an entrance and generates a biometric template during a registration process the user uses an interface provide by the terminal to register user biometric information which includes facial biometric data captured via image sensor and is uniquely related to the user template assigned to the user; figs 1-4; paragraphs [0030], [0077], [0085], [0087], [0095], [0098-0102); and, in a case where the first face information satisfies a first criterion regarding whether authentication is possible (access device 255 can also perform the verification that the biometric template 245a satisfies the one or more properties put in place to determine/confirm the biometric template is useable for verification (authentication) based on comparison to a norm; figs 1-4; paragraphs [0077], [0091], [0095], [0102]), performing, without authentication of the customer, first registration processing of causing a storage to store the first face information and the customer unique information in association with each other (performing at step 252, using access device 255 which is a terminal and using a connected biometric capture device such as a camera or a biometric sensor, to capture a biometric measurement of the user 235 to store as a biometric template in the enrollment phase, and as stated in paragraph [0037], the captured biometric template can be verified to satisfy one or more properties and enrolled for use later in an authentication/matching phase, separate from the enrollment phase which enrolled the biometric template at the terminal; figs 1-4; paragraphs [0037-0038], [0052], [0088-0090]); and after the first registration processing is completed, controlling a store entry apparatus to open the entrance of the first store (and as seen in figure 2 and discussed in [0057] once a device having a biometric template that has been enrolled saved to the device then the user is granted access to the resource in this case the resource being entry to a secure building comprising a locked door and the template is verified using on door cameras; fig 2; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0057], [0085-0087]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify PATEL to have a registration terminal installed at an entrance of a first store, first face information of a customer who wishes to enter the first store, and customer unique information being information uniquely allocated to the customer of BADRINARAYANAN reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide as an important benefit of this approach is that the biometric templates of the user population are not collected and stored in some giant database, whose breach would be disastrous. Instead, the templates stay on the devices of the users to which they belong and the terminal device provided as suggested by paragraph [0055] of BADRINARAYANAN. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine BADRINARAYANAN with PATEL to obtain the invention as specified in claim 1.
As per claim 2, PATEL in view of BADRINARAYANAN in view of discloses the customer management apparatus according to claim 1. Modified PATEL further discloses wherein the customer unique information is card identification information of a card for checkout carried by the customer (the templates are associated with payment methods associated to the user at a grocery store or market; paragraphs [0054], [0094], [0098], [0131]).
As per claim 4, PATEL in view of BADRINARAYANAN discloses the customer management apparatus according to claim 1. Modified PATEL further discloses wherein the operations further comprise: in a case where the customer is allowed to enter the first store, preventing the first face information and the customer unique information from being associated with the attribute information of the customer (the user is allowed to enter the building based on the biometric template provided that is encrypted and saved to the user device and is able to mask the biometric template via encryption and is able to use the template on the verifier device but is prevented from being read by other device in the same environment or network; paragraphs [0085], [0115], [0124-0125], [0144]).
As per claim 9, PATEL in view of BADRINARAYANAN discloses the customer management apparatus according to claim 1. Modified PATEL further discloses wherein the operations further comprise: after the second registration processing is performed, in a case where the customer enters the first store, acquiring the customer unique information of the customer (the user enters the first store and the biometric template information is received from the users device and if matching phase confirms a template match with the biometric information enrolled at the access device/terminal the user is granted access to the store; paragraphs [0053-0056], [0118-0122]), as customer unique information for authentication, and, in a case where collation of the customer unique information for authentication is successful with respect to any of pieces of the customer unique information stored in the storage, allowing the customer to enter the first store (as a customer unique biometric template to be compared to the saved enrolled biometric data of the user and when the matching phase is successful the access is granted to the resource is this example the resource being entry to the store; paragraphs [0053-0056], [0118-0122]).
As per claim 10, PATEL in view of BADRINARAYANAN discloses the customer management apparatus according to claim 1. Modified PATEL further discloses wherein the operations further comprise: after the second registration processing is performed, in a case where the customer enters the first store (as a customer unique biometric template to be compared to the saved enrolled biometric data of the user and when the matching phase is successful the access is granted to the resource is this example the resource being entry to the store; paragraphs [0053-0056], [0118-0122]), acquiring authentication face information of the customer, and, in a case where collation of the authentication face information is successful with respect to any of pieces of the second face information stored in the storage, allowing the customer to enter the first store (a well-formed biometric template is verified via facial recognition/biometric authentication/verification and approved for use to access the resources in this case unlocking the door to the building and allowing the user to enter; fig 4; paragraphs [0129-0133], [0137]).
As per claim 12, PATEL discloses after the storage stores the first face information and the customer unique information (receiving and then storing in the computing system the first authentication information that includes first facial image data for a unique user ID and determines a first matching criteria; abstract; figs 3, 5, 13A-B; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0077], [0089-0091]), acquiring second face information of the customer, and attribute information of the customer (capturing via the system and an on board camera a second facial image of the user and determines a second matching criteria; abstract; figs 3, 5, 13A-B; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0077], [0089-0091], [0101-0102]); and in a case where the second face information satisfies a second criterion being a criterion regarding whether authentication is possible and being higher than the first criterion: determining the first face information associated with the second face information (the first matching criteria and the identity chain is used to generate the second matching criteria which is updated regularly with each input image and is to be of higher accuracy than the first as the users appearance changes over time; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0060], [0084], [0091], [0101-0102]), and performing second registration processing of causing the storage to store, for use in future authentication, the second face information and the attribute information in association with the customer unique information associated with the determined first face information (the system following a determination that the third/Nth facial image data 652 for the user meets the second matching criteria, the system 100 transmits authorization information for the transaction, and updates (stores information) to the identity chain using the third/Nth image, adding additional facial image data in the identity chain 600 improves the accuracy of the authentication process by making a robust set of image data available to authenticate the user using the stored biometric information associated with the user ID; figs 3, 5, 13A-B; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0077], [0089-0091]). PATEL fails to disclose a customer management method comprising: by a computer: acquiring, from a registration terminal installed at an entrance of a first store, first face information of a customer who wishes to enter the first store, and customer unique information being information uniquely allocated to the customer; in a case where the first face information satisfies a first criterion regarding whether authentication is possible, performing, without authentication of the customer, first registration processing of causing a storage to store the first face information and the customer unique information in association with each other; after the first registration processing is completed, controlling a store entry apparatus to open the entrance of the first store.
BADRINARAYANAN discloses a customer management method comprising (a system and method for managing users activities relating towards access to a resource the resource being a market/grocery store; abstract; figs 2-4; paragraphs [0003], [0037], [0054]): by a computer: acquiring, from a registration terminal installed at an entrance of a first store, first face information of a customer who wishes to enter the first store, and customer unique information being information uniquely allocated to the customer (acquiring user information via image sensors on a access device 255 stated to be a terminal at an entrance and generates a biometric template during a registration process the user uses an interface provide by the terminal to register user biometric information which includes facial biometric data captured via image sensor and is uniquely related to the user template assigned to the user; figs 1-4; paragraphs [0030], [0077], [0085], [0087], [0095], [0098-0102]); in a case where the first face information satisfies a first criterion regarding whether authentication is possible (access device 255 can also perform the verification that the biometric template 245a satisfies the one or more properties put in place to determine/confirm the biometric template is useable for verification based on comparison to a norm; figs 1-4; paragraphs [0077], [0091], [0095], [0102]), performing, without authentication of the customer, first registration processing of causing a storage to store the first face information and the customer unique information in association with each other (performing at step 252, using access device 255 which is a terminal and using a connected biometric capture device such as a camera or a biometric sensor, to capture a biometric measurement of the user 235 to store as a biometric template in the enrollment phase, and as stated in paragraph [0037], the captured biometric template can be verified to satisfy one or more properties and enrolled for use later in an authentication/matching phase, separate from the enrollment phase which enrolled the biometric template at the terminal; figs 1-4; paragraphs [0037-0038], [0052], [0088-0090]); after the first registration processing is completed, controlling a store entry apparatus to open the entrance of the first store (and as seen in figure 2 and discussed in [0057] once a device having a biometric template that has been enrolled saved to the device then the user is granted access to the resource in this case the resource being entry to a secure building comprising a locked door and the template is verified using on door cameras; fig 2; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0057], [0085-0087]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify PATEL to have a registration terminal installed at an entrance of a first store, first face information of a customer who wishes to enter the first store, and customer unique information being information uniquely allocated to the customer of BADRINARAYANAN reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide as an important benefit of this approach is that the biometric templates of the user population are not collected and stored in some giant database, whose breach would be disastrous. Instead, the templates stay on the devices of the users to which they belong and the terminal device provided as suggested by paragraph [0055] of BADRINARAYANAN. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine BADRINARAYANAN with PATEL to obtain the invention as specified in claim 12.
As per claim 13, PATEL discloses after the storage stores the first face information and the customer unique information (receiving and then storing in the computing system the first authentication information that includes first facial image data for a unique user ID and determines a first matching criteria; abstract; figs 3, 5, 13A-B; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0077], [0089-0091]), acquiring second face information of the customer, and attribute information of the customer (capturing via the system and an on board camera a second facial image of the user and determines a second matching criteria; abstract; figs 3, 5, 13A-B; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0077], [0089-0091], [0101-0102]); and in a case where the second face information satisfies a second criterion being a criterion regarding whether authentication is possible and being higher than the first criterion: determining the first face information associated with the second face information (the first matching criteria and the identity chain is used to generate the second matching criteria which is updated regularly with each input image and is to be of higher accuracy than the first as the users appearance changes over time; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0060], [0084], [0091], [0101-0102]), and performing second registration processing of causing the storage to store, for use in future authentication, the second face information and the attribute information in association with the customer unique information associated with the determined first face information (the system following a determination that the third/Nth facial image data 652 for the user meets the second matching criteria, the system 100 transmits authorization information for the transaction, and updates (stores information) to the identity chain using the third/Nth image, adding additional facial image data in the identity chain 600 improves the accuracy of the authentication process by making a robust set of image data available to authenticate the user using the stored biometric information associated with the user ID; figs 3, 5, 13A-B; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0077], [0089-0091]). PATEL fails to disclose a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute: acquiring, from a registration terminal installed at an entrance of a first store, first face information of a customer who wishes to enter the first store, and customer unique information being information uniquely allocated to the customer; in a case where the first face information satisfies a first criterion regarding whether authentication is possible, performing, without authentication of the customer, first registration processing of causing a storage to store the first face information and the customer unique information in association with each other, and performing processing for allowing the customer to enter the first store; after the first registration processing is completed, controlling a store entry apparatus to open the entrance of the first store.
BADRINARAYANAN discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute (a system and method for managing users activities relating towards access to a resource the resource being a market/grocery store; abstract; figs 2-4; paragraphs [0003], [0037], [0054]): acquiring, from a registration terminal installed at an entrance of a first store, first face information of a customer who wishes to enter the first store, and customer unique information being information uniquely allocated to the customer (acquiring user information via image sensors on a access device 255 stated to be a terminal at an entrance and generates a biometric template during a registration process the user uses an interface provide by the terminal to register user biometric information which includes facial biometric data captured via image sensor and is uniquely related to the user template assigned to the user; figs 1-4; paragraphs [0030], [0077], [0085], [0087], [0095], [0098-0102]); in a case where the first face information satisfies a first criterion regarding whether authentication is possible (access device 255 can also perform the verification that the biometric template 245a satisfies the one or more properties put in place to determine/confirm the biometric template is useable for verification based on comparison to a norm; figs 1-4; paragraphs [0077], [0091], [0095], [0102]), performing, without authentication of the customer, first registration processing of causing a storage to store the first face information and the customer unique information in association with each other, and performing processing for allowing the customer to enter the first store (performing at step 252, using access device 255 which is a terminal and using a connected biometric capture device such as a camera or a biometric sensor, to capture a biometric measurement of the user 235 to store as a biometric template in the enrollment phase, and as stated in paragraph [0037], the captured biometric template can be verified to satisfy one or more properties and enrolled for use later in an authentication/matching phase, separate from the enrollment phase which enrolled the biometric template at the terminal; figs 1-4; paragraphs [0037-0038], [0052], [0088-0090]); after the first registration processing is completed, controlling a store entry apparatus to open the entrance of the first store (and as seen in figure 2 and discussed in [0057] once a device having a biometric template that has been enrolled saved to the device then the user is granted access to the resource in this case the resource being entry to a secure building comprising a locked door and the template is verified using on door cameras; fig 2; paragraphs [0053-0054], [0057], [0085-0087]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify PATEL to have a registration terminal installed at an entrance of a first store, first face information of a customer who wishes to enter the first store, and customer unique information being information uniquely allocated to the customer of BADRINARAYANAN reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide as an important benefit of this approach is that the biometric templates of the user population are not collected and stored in some giant database, whose breach would be disastrous. Instead, the templates stay on the devices of the users to which they belong and the terminal device provided as suggested by paragraph [0055] of BADRINARAYANAN. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine BADRINARAYANAN with PATEL to obtain the invention as specified in claim 13.
Claims 6-8, 11, and 14 are rejected under 35 § U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over US 2022/0277065 A1 to PATEL et al. (hereinafter “PATEL”) in view of US 2022/0131698 A1 to BADRINARAYANAN et al. (hereinafter “BADRINARAYANAN”) in view of US 2016/0012465 A1 to SHARP (hereinafter “SHARP”).
As per claim 6, PATEL in view of BADRINARAYANAN discloses the customer management apparatus according to claim 1. Modified PATEL fails to disclose wherein, the operations further comprise: in a case where the first registration processing is performed, the acquisition unit acquiring, together with the first face information, store identification information for identifying the first store, causing the storage unit to store the store identification information in association with the first face information, and, in a case where the second registration processing is performed, reading the store identification information associated with the determined first face information, and transmitting, to a terminal operated by the customer, information related to a store indicated by the store identification information.
SHARP discloses wherein, the operations further comprise: in a case where the first registration processing is performed, the acquisition unit acquiring, together with the first face information, store identification information for identifying the first store (for a plurality of different redemption data 64 or redemption options for different vendors or entities 65 participant information 71 may comprise store information, such as an issuing store number, one or more valid redeeming store numbers of participating entities 65 that are able to fulfill a transaction pertaining to redemption data 64; paragraphs [0716], [0931], [0933]), causing the storage unit to store the store identification information in association with the first face information, and, in a case where the second registration processing is performed, reading the store identification information associated with the determined first face information, and transmitting, to a terminal operated by the customer, information related to a store indicated by the store identification information (the systems stores participant information 71 which includes store number and profile identification information relating to a user to use at a self-serve kiosk such as one found at an entry access point or public transit/store entrance and stores allowed profile information in order to allow access; paragraphs [0716], [0931], [0933]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify PATEL to have wherein, the operations further comprise: in a case where the first registration processing is performed, the acquisition unit acquiring, together with the first face information, store identification information for identifying the first store, causing the storage unit to store the store identification information in association with the first face information, and, in a case where the second registration processing is performed, reading the store identification information associated with the determined first face information, and transmitting, to a terminal operated by the customer, information related to a store indicated by the store identification information of SHARP reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide a list of participating store numbers in a sale that is occurring so the user may have options to decide which participating venue to visit as suggested by paragraph [0716]. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine SHARP with Modified PATEL to obtain the invention as specified in claim 6.
As per claim 7, PATEL in view of BADRINARAYANAN discloses the customer management apparatus according to claim 5. Modified PATEL fails to disclose wherein the operations further comprise: after the second registration processing is performed acquiring, from a checkout apparatus in the first store or in a second store different from the first store, checkout-time face information being face information of the customer who is about to do checkout, in a case where the attribute information associated with the checkout- time face information satisfies a criterion, generating purchase allowance information indicating that the customer is allowed to purchase a specific product, and transmitting the purchase allowance information to the checkout apparatus.
SHARP discloses wherein the operations further comprise: after the second registration processing is performed acquiring, from a checkout apparatus in the first store or in a second store different from the first store, checkout-time face information being face information of the customer who is about to do checkout (redemption data 64 includes a particular event time to access by the user at a later time where the event is usage or purchase from an approved vendor at the participating event; paragraph [0716], [0721]), in a case where the attribute information associated with the checkout- time face information satisfies a criterion (redemption data 64 may comprise information 70 regarding one or more valid use dates such as a valid timeframe (attribute information associated with checkout time), a valid hour, a valid day, a valid month, a valid year, a valid time, a valid date range 68, etc. to be used for redemption; fig 90c; paragraph [0365], [0716]), generating purchase allowance information indicating that the customer is allowed to purchase a specific product, and transmitting the purchase allowance information to the checkout apparatus (using the user information associated to the profile to pay using a user’s banking or related information to purchase products at a vendor providing the redemption service; paragraphs [0712], [0715-0716]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify PATEL to have wherein the operations further comprise: after the second registration processing is performed acquiring, from a checkout apparatus in the first store or in a second store different from the first store, checkout-time face information being face information of the customer who is about to do checkout, in a case where the attribute information associated with the checkout- time face information satisfies a criterion, generating purchase allowance information indicating that the customer is allowed to purchase a specific product, and transmitting the purchase allowance information to the checkout apparatus of SHARP reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide a valid time frame for a particular sale, discount or offer as suggested by SHARP at paragraph [0716]. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine SHARP with modified PATEL to obtain the invention as specified in claim 7.
As per claim 8, PATEL in view of BADRINARAYANAN in view of SHARP discloses the customer management apparatus according to claim 7. Modified PATEL fails to disclose wherein the attribute information includes age of the customer.
SHARP discloses wherein the attribute information includes age of the customer (user information includes birth date information 50 of a user such as, decade, year, month, day, or time of birth, age, and age verification information, over 18? over 21? ; paragraphs [0712], [0835]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify PATEL to have wherein the attribute information includes age of the customer of SHARP reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to in order to provide age verification for age restricted purchases as suggested by SHARP paragraph [0712]. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine SHARP with modified PATEL to obtain the invention as specified in claim 8.
As per claim 11, PATEL in view of BADRINARAYANAN discloses the customer management apparatus according claim 9. Modified PATEL fails to disclose wherein the operations further comprise: after the second registration processing is performed, determining whether the customer is allowed to enter a second store different from the first store at a same criterion as the first store.
SHARP discloses the customer management apparatus according claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise: after the second registration processing is performed, determining whether the customer is allowed to enter a second store different from the first store at a same criterion as the first store (the user profile associated with a particular user is allowed for entry and the redemption of product/deals at participating stores which are assigned store numbers and implies the existence of a plurality of stores the user may choose to visit which includes a first, second, and third store among others that use the computing system kiosk for checkout; paragraphs [0785], [0851], [1017]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify PATEL to have wherein the operations further comprise: after the second registration processing is performed, determining whether the customer is allowed to enter a second store different from the first store at a same criterion as the first store of SHARP reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide the ability to checkout and perform product redemption at a participating store having a kiosk to be used without secondary human interactions as suggested by SHARP at paragraph [0785]. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine SHARP with modified PATEL to obtain the invention as specified in claim 11.
As per claim 14, PATEL in view of BADRINARAYANAN discloses the customer management apparatus according to claim 10. Modified PATEL fails to disclose wherein the operations further comprise: after the second registration processing is performed, determining whether the customer is allowed to enter a second store different from the first store at a same criterion as the first store.
SHARP discloses wherein the operations further comprise: after the second registration processing is performed, determining whether the customer is allowed to enter a second store different from the first store at a same criterion as the first store (the user profile associated with a particular user is allowed for entry and the redemption of product/deals at participating stores which are assigned store numbers and implies the existence of a plurality of stores the user may choose to visit which includes a first, second, and third store among others that use the computing system kiosk for checkout; paragraphs [0785], [0851], [1017]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify PATEL to have wherein the operations further comprise: after the second registration processing is performed, determining whether the customer is allowed to enter a second store different from the first store at a same criterion as the first store of SHARP reference. The Suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide the ability to checkout and perform product redemption at a participating store having a kiosk to be used without secondary human interactions as suggested by SHARP at paragraph [0785]. Further, one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as described above by known method with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine SHARP with modified PATEL to obtain the invention as specified in claim 14.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. These prior arts include the following:
US 2012/0293642 A1
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/Devin Dhooge/
USPTO Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2677
/ANDREW W BEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2677