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 Objections
Claims 1 and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities: in Claim 1, line 1, the word “banknote” should be “banknotes” and in lines 4 and 5, the phrase “to be” should be removed for better grammar and form. Claim 15 recites the same words/phrases. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1 and 15 recite the limitation "first banknote" and “second banknote” in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 5, 6 and 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Nishida et al (US 2019/0304233 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Nishida discloses
a method for processing banknote(s) (p), as mentioned in paragraph 1, for example, the method comprising:
conveying, by a conveyor, i.e., transport unit (24, 230) with transport belt (231) and transport rollers (232), as illustrated in figures 1 and 20, the banknote(s) (p) taken in from an intake port, i.e. inlet unit (20) and placement unit (220) as illustrated in figures 1 and 20;
discriminating, by a discrimination sensor, i.e., recognition unit (26, 240) as mentioned in paragraphs 60 and 162, whether the banknote (p) conveyed by the
conveyor (24, 230) is first banknote (p) or second banknote (p), the first banknote (p) being to be stored in at least one storage, i.e., stacking unit (260, 265, 274), outlet unit (22) and bags (34) as illustrated in figures 1 and 20, the second banknote being to be forcibly stored in the at least one storage, i.e., any one of (22, 34, 260, 265, 274), as mentioned in paragraphs 133; and
performing, by a controller, i.e., control unit (50) as illustrated in figure 7, output processing to output forcible storage information used in forcible storage of the second banknote (p), the forcible storage information being output without user intervention, i.e., via printers (56, 138b, 216), as mentioned at paragraphs 56, 79, 96, 118, 124, 138, 139, 144, 150 and 175 and as illustrated in figures 7, 9, 12, 13 and 19, for example.
Regarding Claim 2, Nishida discloses
wherein the forcible storage information is based on a discrimination result of the second banknote by the discrimination sensor (26, 240), as mentioned in paragraphs 131, 138 and 139, which state as follows.
[0131] In the present embodiment, a banknote to be stored in the banknote storage bag 134 mounted to the mounting unit 132 is recognized by the recognition unit 26, and the setting unit 140 selects and sets a sealing method for sealing the opening portion of the banknote storage bag 134 by the sealing unit 138 from a plurality of sealing methods, based on the result of recognition by the recognition unit 26. The control unit 150 controls the sealing unit 138 so as to seal the opening portion of the banknote storage bag 134 mounted to the mounting unit 132, based on the sealing method having been set by the setting unit 140. The memory unit 54 may store correspondence between the sealing method and the result of recognition by the recognition unit 26, and the setting unit 140 may read and set the sealing method corresponding to the result of recognition by the recognition unit 26, from the memory unit 54. Furthermore, the correspondence, stored in the memory unit 54, between the sealing method and the result of recognition by the recognition unit 26, may be changed by input through the operation/display unit 52. Such an operation will be described below in detail.
0138] In a case where the sealing unit 138 has the sealing member 138a and the printing member 138b, the setting unit 140 may set a content to be printed on the banknote storage bag 134 by the printing member 138b, based on the result of recognition by the recognition unit 26, in the sealing method for sealing the opening portion of the banknote storage bag 134, and the control unit 150 may control the printing member 138b of the sealing unit 138 so as to perform printing on the banknote storage bag 134 mounted to the mounting unit 132 based on the content, to be printed, which is set by the setting unit 140. Such an operation will be described with reference to FIG. 13. In the present embodiment, a printer such as an inkjet printer is used as the printing member 138b. As shown in FIG. 13, the sealing member 138a and the printing member 138b are movable relative to the banknote storage bag 134 mounted to the mounting unit 132 in the left-right direction shown in FIG. 13. The sealing member 138a of the sealing unit 138 seals the opening portion of the banknote storage bag 134 at one portion over the entire width of the banknote storage bag 134 mounted to the mounting unit 132. The printing member 138b prints various characters at a portion above the portion, of the banknote storage bag 134, which has been sealed by the sealing member 138a. Specifically, in a case where the number or a monetary amount of the banknotes that are stored in the banknote storage bag 134 mounted to the mounting unit 132 has not been accepted, based on the result of recognition by the recognition unit 26, the setting unit 140 performs setting such that the printing member 138b prints characters representing “abnormality in inventory amount” on the banknote storage bag 134. In a case where the banknotes that are stored in the banknote storage bag 134 mounted to the mounting unit 132 include at least one banknote (for example, counterfeit note or suspect note) other than a genuine banknote, according to the result of recognition by the recognition unit 26, the setting unit 140 performs setting such that the printing member 138b prints characters representing “include a suspect note” on the banknote storage bag 134. Thus, an operator can easily know information on the banknotes stored in the banknote storage bag 134 by simply looking at the characters printed on the banknote storage bag 134.
[0139] In the present embodiment, the printing member 138b may print various characters at a portion, of the banknote storage bag 134 mounted to the mounting unit 132, which has been sealed by the sealing member 138a, instead of various characters being printed at a portion above a portion, of the banknote storage bag 134 mounted to the mounting unit 132, which has been sealed by the sealing member 138a. Specifically, the sealing member 138a and the printing member 138b may be integrated with each other.
Regarding Claim 5, Nishida discloses
wherein the forcible storage information includes at least one of
information identifying a transaction related to the banknote,
information identifying a user performing the transaction, as mentioned at paragraphs 175 and 176, for example and noting the printer (216) is fed signals from controller (250) representing such information,
a number of sheets of the banknote, i.e., “an inventory amount of banknotes stored in each bag 34” as mentioned in paragraphs 79 and 143,
a currency type of the banknote, i.e., interpreted as “banknotes issued by a specific foreign country” as mentioned in paragraph 146,
a denomination of the banknote, as mentioned in paragraphs 146 and 173, i.e., “[o]n the monitor 215a, for example, the number of the banknotes P, for each denomination, stored in the banknote storage bag 274 is displayed”,
a symbolic code number of the banknote, i.e., “the serial number of the banknote” as mentioned at paragraph 128, and
information indicating that the forcible storage is performed in the transaction, noting that the controller necessarily has such information available to it in order to perform the forcible storage function, and thus making it available for printing.
Regarding Claim 6, Nishida discloses
wherein the method is performed in one apparatus, the one apparatus, i.e., interpreted as one of the banknote storage mechanisms (34, 272) as illustrated in figures 1 or 2, including the intake port, i.e., represented by transport units (25) as illustrated in figure 8 and as mentioned at paragraph 64 or holding/transport mechanism (270) in figure 20 and as mentioned at paragraph 167,
the conveyor (24, 230), the discrimination sensor (26, 240), a discharge port, i.e., the banknote sending unit (48) as mentioned at paragraphs 66 and 67 and as illustrated in figure 2 or the holding/transport mechanism (270) as mentioned at paragraph 169 and as illustrated in figure 20, noting that the aperture blocked by (270) represents both a discharge and an intake aperture, and noting that other intake apertures exist in device (210), and one storage, i.e., bag (34, 274), of the at least one storage as illustrated in figures 1 and 20,
the output processing is performed in response to the first banknote being stored in the one storage (34, 274) and the second banknote being discharged to the discharge port (264, 265), as mentioned at paragraph 133, for example, noting that the output processing is interpreted to include the gathering of all first and/or second banknote information before the sealing operation that seals the bag/envelope/storage container as well as the printing of any information on the bag/container or on an inserted card/sheet since inherently all of the banknotes must be fully sorted and located to their particular bags or storage areas before the bag is sealed and completed, and thus for the first banknotes, all information is finally gathered after sorting has been completed, and all is then ready for final sealing, and
the second banknote is stored in the one storage (34) after the output processing is performed, i.e., interpreted as the full information of the sorted second banknotes has been gathered and prepared so that final sealing and/or printing may be completed.
See also paragraphs 64, mentioning “ [a]fter a predetermined number of banknotes are stored in the banknote storage bag 34 held by each holding member 36 disposed in the banknote storage mechanism 32, before the banknote storage bag 34 is taken out from the banknote storage mechanism 32, the second holding member 36 is moved toward the first holding members 36 and the two holding members 36 touch each other”. See also paragraphs 168, mentioning “[a]fter a predetermined number of banknotes are stored in the banknote storage bag 274 held by each holding member 276 in the banknote storage mechanism 272, before the banknote storage bag 274 is taken out from the banknote storage mechanism 272, the second holding member 276 is moved toward the first holding member 276, and the holding members 276 touch each other. In this state, the heating member 278 heats a portion, near the opening portion, of the banknote storage bag 274, whereby the opening portion of the banknote storage bag 274 is heat-sealed (thermally sealed)”.
See also paragraphs 184 and 185, which state as follows.
[0184] Firstly, an operator inputs an instruction for storing a valuable medium other than the banknotes P in the banknote storage bag 274, into the control unit 250, by using the display/input unit 215. More specifically, the operator selects a command for “depositing of valuable medium (depositing of non-cash medium)” by using the display/input unit 215. At this time, identification information of the operator is also inputted into the control unit 250 by using each input key 215b of the display/input unit 215, and/or the numeric key 217, or the card reader 218. The operator inputs information on the valuable medium, specifically, a monetary amount or the like of the valuable medium, into the control unit 250, by using each input key 215b of the display/input unit 215, and/or the numeric key 217, and presses the acceptance key. Thus, information, on the valuable medium, inputted into the control unit 250 by the operator is printed as a journal by the printer 216. At this time, the shutter mechanism 262 is opened by the control unit 250, and an envelope which contains the valuable medium can be inserted in the stacking unit 260.
[0185] Thereafter, the operator sets, in the stacking unit 260, the envelope that contains the valuable medium and the journal on which information on the valuable medium is printed, and presses the acceptance key, whereby the shutter mechanism 262 is closed. The envelope that contains the valuable medium and the journal that have been set in the stacking unit 260, are stored in the banknote storage bag 274 held by each holding member 276 of the banknote storage mechanism 272 by the holding/transport mechanism 270 (see the arrow B.sub.1 in FIG. 20). When the envelope that contains the valuable medium has been stored in the banknote storage bag 274, the valuable medium in the banknote storage bag 274 is managed not under authority of the store but under authority of the cash-in-transit company. Thus, an operation for storing the valuable medium in the banknote storage bag 274 is ended.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 13, Nishida discloses
wherein the second banknote does not include a damaged
banknote, i.e., interpreted as referring to fitness of the banknote, as mentioned in paragraphs 60 and 165, in a worse state than the first banknote, and includes a suspicious banknote which is potentially counterfeit banknote, i.e., interpreted as meaning the banknote has a lack of authenticity as mentioned at paragraphs 60 and 165, which states as follows.
[0060] The inlet unit 20 is provided with a banknote feeding mechanism 20a for taking in banknotes that are placed in a stacked state in the inlet unit 20 by an operator into the housing 12 one by one. A transport unit 24 for transporting banknotes one by one in the housing 12 is disposed at the upper assembly 14 in the housing 12 of the banknote handling machine 10, and the banknotes taken in from the inlet unit 20 by the banknote feeding mechanism 20a are transported one by one by the transport unit 24. A recognition unit 26 is disposed in the transport unit 24, and the recognition unit 26 recognizes a denomination, authenticity, face/back, fitness, new/old series, a transport state of a banknote taken in into the transport unit 24 by the banknote feeding mechanism 20a.
[0165] As shown in FIG. 20, a reject unit 265 is disposed at the transport unit 230, and the banknotes P which are not transported to the stacking unit 260 when abnormality occurs, are transported to the reject unit 265. In the description herein, the abnormality refers to abnormality in recognition and abnormality in transporting. Abnormality in recognition represents a case where information recognized by the recognition unit 240 does not coincide with information which is previously stored in a control unit 250 described below. Examples of such abnormality in recognition include a state in which a banknote P is recognized as a banknote P having a kind different from an expected kind (for example, denomination, fitness, and the like), and a state where a kind of the banknotes P cannot be recognized. Abnormality in transporting refers to abnormality that occurs when the banknotes P are transported by the transport unit 230. Examples of such abnormality in transporting include a state (skew) in which the banknote P is diagonally transported, a state (chaining) in which a plurality of banknotes P are transported so as not to be spaced from each other at predetermined intervals, and a state (overlapping) in which a plurality of banknotes P are transported so as to overlap each other.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 14, see the rejection of Claim 13, above.
Regarding Claim 15, see the rejection of Claim 1, above.
Regarding Claim 16, see the rejection of Claim 6, above.
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.
Claim(s) 3 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishida et al (US 2019/0304233 A1) in view of Ireland et al (US 2005/0086140 A1).
Regarding Claims 3 and 4, Nishida teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 3, Nishida does not expressly teach
wherein the output processing includes printing, by a printer
the forcible storage information on a sheet of paper, the sheet of paper and the second banknote being to be enclosed in an envelope, the envelope being to be stored in the at least one storage.
Regarding Claim 3, Nishida does not expressly teach, but Ireland teaches
wherein the output processing includes printing, by a printer (136),
the forcible storage information, i.e., the barcode or code, for example, as mentioned in paragraph 16, on a sheet of paper, i.e., the receipt or card printed at the time the container was filled, as mentioned in paragraph 16, the sheet of paper and the second banknote being to be enclosed in an envelope, i.e., noting the mention of an envelope or a bag being used as mentioned at paragraph 87, the envelope being to be stored in the at least one storage, i.e., bag (130), as illustrated in figure 8. See paragraphs 16, 39, 46, 82, 84 and 87, which state as follows.
[0016] In another option, the container is at least partially transparent and contains a code carrier, for example a receipt or header/footer card, printed at the time the container was filled, providing the code such as a bar code, which can be read through the transparent portion. In a further option, the container is opaque but contains a storage device, e.g. a RFID, whose content can be read through the container wall. In either case, a further identification label could be placed on the outside of the container.
[0039] The indication providing means preferably comprises a printer which can be located downstream of the container closure mechanism so as to print the indication such as a code e.g. a bar code onto the outer surface of the container or alternatively onto a label which is affixed to the container. Alternatively, the printer may be adapted to print the indication on an insert, the container loading system being adapted to load the insert into the container such that the indication is detectable, typically visible, through a window of the container.
[0046] The apparatus may also includes means to allow separator cards, headers and footers to be inserted into the container at appropriate positions. These may be printed with information relating to the source of the items etc.
[0082] In another modification (not shown), the system could include an on-line printer to print and insert headers and/or footers into the bag or envelope. In addition, an input pad, e.g. keypad or touch screen, is provided to allow an operator to input supporting information to the transaction data. E.g. information about reject documents or reference to a till skimming receipt.
[0084] An envelope or bag sealing system 134 supports the bag 130 and includes a sealer for sealing the open end of the bag once all documents and other items have been loaded. The bag may already be provided with a unique id in the form of a bar code which can be read by a bar code reader (not shown). This bar code will be unique to, and preprinted on, the bag and thus provide a unique reference to the contents of the bag and the account to be credited. Alternatively, as shown, the bar code could be printed on the bag, typically after sealing, by a printer 136. In this case, the bar code could encode other information such as the value of the bag content.
[0087] The code could include a time limit, which could be used to reduce the time available for the bag or envelope to be tampered with, i.e. envelopes received `late` would be put to one side for inspection. This is just one means by which the non-physical integrity of the envelope and its contents can be validated. Alternatively the information could be encrypted prior to application, the deposit apparatus having suitable means for decrypting the information. As a further alternative the system 1 could be connected to a financial institution to obtain an authorisation code. Therefore, the financial institution, e.g. a bank, knows when a transaction has happened, possibly some details, and the acceptance machine knows what to expect. Unexpected envelopes can be rejected or quarantined. The envelopes could be put into different locations within the machine, i.e. all cash envelopes are put into one bag, all cheques in another etc. or alternatively all envelopes from one till could be collated into one envelope. One or a combination of several or all the above alternatives could be utilized within a system.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 3, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided wherein the output processing includes printing, by a printer
the forcible storage information on a sheet of paper, the sheet of paper and the second banknote being to be enclosed in an envelope, the envelope being to be stored in the at least one storage, as taught by Ireland, in Nishida’s apparatus and method for processing banknotes for the purpose of imparting information required for identification of banknotes stored in a bag/storage device and for informing a user about the banknote contents therein.
Regarding Claim 4, see the rejection of Claim 3, above.
Claim(s) 7-11 and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishida et al (US 2019/0304233 A1) in view of Jones et al (US 9,141,876 B1).
Regarding Claims 7-11 and 17-19, Nishida teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 7, see the rejection of Claim 6.
Regarding Claim 7, Nishida does not expressly teach
wherein the method is performed with a first apparatus and a second apparatus, the second apparatus including a second storage of the at least one storage.
Regarding Claim 7, Nishida does not expressly teach, but Jones teaches a first apparatus, i.e., first output transfer system (1678c), and first document processing device (11-16c), noting first storage, i.e. mini-safes (C1-Cn), on first output transfer system (1678c), and a second apparatus, i.e., second output transfer system (1679c), with second document processing device (11-16c2),
wherein the method is performed with a first apparatus (1678c, 11-16c, C1-Cn) and a second apparatus (1679c, 11-16c2, Cn+1-Cn+z), the second apparatus (11-16c2) including a second storage, i.e., mini-safes (Cn+1-Cn+z) of the at least one storage, as illustrated in figure 16c and as mentioned at col. 85, line 57-col. 86, line 10, and col. 86, line 45-col. 87, line 14.
See also multiple output receptacles, i.e., (130, 130f1-130f8), as illustrated in figure 1f and as mentioned at col. 14, lines 14-29 or document receiving units (11h, 300’, 300’’) as illustrated in figure 1h and as mentioned at col. 14, lines 49-67, as well as document processing system (1601c).
Note that it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. See St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Regarding Claim 7, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a first apparatus, first storage, and a second apparatus,
wherein the method is performed with a first apparatus and a second apparatus the second apparatus including a second storage, of the at least one storage, as taught by Jones, in Nishida’s apparatus and method for processing increased volume of banknotes.
Regarding Claim 8, see the rejection of Claims 1, 6 and 7 above.
Regarding Claim 9, Nishida teaches
wherein the second banknote is discriminated, by the discrimination sensor, i.e., recognition sensor (26) as illustrated in figure 1 and as mentioned at paragraph 60, for example, whether the second banknote is a first category or a second category, i.e., has particular characteristics such as particular denomination, authenticity, face/back, fitness, new/old series or a transport state of the banknote, as mentioned at the last sentence of paragraph 60, and
the second banknote as the first category is discharged to the discharge port, i.e., one of diverged transport units (25) as illustrated in figure 1 and as mentioned at paragraph 64 and as illustrated in figure 2, for example, and then the second banknote as the second category is discharged to the discharge port, noting that it is considered a matter of design choice as to how to organize a group of banknotes based upon the desired resulting stack.
Regarding Claim 10, Nishida teaches
wherein the second banknote as the first category includes a damaged banknote, i.e. construed as not having sufficient fitness, as mentioned in the last sentence of paragraph 60, in a worse state than the first banknote, i.e., interpreted as having an abnormality in recognition and having a kind different from an expected kind, as mentioned at paragraph 165, and
the second banknote as the second category includes a suspicious banknote which is potentially a counterfeit banknote, i.e., interpreted as a kind of the banknotes P which cannot be recognized, as well as authenticity, as mentioned at paragraphs 60 or 165, which state as follows.
[0060] The inlet unit 20 is provided with a banknote feeding mechanism 20a for taking in banknotes that are placed in a stacked state in the inlet unit 20 by an operator into the housing 12 one by one. A transport unit 24 for transporting banknotes one by one in the housing 12 is disposed at the upper assembly 14 in the housing 12 of the banknote handling machine 10, and the banknotes taken in from the inlet unit 20 by the banknote feeding mechanism 20a are transported one by one by the transport unit 24. A recognition unit 26 is disposed in the transport unit 24, and the recognition unit 26 recognizes a denomination, authenticity, face/back, fitness, new/old series, a transport state of a banknote taken in into the transport unit 24 by the banknote feeding mechanism 20a.
[0165] As shown in FIG. 20, a reject unit 265 is disposed at the transport unit 230, and the banknotes P which are not transported to the stacking unit 260 when abnormality occurs, are transported to the reject unit 265. In the description herein, the abnormality refers to abnormality in recognition and abnormality in transporting. Abnormality in recognition represents a case where information recognized by the recognition unit 240 does not coincide with information which is previously stored in a control unit 250 described below. Examples of such abnormality in recognition include a state in which a banknote P is recognized as a banknote P having a kind different from an expected kind (for example, denomination, fitness, and the like), and a state where a kind of the banknotes P cannot be recognized. Abnormality in transporting refers to abnormality that occurs when the banknotes P are transported by the transport unit 230. Examples of such abnormality in transporting include a state (skew) in which the banknote P is diagonally transported, a state (chaining) in which a plurality of banknotes P are transported so as not to be spaced from each other at predetermined intervals, and a state (overlapping) in which a plurality of banknotes P are transported so as to overlap each other.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 11, see the rejection of Claim 10, above.
Regarding Claim 17, see the rejection of Claims 1, 6, 7, 8 and 9 above.
Regarding Claim 18, see the rejection of Claims 1, 6, 7, 8 and 9 above.
Regarding Claim 19, see the rejection of Claims 1, 6, 7, 8 and 9 above.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishida et al (US 2019/0304233 A1) in view of Ireland et al (US 2005/0086140 A1) and further in view of Jones et al (US 9,141,876 B1).
Regarding Claim(s) 12, Nishida teaches the system as described above.
The method of claim 12, Nishida does not expressly teach
wherein the second banknote is enclosed in an envelope,
the envelope is stored in the second storage, and
the second apparatus is contained within, adjacent to, or separate from the first apparatus.
Regarding Claim 12, see the rejections of Claims 3 and 4, above.
Conclusion
Applicant is encouraged to contact the Examiner should there be any questions about this rejection or in an endeavor to explore potential amendments or potential allowable subject matter.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Rao ‘539 is cited as teaching wherein the output processing includes printing, by a printer, i.e., printer mechanism (114) as mentioned at paragraph 214 and as illustrated in figures 17 and 18, for example on an envelope as mentioned at paragraphs 165, 169, 187, 192 and 212-214.
Sheng ‘396 is cited as teaching banknote stacks/bundles/batches being separated by separator cards (212, 214, 216) as illustrated in figure 3, each with an RFID chip having various banknote information as mentioned at paragraphs 10, 11, 28, -32, 37, 38, 49-51, 56 and 57.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEFFREY ALAN SHAPIRO whose telephone number is (571)272-6943. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday generally between 8:30AM and 6:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anita Y Coupe can be reached at 571-270-3614. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JEFFREY A SHAPIRO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
February 20, 2026