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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-2,5,8,12,15 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith (PGPUB: 20190279170 A1) in view of Sadovsky (PGPUB: 20150332128 A1), and further in view of He (CN 112269978 A).
Regarding claims 1, 19, and 20. Smith teaches an information processing apparatus comprising:
a processor (see paragraph 44) configured to:
receive, from a user, first check processing information that is set for an item on a first form and that indicates first check processing relating to a check on information written on the first form as the item (see Fig. 3, paragraph 66, , one or more check images are received. The check images comprise the front portion of a check, the back portion of a check, or any other portions of a check. In cases where there are several checks piled into a stack, the multiple check images may include, for example, at least a portion of each of the four sides of the check stack. In this way, any text, numbers, or other data provided on any side of the check stack may also be used in implementing the process 100);
that obtain second document processing information that is check processing information indicating same check processing as the first check processing and that indicates document check processing relating to a check on information written, as an item, on a second form, which is different from the first form (see Fig. 6, paragraph 86, as illustrated in block 502, the process 500 is initiated when financial documents or payment instruments, such as checks, are received. The received financial document may be in various forms, such as in an image format. Processing of the document may proceed wherein the data from the document may be collected and lifted from the document as metadata. This metadata is lifted from the document utilizing optical character recognition (OCR). The OCR processes enables the system to convert text and other symbols in the document image to metadata, which can then be used and incorporated into exception processing. In some embodiments, OCR based algorithms used in the OCR processes incorporate pattern matching techniques. For example, each character in an imaged word, phrase, code, or string of alphanumeric text can be evaluated on a pixel-by-pixel basis and matched to a stored character. Various algorithms may be repeatedly applied to determine the best match between the image and stored characters);
propose unification of the first check processing information and the second check processing information (see paragraph 11 and 12, the exception processing to resolve exceptions is done manually by an individual user or resource. The exceptions may include one or more irregularities such as bad micro line reads, outdated check stock, or misrepresentative checks that may result in a failure to match the check to an associated account for processing. As such, once an exception is identified during the processing the metadata lifted from the document with the exception may be utilized to search financial records at the financial institution to attempt to identify the correct version of the document; the system will lift data associated with a financial document received. The data may then be compared to metadata from previous financial documents received. If there exists an exact match between the two sets of metadata the invention will notify the user and identify the duplicate financial document);
allow the user to determine whether to unify the first check processing information and the second check processing information with each other (see paragraph 18, determining resource experience and error rate for each of one or more different exception types; matching an appropriate resource with the identified and categorized exception based on the resource experience, resource scarcity, and resource error rate for the category of exception; and replacing the exception, upon resource correction of exception, and allow the financial document comprising the exception to be processed); and
reflect, if the user determines that the first check processing information and the second check processing information are to be unified with each other and at least a part of the check processing indicated by the first check processing information or the second check processing information is changed, change information indicating the change in another of the first check processing information and the second check processing information (see Fig. 3, paragraph 80, as illustrated in block 112, business strategies and transactions are processed based on at least one of the check data and the inputted information. Data extracted from the check images using the process 100 may be used to automate or enhance various processes such as remediating exception processes, replacing check images with check data in online statements, enforcing requirements regarding third party check deposits, facilitating check to automated clearing house transaction conversion, cross selling products).
However, Smith does not expressly teach to obtain second check processing information.
Sadovsky teaches that an end user 450 in the second data access module (user station) can log on to the ASP's system and capture the second image 402 of the paper financial instrument 400. At which point, the scanned second image of paper financial instrument 400 (e.g., the business check sought to be deposited or cashed) is uploaded (e.g., through WAN network) to the ASP's system 402, using the data processing module, in combination with the image processing module, the second image of paper financial instrument 400 is partitioned to a plurality of fields as described herein, and the data is displayed 403 to user 450. Similar to the issuing process in the first data access module, end user 450 (e.g., employee), can confirm whether or not the second image of paper financial instrument 400 was captured properly 404 (in other words, verifying the second image and then validating it). Once confirmed, the scanned second image and its partitioned fields with their unique identification number (UID) are uploaded to, and stored on the ASP's server for comparison and authentication purposes 405. Using at least one of the partitioned fields from the second image, the ASP's system, utilizing the data processing module, the ASP's system can search 406 for a verified and validated matching image of a paper financial instrument (e.g., 300, see e.g., FIG. 3) (see Fig. 3 and 6, paragraph 40).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Smith by Sadovsky for providing an end user 450 in the second data access module (user station) can log on to the ASP's system and capture the second image 402 of the paper financial instrument 400. At which point, the scanned second image of paper financial instrument 400 (e.g., the business check sought to be deposited or cashed) is uploaded (e.g., through WAN network) to the ASP's system 402, using the data processing module, in combination with the image processing module, as to obtain second check processing information. Therefore, combining the elements from prior arts according to known methods and technique such as system and capture the second image 402 of the paper financial instrument 400. At which point, the scanned second image of paper financial instrument 400 (e.g., the business check sought to be deposited or cashed) is uploaded (e.g., through WAN network) to the ASP's system 402, would yield predictable results.
However, the combination does not expressly teach a check processing setting.
He teaches that the integrity check algorithm is used for checking whether the text information contained in the item image is complete, if so, indicating that the text information contained in the item image is complete, then not needing to collect and guide prompt to the user; if not, indicating that the text information contained in the item image is not complete, then performing integrity collection and guidance prompt to the user, so as to prompt the user to adjust the collection angle, so as to collect the integrity of the target object (see page 10-11, lines 31-34 and 1-2); after the image type comparison, there is the comparison result is the type of the type is not the same, under the condition, providing option of switching collection mode for the user, the user through selected more suitable for self using habit of collecting mode for collecting mage, so as to improve the collecting efficiency; In an alternative embodiment of the embodiment of the invention, the image type of the target image type and the image acquisition instruction is carried in the comparison, further comprising: under the condition that the comparison result is the type is not consistent, displaying the collection mode option to the user; receiving a selection instruction input by the user for the collection mode option; based on the acquisition mode determined by the selection instruction, invoking the image acquisition device for image acquisition (see page 12, lines 5-15).
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 combination by He for providing that after the image type comparison, there is the comparison result is the type of the type is not the same, under the condition, providing option of switching collection mode for the user, the user through selected more suitable for self using habit of collecting mode for collecting image, so as to improve the collecting efficiency; In an alternative embodiment of the embodiment of the invention, the image type of the target image type and the image acquisition instruction is carried in the comparison, as a check processing setting. Therefore, the combination of the teaching, suggestion, or motivation in the prior art would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings to arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 2. The combination teaches the information processing apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to propose, if the first check processing information newly set for the item on the first form is received from the user, unification of the first check processing information and the second check processing information (see Smith , Fig. 1, paragraph 51, the capture application 220, the online banking application 221, and the transaction application 270 interact with the OCR engines 250 to utilize the extracted metadata for automated decisions for detecting and/or eliminating duplicate check processing. Duplicate checks may be detected and/or eliminated based on metadata matching. In this way, data may be lifted off of a document as metadata and compare the data to other documents utilizing the metadata form) (see page 12, lines 5-15, after the image type comparison, there is the comparison result is the type of the type is not the same, under the condition, providing option of switching collection mode for the user, the user through selected more suitable for self using habit of collecting mode for collecting mage, so as to improve the collecting efficiency; In an alternative embodiment of the embodiment of the invention, the image type of the target image type and the image acquisition instruction is carried in the comparison, further comprising: under the condition that the comparison result is the type is not consistent, displaying the collection mode option to the user; receiving a selection instruction input by the user for the collection mode option; based on the acquisition mode determined by the selection instruction, invoking the image acquisition device for image acquisition).
Regarding claim 5. The combination teaches the information processing apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to display related information relating to proposal on whether to unify the first check processing information and the second check processing information with each other (see Sadovsky, Fig. 4, paragraph 41, once the ASP's data processing module, completes the search, various sequential decision points are employed to authenticate the second paper financial instrument 400. For example, the system queries whether or not the image and partitioned fields matches any image or partitioned fields stored on the data processing modules' memory 407, else, the system can display a message that no matching paper item was found 408, which can then be printed 409; if a match exists and following a comparison by the data processing module 410, whether or not the plurality of fields identified and partitioned in the first image are identical to the plurality of fields identified and partitioned in the second image 411, else, the system can display a message that the item may have been altered 412, which can then be printed 413) (see page 12, lines 5-15, after the image type comparison, there is the comparison result is the type of the type is not the same, under the condition, providing option of switching collection mode for the user, the user through selected more suitable for self using habit of collecting mode for collecting mage, so as to improve the collecting efficiency; In an alternative embodiment of the embodiment of the invention, the image type of the target image type and the image acquisition instruction is carried in the comparison, further comprising: under the condition that the comparison result is the type is not consistent, displaying the collection mode option to the user; receiving a selection instruction input by the user for the collection mode option; based on the acquisition mode determined by the selection instruction, invoking the image acquisition device for image acquisition).
Regarding claim 8. The combination teaches the information processing apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to display, if the first check processing information or the second check processing information is changed, information indicating that the change is reflected in another of the first check processing information and the second check processing information (see Sadovsky, Fig. 5, paragraph 44, Once the ASP's data processing module, completes the search, various sequential decision points can be employed to authenticate the second paper financial instrument 500. For example, the system queries whether or not the image and partitioned fields matches any image or partitioned fields stored on the data processing modules' memory 507. If not, the system can display a message that no matching paper item was found place the funds on hold, limiting withdrawal to the ATM's operator regular policy 508. If however, a match does exist and following a comparison by the data processing module 509, whether or not the plurality of fields identified and partitioned in the first image are identical to the plurality of fields identified and partitioned in the second image 510, else, the system can display a message that no identical match was found, place the funds on hold, and prohibiting withdrawal of any funds from the ATM 511) (see page 12, lines 5-15, after the image type comparison, there is the comparison result is the type of the type is not the same, under the condition, providing option of switching collection mode for the user, the user through selected more suitable for self using habit of collecting mode for collecting mage, so as to improve the collecting efficiency; In an alternative embodiment of the embodiment of the invention, the image type of the target image type and the image acquisition instruction is carried in the comparison, further comprising: under the condition that the comparison result is the type is not consistent, displaying the collection mode option to the user; receiving a selection instruction input by the user for the collection mode option; based on the acquisition mode determined by the selection instruction, invoking the image acquisition device for image acquisition).
Regarding claims 12 and 15. The combination teaches the information processing apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to obtain a plurality of pieces of check processing information set for an item on a third form, receive one of the plurality of pieces of obtained check processing information as the first check processing information, and obtain another of the plurality of pieces of obtained check processing information different from the first check processing information as the second check processing information (see Sadovsky, paragraph 180, receiving a first image corresponding to a first paper financial instrument from a first data module; receiving a second image corresponding to a second paper financial instrument from a second data access module; partitioning the first image into a plurality of fields; partitioning the second image into the same plurality of fields; comparing the plurality of fields of the second image to the plurality of fields of the first check image in order to determine a level of similarity between the second image and the first image; determining the degree of similarity between the second image and the first image; and if the degree of similarity is above a predetermined threshold, providing an authentication indicia to the second data access module) (see Smith, paragraph 57 and 58, after the successful retrieval or capture of the image of the check, the apparatus may process the check as illustrated in block 126. The apparatus may capture individual pieces of check information from the image of the check in metadata form. In some embodiments, the check information may be text. In other embodiments, the check information may be an image processed into a compatible data format. As illustrated in block 124, the method comprises storing check information. After the image of the check is processed, the apparatus may store the lifted and collected check information in a compatible data format. In some embodiments, the check information may be stored as metadata. As such, individual elements of the check information may be stored separately, and may be associated with each other via metadata. In some embodiments, the individual pieces of check information may be stored together. In some embodiments, the apparatus may additionally store the original image of the check immediately after the image of the check is received) (see page 12, lines 5-15, after the image type comparison, there is the comparison result is the type of the type is not the same, under the condition, providing option of switching collection mode for the user, the user through selected more suitable for self using habit of collecting mode for collecting mage, so as to improve the collecting efficiency; In an alternative embodiment of the embodiment of the invention, the image type of the target image type and the image acquisition instruction is carried in the comparison, further comprising: under the condition that the comparison result is the type is not consistent, displaying the collection mode option to the user; receiving a selection instruction input by the user for the collection mode option; based on the acquisition mode determined by the selection instruction, invoking the image acquisition device for image acquisition).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/XIN JIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2663