DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/15/2026 has been entered.
Claim Status
The claims filed 1/15/2026 have been entered.
Claims 1, 3-8, and 10-14 are pending.
Claims 1 and 8 are independent.
Claims 1 and 8 are currently amended.
Claims 10 and 11 are previously presented.
Claims 3-7 and 12-14 are original.
Claims 2, 9, and 15-20 are canceled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/15/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
35 U.S.C. 103
Applicant’s arguments with regards the prior rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection necessitated by the current amendment presented herein.
Claim Objections
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities: the claim recites “first textured directional feature”. However, the limitation is inconsistent with currently amended base claim 8, which recites “first textured
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 3-5, 7-8, and 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harmon (US 2021/0110227 A1) in view of Yee (US 2023/0065729 A1), further in view of Mastercard Touch Card (“A new Mastercard design is meant to make life easier for visually impaired users”, previously attached), further in view of ETSI (“Human Factors (HF); Recommendation for a tactile identifier on machine readable cards for telecommunication terminals”, attached).
Regarding independent claim 1, Harmon discloses an account card comprising:
a plurality of sides that are connected to form a shape (see Fig. 1); and
a textured directional feature for providing access to an account, the textured directional feature associated with at least one side of the plurality of sides (see Fig. 2, [0033]), the at least one side of the plurality of sides that is associated with the textured directional feature including:
a first textured feature comprising:
a first surface roughness that is different than a second surface roughness associated with other sides of the plurality of sides (see Fig. 2, [0033]); and
a textured arrangement configured to indicate, via tactile interaction, a card type of the account card (see Fig. 2, [0033], [0037]);
a second textured feature comprising:
a third surface roughness that is different than the first surface roughness (see para. [0037-0038], wherein upper/lower texture strips may be different textures); and
a textured arrangement configured to indicate, via a tactile interaction, an orientation of the account card (see para. [0037-0038]);
a first edge (see Fig. 2, [0033]);
a second edge positioned opposite the first edge (see Fig. 2, [0033]);
a third edge connected to the first edge via a first corner that has a first shape, wherein the third edge is connected to the second edge via a second corner has a second shape that is the same as the first shape (see Fig. 2, [0033]); and
a fourth edge that is positioned opposite the third edge, wherein the fourth edge is connected to the first edge via a third corner has a third shape that that is the same as the first shape and the second shape, wherein the fourth edge is connected to the second edge via a fourth corner that has a fourth shape that is the same as the first shape, the second shape, and the third shape, wherein the fourth edge is shorter than the first edge and the second edge wherein the fourth edge comprises the first textured feature (see Fig. 2, [0027], [0033]);
wherein the first textured feature extends from a first end of the fourth edge to a second end positioned opposite the first end of the fourth edge (see Fig. 2, [0027], [0033], upper texture strip 202 and lower texture strip 204).
Harmon discloses a textured directional feature extending along and contacting one edge of the card to another edge of the card, wherein the inner line is parallel to the perimeter (see Fig. 2, [0033], upper texture strip 202 and lower texture strip 204). Harmon further discloses that while the texture strips 102 and 104 are depicted as extending across the transaction card 10 in a length direction x, other embodiments include texture strips that extend across the transaction card 10 in a height y direction (see para. 0027). Therefore, Harmon discloses a texture strip which is the length of the short edge of the card. Harmon, however, does not explicitly disclose the feature having a continuous area that (i) extends along and contacts the perimeter and (ii) extends from an outer point of the perimeter to an inner point on at least one side of the plurality of sides.
Yee teaches a textured feature having a continuous area extending along and contacting a perimeter of an account card and which extends from an outer point of the perimeter to an inner point on at least one side of the plurality of sides (see Fig. 1 114, 122, 123, 124, 126; [0018], [0022]). While Yee depicts a curved perimeter including a crest (see Fig. 2), Yee additionally teaches that the textured grips are not limited to any particular shape or configuration (see [0022]).
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 textured directional feature of Harmon’s card, including the inner line parallel to the perimeter and the texture strip running the length of the short edge of the card, to include having a continuous area that (i) extends along and contacts the perimeter, thereby resulting in the textured feature extending from the perimeter to an inner line parallel to the perimeter on at least one side of the plurality of sides and the textured feature being along the fourth edge which is shorter than the first and second edges.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification to include a visual indicator on the appropriate orientation for swiping the card (see Yee, [0022]).
Harmon does not explicitly disclose, but Mastercard Touch Card teaches a third edge comprising a second textured directional feature that defines a notch with a constant radius-of-curvature and that extends toward a center of the account card (see image).
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 account card of Harmon to include the feature of Mastercard Touch Card.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification to help locate the right card by touch alone (see Mastercard Touch Card, pg. 2).
As discussed above, Harmon discloses a textured arrangement shaped configured to indicate, via a tactile interaction, an orientation of the account card (see [0037-0038]). While Harmon discloses customized texture patterns, including surface roughness forming various shapes (see [0037]), it does not explicitly disclose, but ETSI teaches an arrow pointing toward a closest side of the plurality of sides (see pg. 16).
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 account card of Harmon to include the feature of ETSI.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make the modification because user trials indicate that blind people normally search the edges of the card before searching the surface for a tactile identifier (see ETSI, pg. 11).
Regarding independent claim 8, the combination described above discloses a system with the first account card of claim 1. The combination additionally discloses a second account card with similar features (see Harmon Figs. 1-2, [0033]; [0037-0039] which describes using the features of the card to identify between multiple different cards).
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Harmon further discloses: a front side comprising a first background that includes a first set of account information (see Fig. 1); and a back side positioned opposite from the front side, wherein the back side comprises a second background that includes a second set of account information, wherein the second set of account information is different than the first set of account information (see Fig.1 depicting front side of card and Fig. 2 depicting back side of card, wherein “background” is interpreted in view of Applicant’s specification [0019] and [0025] as the interior region of the account card, or the part of the card within the outline formed by the corners of the cards).
Regarding claim 4, Harmon further discloses wherein the textured directional feature further comprises one or more raised surfaces that (i) rise above an average height of the front side of the account card or (ii) stoop below the average height of the front side of the account card (), and wherein the textured arrangement corresponds to a providing entity from which the account card is providable (see Fig. 2, [0033], [0014], [0022]).
Regarding claims 5 and 13, Harmon further discloses wherein: the first set of account information includes an account number associated with the account, an entity name associated with the account (see Fig. 1) and an expiration date associated with the account (see Fig. 2 showing expiration on back side of card and [0041] disclosing that the information on the back side could be instead shown on the front side), and the second set of account information includes a security code associated with the account, a confirmation line associated with the account, and contact information associated with the account (see Fig. 2 and [0041], wherein “confirmation line” broadly includes elements 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, or 212, and wherein “contact information associated with the account” broadly includes identification of the issuing bank).
Regarding claim 7, Harmon further discloses wherein a particular side of the plurality of sides comprises an identification embossing that is configured to indicate, in response to tactile interaction from an entity, an identification of the account card, and wherein the particular side is different than the at least one side (see [0032]).
Regarding 10, Harmon further discloses wherein the first textured directional feature of the first account card is sized and shaped differently than the second textured directional feature of the second account card (see [0021-0022]).
Regarding claim 11, Harmon further discloses wherein the first surface roughness and the first textured arrangement are associated with the fourth edge of the first account card, wherein the third surface roughness and the second textured arrangement are associated with the fourth edge of the second account card, wherein the first surface roughness is different than the third surface roughness, and wherein the first textured arrangement is different than the second textured arrangement (see [0021-0025], [0037-0039]).
Claims 6 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harmon (US 2021/0110227 A1) in view of Yee (US 2023/0065729 A1), further in view of Mastercard Touch Card (“A new Mastercard design is meant to make life easier for visually impaired users”, attached), further in view of ETSI (“Human Factors (HF); Recommendation for a tactile identifier on machine readable cards for telecommunication terminals”, attached), further in view of Drexler (US 6,199,761 B1).
Regarding claims 6 and 14, Harmon discloses wherein the first background and the second background each include a set of parameters that optimize a visual perception of the first set of account information and a visual perception of the second set of account information, and wherein the set of parameters include a font type, a font size, and an amount of information (see [0018], wherein Braille is a font type).
Harmon does not disclose, but Drexler teaches parameters including a contrast ratio, wherein the contrast ratio is from 4.65 to 21 (see col. 4, lines 10-28).
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 card of Harmon further to include parameters including a contrast ratio, wherein the contrast ratio is from 4.65 to 21 because greater contrast is preferred (see Drexler col. 4, lines 10-28).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wang (US 2022/0245984 A1) discloses a contactless PIN card that includes an orientation reference feature, a plurality of tactile sensors, an arrangement of a plurality of tactile sensors along the edge, an arrangement of a plurality of tactile sensors on the surface or surfaces, an arrangement of a plurality tactile of sensors along the edge and on the surface or surfaces. A plurality of tactile sensors allowed the user to input a binary PIN according to the way how the finger is interacting with the tactile sensors.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC T WONG whose telephone number is (571)270-3405. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael W Anderson can be reached at 571-270-0508. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIC T WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3693
ERIC WONG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3693