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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 1/8/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s “Response to Amendment and Reconsideration” filed on 12/04/2025 has been considered.
Claims 1-6, 8-15, 17-18 are allowed. Claims 7 and 16 are cancelled. Claims 19-20 are pending in this application and an action on the merits follows.
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 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Armanini et al (U.S. Patent No. 7,185,749), in view of De Leo et al (U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030141360).
Regarding claim 19, Armanini teaches a first money handling apparatus configured to detect, using a sensor. a degree of damage to money: sort the money, according to the degree of damage, into fit money used for dispensing transactions and unfit money which is not used for the dispensing transactions; further sort the fit money, according to the degree of damage of the fit money. into first fit money and second fit money having a degree of damage different from the first fit money; (detection system being adapted to determine at least the fitness and authenticity of each bill, Col.1 ln 45-50); Fitness criteria which can be assessed include physical damage (open and closed tears), folds, Col.3 ln 50-55, a fitness decision can be made (step 44) so as to assess firstly whether the note is fit or unfit and then whether a distinction can be made between recyclable and non-recyclable (but reusable) genuine and fit notes, Col.3 ln 61-67);
and perform a plurality of types of dispensing transactions including a first dispensing transaction in which the first fit money is dispensed and a second dispensing transaction in which the second fit money is dispensed, (Recyclable notes are directed by the transport system to an appropriate one of the recycling stores 11 14 from where they can be recycled when the machine is used for dispensing, Col.4 ln 16-20, bills of sufficient fitness for recirculating but not recycling to be fed to the recirculation store, Col.4 ln 60-67).
Armanini teaches classification of the notes into multiple fitness categories and tracks notes by category (count tracking and counting). Armani does not explicitly disclose, however, De Leo teaches a management apparatus including processing circuitry configured to acquire transaction information from a first money handling apparatus; (transaction processor, [46]),
determine, when the first money handling apparatus needs to be replenished with money, a breakdown of the money for replenishment based on the transaction information, wherein the breakdown indicates a quantity of each fitness-type of money including the first fit money and the second fit money to be included in the money for replenishment; (the transaction processor 26 can determine whether the terminal has sufficient cash or the proper denomination of bills to satisfy the requested transaction (i.e., the terminal might only be loaded with $20 bills and be unable to satisfy a requested amount such as $25), [46]);
determine whether the money for replenishment may be dispensed by a second money handling apparatus based on the breakdown; and in a case that the processing circuitry determines that the money for replenishment may be dispensed by the second money handling apparatus, notify the second money handing apparatus to dispense the money for replenishment; and a second money handling apparatus configured to dispense the money for replenishment based on the breakdown of the money determined by the processing circuitry in a case that the second money handling apparatus receives the notification from the management apparatus, (providing appropriate commands to terminal section 402, [121]).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the method of Armanini, to include the above limitations, as taught by De Leo, in order to improve transaction execution reliability, [7].
Regarding claim 20, Armanini does not explicitly disclose, however De Leo teaches the processing circuitry is further configured to, in a case that the processing circuitry determines that the money for replenishment may not be dispensed by the second money handling apparatus, provide notification that dispensing of the money is not possible, (in one arrangement the signal from the host to the ATM which occurs upon transaction approval does not activate the ATM to dispense cash or print a transaction record, [47]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MILENA RACIC whose telephone number is (571)270-5933. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30am-4pm EST.
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/MILENA RACIC/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3627
/FLORIAN M ZEENDER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3627
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