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 .
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the amendment filed 07/23/2026.
Claims 1 and 8-9 have been amended. Claims 1-9 are pending and have been examined on the merits (claims 1, 8, and 9 being independent).
The amendment filed 07/23/2026 to the claims has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments and amendments filed 07/23/2026 have been fully considered.
Applicants assert that the pending claims fully comply with the requirement of 35 U.S.C. 101. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicant’s argument and amendments have been considered and are not persuasive. The rejections under 35 U.S.C. 101 have been maintained and clarified in view of the USPTO MPEP 2106.
Applicant’s arguments (see Applicant’ remarks, pages 8-9):
(1) Applicant arguments that “The Examiner takes the position that the claims are directed to certain methods of organizing human activity. However, Applicant respectfully submits that the features of amended independent claims 1, 8 and 9 are integrated into a practical application. In particular, the amended independent claims recite that the management apparatus is configured to communicate via a communication network with the first settlement device and the second settlement device.” (see remarks, page 7), are not found persuasive.
In response (1): Examiner considers the amended independent claims 1, 8, and 9 with amended additional elements such as “via a communication network with the first settlement device and the second settlement device” do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application (i.e. amount to simply applying the abstract idea to a computer and/ a computer network (e.g. “apply it”)) because the additional elements do not apply, rely on, or use the judicial exception in a manner that that imposes a meaningful limitation on the judicial exception (i.e. apply it with the judicial exception, or mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea - see MPEP 2106.05(f)). That is, the features of amended independent claims 1, 8 and 9 recite specific hardware components as argued, but it merely uses a computer/network as a tool to perform an abstract idea. Further, the claim(s) do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the additional elements when considered both individually and as an ordered combination do not amount to significantly more that the abstract idea(s). Therefore, Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
With regard to the rejections of claims 1-9 under 35 U.S.C. 103, Applicant’s arguments and amendments have been considered but are not persuasive and Examiner respectfully disagrees. Examiner notes that Applicant is arguing newly amended claim language. As noted in the citation above the prior art and it is addressed by the rejections under 35 USC 103.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter without significantly more.
When considering subject matter eligibility under 35 U.S.C. 101, (1) it must be determined whether the claim is directed to one of the four statutory categories of invention, i.e., process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter. If the claim does fall within one of the statutory categories, (2a) it must then be determined whether the claim is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., law of nature, natural phenomenon, and abstract idea), and if so (2b), it must additionally be determined whether the claim is a patent-eligible application of the exception. If an abstract idea is present in the claim, any element or combination of elements in the claim must be sufficient to ensure that the claim amounts to significantly more than the abstract idea itself. Examples of abstract ideas include fundamental economic practices; certain methods of organizing human activities; an idea itself; and mathematical relationships/formulas. Alice Corporation Pty. Ltd. v. CLS Bank International, et al., 573 U.S. (2014).
The claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e. a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. In the instant case, the claim(s) as a whole, considering all claim elements both individually and in combination, do not amount to significantly more than an abstract idea.
Step (1): In the instant case, the claims are directed towards a method for performing a settlement for use of a service or purchase of a product used by an individual which contains the steps of communicating, associating, storing, receiving, determining, transmitting, and permitting. The claim recites a series of steps and, therefore, is a process. The claims do fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because claim 1 is direct to a management apparatus, claim 8 is direct to a management method, and claim 9 is direct to a settlement system, i.e. machines programmed to carrying out process steps, Step 1-yes.
Step (2A) Prong 1: A method for performing a settlement for use of a service or purchase of a product used by an individual is akin to the abstract idea subject matter grouping of: Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity as fundamental economic principles or practices and/or commercial or legal interactions. As such, the claims include an abstract idea.
The specific limitations of the invention are (a) identified to encompass the abstract idea include as commercial or legal interactions: {…….. store management information in which the user, the service or product, and the vehicle are associated with each other; ………that the user has used the service or purchased the product, associating information of the user, the vehicle, and the settlement with information of the user or the purchase with each other; storing the associated information in …….. as the management information of the user; receiving………, user detection information that includes information identifying the vehicle from …….; determining whether the user has gotten into the vehicle based on the management information and the user detection information; upon determination that the user has not gotten into the vehicle, permitting, via ……… to perform a first settlement based on the stored management information of the user for the use of the service or the purchase of the product until the user using the service or purchasing the product gets in the vehicle; upon determination that the user has gotten into the vehicle: transmitting, ……., the stored management information of the user to ……..; permitting, …….., to perform the first settlement based on the stored management information of the user after the user using the service or purchasing the product gets in the vehicle.}
As stated above, this abstract idea falls into the (b) subject matter grouping of: Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity as fundamental economic principles or practices and/or commercial or legal interactions as performing a settlement for use of a service or purchase of a product used by an individual.
Step (2A) Prong 2: The instant claims do not integrate the exception into a practical application because additional elements of “detection device mounted on the vehicle” and “one or more memories”, “one or more processors”, “the first settlement device”, “the second settlement device”, “mobile terminal”, and “via a communication network with the first settlement device and the second settlement device” amount to simply applying the abstract idea to a computer component and/or a computer network (e.g. “apply it”) do not apply, rely on, or use the judicial exception in a manner that that imposes a meaningful limitation on the judicial exception (i.e., generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use - see MPEP 2106.05(h) or apply it with the judicial exception, or mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea - see MPEP 2106.05(f)).
The instant recited claims including additional elements (i.e., “detection device mounted on the vehicle”, “one or more memories”, “one or more processors”, “the first settlement device”, “the second settlement device”, “mobile terminal”, “a terminal”, “via a communication network”) do not improve the functioning of the computer or improve another technology or technical field nor do they recite meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of an abstract idea to a particular technological environment. The limitations merely use a generic computing technology (Specification paragraphs [0034-0035]: first settlement device, second settlement device, processors, memory, interface, a network, a settlement interface, a display screen) as generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use - see MPEP 2106.05(h) or apply it with the judicial exception, or mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea - see MPEP 2106.05(f)). Therefore, the claims are directed to an abstract idea
Step (2B): The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional elements (Claims: e.g., “detection device mounted on the vehicle”, “one or more memories”, “one or more processors”, “the first settlement device”, “the second settlement device”, “mobile terminal”, “a terminal”, “via a communication network”) amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the exactly using generic computer component. The claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea over a computer.
The computer is merely a platform on which the abstract idea is implemented. Simply executing an abstract concept on a computer does not render a computer “specialized,” nor does it transform a patent-ineligible claim into a patent-eligible one. See Bancorp Servs., LLC v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Can., 687 F.3d 1266, 1280 (Fed. Cir. 2012). There are no improvements to another technology or technical field, no improvements to the functioning of the computer itself, transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing or any other meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of an abstract idea to a particular technological environment as a result of performing the claimed method. Also, the addition of merely novel or non-routine components to the claimed idea does not necessarily turn an abstraction into something concrete (See Ultramercial, Inc. v. Hulu, LLC, _ F.3d_, 2014 WL 5904902, (Fed. Cir. Nov. 14, 2014). Hence, the claims do not recite significantly more than an abstract idea. In conclusion, merely “linking/applying” the exception using generic computer components does not constitute ‘significantly more’ than the abstract idea. (MPEP 2106.05 (f) (h)). Therefore, the claims are not patent eligible under 35 USC 101.
Dependent claims 2-7 when analyzed as a whole and in an ordered combination are held to be patent ineligible under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the additional recited limitation(s) fail(s) to establish that the claim(s) is/are not directed to an abstract idea, as detailed below. The additional recited limitations in the dependent claims only refine the abstract idea.
For instance, in claim 2, the step of “… configured to execute prohibiting the vehicle from traveling until the first settlement is completed….” (i.e., checking a settlement), in claim 3, the step of “… configured to be able to perform a second settlement for a vehicle service….” (i.e., performing a settlement), in claim 4, the step of “… configured to execute permitting … to collectively perform the first settlement and the second settlement...” (i.e., doing a settlement), in claim 5, the step of “… wherein the vehicle service is a transfer service using the vehicle or an automated valet parking service.” (i.e., providing a service), in claim 6, the step of “… configured to execute permitting … to collectively perform the first settlement and the second settlement...” (i.e., doing a settlement), in claim 6, the step of “… permitting both the first settlement device and the second settlement device to perform the first settlement after the user gets in the vehicle;... prohibiting another one of … from performing the first settlement” (i.e., monitoring a settlement), and in claim 7, the step of “… permitting … to perform the first settlement until the user using the service or purchasing the product gets in the vehicle; ...” (i.e., performing a settlement) are all processes that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of a fundamental economic practice but for the recitation of a generic computer component. Performing a settlement for use of a service or purchase of a product used by an individual is a most fundamental commercial process.
This is an abstract concept with nothing more and is also considered mere instructions to apply an exception akin to a commonplace business method or mathematical algorithm being applied on a general purpose computer, Alice Corp. Pty. Ltd.; Gottschalk and Versata Dev. Group, Inc.; see MPEP 2106.05(f)(2).
In dependent claims 2-7, the step claimed are rejected under the same analysis and rationale as the independent claims 1, 8, and 9 above. Merely claiming the same process using a device mounted on the vehicle to perform a settlement for use of a service or purchase of a product used by a user does not change the abstract idea without an inventive concept or significantly more. Clearly, the additional recited limitations in the dependent claims only refine the abstract idea further. Further refinement of an abstract idea does not convert an abstract idea into something concrete.
Therefore, claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter.
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 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.
In the rejections below, where claims are currently amended, this is indicated by underlining.
Claims 1-4 and 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HAN ZHE et al. (hereinafter HAN ZHE), CN 109584383 B in view of OKAZAKI DAIKI (hereinafter OKAZAKI DAIKI), JP 2023-88776 A in further view of SAKUMA et al. (hereinafter SAKUMA), US Publication Number 2019/0118802 A1.
Regarding claim 1:
HAN ZHE discloses the following:
A management apparatus that manages a first settlement device (reads on “the parking lot fee deduction terminal”) that performs a settlement for use of a service or purchase of a product and a second settlement device (reads on “the payment terminal is installed on a vehicle”) mounted on a vehicle used by a user, the management apparatus comprising one or more memories and one or more processors, wherein: (HAN ZHE: See page 2, lines 7-9: “the payment terminal is installed on a vehicle and used for binding a terminal identifier with a payment account number of a driver of the vehicle; the payment terminal is used for sending the terminal identification to the parking lot fee deduction terminal when the parking lot fee deduction terminal installed at the entrance and exit of the parking lot is identified” and page 6, lines 9-12: “a processor; a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; wherein the processor implements the method as in any of the above embodiments by executing the executable instructions.”)
the one or more processors are configured to execute: (HAN ZHE: See page 6, lines 9-12: “a processor; a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; wherein the processor implements the method as in any of the above embodiments by executing the executable instructions.”)
communicating, via a communication network (reads on “a near field communication connection”), with the first settlement device (reads on “the parking lot fee deduction terminal”) and the second settlement device (reads on “the payment terminal”); (HAN ZHE: See page 3, lines 11-14: “In order to enable the parking lot fee deduction terminal to sense the payment terminal to recognize the behavior of the vehicle, to which the payment terminal belongs, driving in or out of the parking lot, a near field communication connection may be established between the payment terminal and the parking lot fee deduction terminal, for example, the near field communication connection may be implemented based on communication protocols such as B L E, ZigBee, WIFI, and the like, which is not limited in this specification.”)
HAN ZHE does not explicitly disclose the following, however OKAZAKI DAIKI further teaches:
the one or more memories store management information in which the user, the service or product, and the vehicle are associated with each other; and (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 3, lines 26-43: “The management center 50 transmits the setting information linked to the combination of the vehicle ID and the user ID from the registration table T3 to the vehicle-mounted device 11 (step S4), and the vehicle-mounted device 11 sets the vehicle 10 based on the setting information. (Step S5). Login and logout are also managed by the management center 50. For example, when transmitting setting information linked to a combination of a vehicle ID and a user ID to the in-vehicle device 11, the management center 50 manages in a table that login is being performed with these combinations. Further, when the smartphone 12 logs out of the on-vehicle device 11 because the user gets off the vehicle 10, the on-vehicle device 11 notifies the management center 50 of the logout, and the management center 50 updates the table to log out. The settlement information j3 shows, as an example, information on the entry time of the target vehicle, the usage time, and the parking fee. The third screen 102 is provided with a service ticket use button b21, a payment method selection button b22, and the like, so that the payment method can be selected.”)
when the one or more processors are notified via the communication network by a mobile terminal owned by the user or a terminal in a commercial facility that the user has used the service or purchased the product, associating information of the user, the vehicle, and the settlement with information of the user or the purchase with each other; (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 3, lines 11-17: When the vehicle 10 is in the parking lot, the settlement management server 30 transmits the identification information received by the settlement machine 20 to the management center 50 and requests user information. Regarding the received identification information, the management center 50 uses the user information from the settlement management server 30 (detailed information necessary for identification at the time of settlement, etc.) when logging in to the vehicle-mounted device 11 of the vehicle 10 with the smartphone 12. including). Then, when receiving the user information from the management center 50, the settlement management server 30 associates and records the user information (detailed information required to identify the person at the time of settlement) and the time of entry detected by the settlement machine 20.”)
storing the associated information in the one or more memories as the management information of the user; (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 3, lines 11-17: “when receiving the user information from the management center 50, the settlement management server 30 associates and records the user information (detailed information required to identify the person at the time of settlement) and the time of entry detected by the settlement machine 20.”)
receiving, via the communication network, user detection information that includes information identifying the vehicle from a detection device mounted on the vehicle; (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 3, lines 26-30: “the vehicle-mounted device 11 A user device is detected (step S2). Subsequently, the in-vehicle device 11 transmits the vehicle ID and the user ID to the management center 50”)
determining whether the user has gotten into the vehicle based on the management information and the user detection information; (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 3, lines 26-43: “when a user who possesses a pre-registered smartphone 12 gets into the vehicle 10, the smartphone 12 transmits the vehicle ID and the user ID to the vehicle-mounted device 11 by non-contact communication (step S1), and the vehicle-mounted device 11 A user device is detected (step S2). Subsequently, the in-vehicle device 11 transmits the vehicle ID and the user ID to the management center 50, and requests setting information for the combination of the vehicle ID and the user ID (step S3). The management center 50 transmits the setting information linked to the combination of the vehicle ID and the user ID from the registration table T3 to the vehicle-mounted device 11 (step S4), and the vehicle-mounted device 11 sets the vehicle 10 based on the setting information. (Step S5). The settlement information j3 shows, as an example, information on the entry time of the target vehicle, the usage time, and the parking fee. The third screen 102 is provided with a service ticket use button b21, a payment method selection button b22, and the like, so that the payment method can be selected.”)
upon determination that the user has gotten into the vehicle: (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 3, lines 26-29: “when a user who possesses a pre-registered smartphone 12 gets into the vehicle 10, the smartphone 12 transmits the vehicle ID and the user ID to the vehicle-mounted device 11 by non-contact communication (step S1), and the vehicle-mounted device 11 A user device is detected”)
transmitting, via the communication network, the stored management information of the user to the second settlement device; and (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 3, lines 26-29: “the smartphone 12 transmits the vehicle ID and the user ID to the vehicle-mounted device 11 by non-contact communication (step S1), and the vehicle-mounted device 11 A user device is detected”)
permitting (reads on “The usage fee is settled by using the vehicle identification information and the user identification information, which are authentication information when logging into the in-vehicle device with the portable device”), via the communication network, at least the second settlement device to perform the first settlement based on the stored management information of the user after the user using the service or purchasing the product gets in the vehicle. (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 3, lines 6-9: “it is assumed that the smartphone 12 is in a state of logging into the vehicle-mounted device 11. When the vehicle 10 approaches the fare adjustment machine 20 and the on-vehicle device 11 and the fare adjustment device 20 enter a communication range, the on vehicle device 11 transmits identification information to the fare adjustment device 20 via Bluetooth communication. The identification information is the user ID of the logged-in smartphone 12 and the vehicle ID.”, page 9, lines 32-41: “the user information of the smartphone 12 logged into the in-vehicle device 11 of the vehicle 10 can be obtained from the fare adjustment machine 20 side from the authentication system that has approved the login of the smartphone 12. It made it possible to calculate the usage fee for the parking information of the target vehicle without photographing the plate. the user information of the smartphone 12 logged into the in-vehicle device 11 of the vehicle 10 is transmitted from the authentication system that has approved the login of the smartphone 12 to the payment machine 20. can be obtained on the side. Therefore, the usage fee for the parking information of the target vehicle can be calculated without photographing the license plate with a camera. Therefore, it becomes possible to settle accounts without being affected by the weather.”, and page 11, lines 20-21: “The usage fee is settled by using the vehicle identification information and the user identification information, which are authentication information when logging into the in-vehicle device with the portable device, in an application for settlement of the portable device.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the payment terminal that is installed on a vehicle and sends the terminal identification to the parking lot fee deduction terminal when the parking lot fee deduction terminal installed at the entrance and exit of the parking lot of HAN ZHE to include the smartphone logged into the in-vehicle device of the vehicle and executes a payment of a usage fee, as taught by OKAZAKI DAIKI, in order to manage the payment without being affected by weather. (See OKAZAKI DAIKI, pages 2-3)
HAN ZHE and OKAZAKI DAIKI do not explicitly disclose the following, however SAKUMA further teaches:
upon determination that the user has not gotten into the vehicle, permitting, via the communication network, the first settlement device to perform a first settlement based on the stored management information of the user for the use of the service or the purchase of the product until the user using the service or purchasing the product gets in the vehicle; and (SAKUMA: See paragraph [0080] “when the user stands in a waiting line for payment, controllers 310, 210 obtain the user ID of the user stored beforehand in the user's membership card 191 or mobile terminal having the membership application installed therein, estimate a time at which the user will finish payment, and control vehicle 100 to arrive at pick-up/drop-off place 11 at the estimated time. Thereby, vehicle 100 of the user can arrive at pick-up/drop-off place 11 when the user finishes payment. As a result, the waiting time from when the user finishes payment until when the user gets in vehicle 100 can be further reduced.’)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the payment terminal that is installed on a vehicle and sends the terminal identification to the parking lot fee deduction terminal when the parking lot fee deduction terminal installed at the entrance and exit of the parking lot of HAN ZHE to include cooperating with the vehicle controller of the vehicle associated with the user to control the vehicle to travel from a parking place to a pick-up/drop-off place for the user when the user finishes payment, as taught by SAKUMA, in order to reduce a waiting time for a payment. (SAKUMA, see [0012])
Regarding claim 2:
HAN ZHE does not explicitly disclose the following, however OKAZAKI DAIKI further teaches:
The management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute prohibiting the vehicle from traveling until the first settlement is completed by the first settlement device or the second settlement device. (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 3, lines 1-23: “When the vehicle 10 leaves the parking lot, the settlement management server 30 determines whether or not the settlement has been completed for the identification information transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device 11. 20a is raised to permit exit. When the payment is not completed, the user is urged to pay by leaving the lifting bar 20a of the payment machine 20 lowered.”, and see also page 9, lines 1-2)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the payment terminal that is installed on a vehicle and sends the terminal identification to the parking lot fee deduction terminal when the parking lot fee deduction terminal installed at the entrance and exit of the parking lot of HAN ZHE to include the user of the parking lot that acquires the parking lot payment application using the smartphone and executes the parking lot payment, as taught by OKAZAKI DAIKI, in order to manage a parking lot without being paid. (See OKAZAKI DAIKI, page 3)
Regarding claim 3:
HAN ZHE does not explicitly disclose the following, however OKAZAKI DAIKI further teaches:
The management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second settlement device is configured to be able to perform a second settlement for a vehicle service using the vehicle. (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 3, lines 1-23: “The user of the parking lot acquires the parking lot payment application (App2) using the smartphone 12 and executes the parking lot payment. When the smart phone 12 executes the payment for the parking lot, the payment management server 30 completes the payment by the set payment method.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the payment terminal that is installed on a vehicle and sends the terminal identification to the parking lot fee deduction terminal when the parking lot fee deduction terminal installed at the entrance and exit of the parking lot of HAN ZHE to include the user of the parking lot that acquires the parking lot payment application using the smartphone and executes the parking lot payment, as taught by OKAZAKI DAIKI, in order to manage a parking lot without being paid. (See OKAZAKI DAIKI, page 3)
Regarding claim 4:
HAN ZHE does not explicitly disclose the following, however OKAZAKI DAIKI further teaches:
The management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute permitting the second settlement device to collectively perform the first settlement and the second settlement when permitting the second settlement device to perform the first settlement. (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 5, lines 13-15: “It should be noted that even if the payment has not been completed, the lift bar 20a may be lifted to allow the vehicle 10 to leave the garage. In that case, the unsettled usage fees are stored in the settlement system, and the unsettled usage fees are settled collectively the next time the parking lot is used.”, and see also page 3, lines 1-23)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the payment terminal that is installed on a vehicle and sends the terminal identification to the parking lot fee deduction terminal when the parking lot fee deduction terminal installed at the entrance and exit of the parking lot of HAN ZHE to include the user of the parking lot that acquires the parking lot payment application using the smartphone and executes the parking lot payment, as taught by OKAZAKI DAIKI, in order to manage a parking lot without being paid. (See OKAZAKI DAIKI, page 3)
Regarding claim 6:
HAN ZHE does not explicitly disclose the following, however OKAZAKI DAIKI further teaches:
The management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to further execute:
permitting (reads on “When the smart phone 12 executes the payment for the parking lot, the payment management server 30 completes the payment by the set payment method.”) both the first settlement device and the second settlement device to perform the first settlement after the user gets in the vehicle; and (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 3, lines 1-23: “The user of the parking lot acquires the parking lot payment application (App2) using the smartphone 12 and executes the parking lot payment. When the smart phone 12 executes the payment for the parking lot, the payment management server 30 completes the payment by the set payment method.”)
when the first settlement is completed by any one of the first settlement device and the second settlement device, prohibiting another one of the first settlement device and the second settlement device from performing the first settlement. (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 8, lines 32-42: “The settlement management server 30 performs settlement processing based on the input information (step S26), and notifies the smart phone 12 of settlement completion (step S27). Further, the settlement management server 30 notifies the settlement machine 20 of settlement completion (step S28). Upon notification of the settlement completion, the settlement machine 20 sets a settlement flag in the table T1 and records the settlement time. When receiving the vehicle ID and the user ID, the fare adjustment machine 20 determines whether or not the payment by the user has been completed for this combination (step S31). In this example, the payment machine 20 determines that payment has been completed when the payment flag of the table T1 is set.”, and notes: Once the settlement machine sets a settlement flag in the table T1 and records the settlement time as a settlement completion, any one of the settlement devices cannot perform for the specific settlement as placed a settlement flag in the table.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the payment terminal that is installed on a vehicle and sends the terminal identification to the parking lot fee deduction terminal when the parking lot fee deduction terminal installed at the entrance and exit of the parking lot of HAN ZHE to include the user of the parking lot that acquires the parking lot payment application using the smartphone and executes the parking lot payment, as taught by OKAZAKI DAIKI, in order to manage a parking lot without being paid. (See OKAZAKI DAIKI, page 3)
Regarding claim 7:
HAN ZHE discloses the following:
The management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute:
permitting only the first settlement device to perform the first settlement until the user using the service or purchasing the product gets in the vehicle; and (HAN ZHE: See page 2, lines 21-40: “when a parking lot fee deduction terminal installed at an entrance and exit of a parking lot is identified, the terminal identification is sent to the parking lot fee deduction terminal, so that the parking lot fee deduction terminal sends a first entrance message containing the terminal identification and the parking lot identification of the parking lot to a server when a vehicle enters the parking lot, and sends a first departure message containing the terminal identification and the parking lot identification to the server when the vehicle exits the parking lot, wherein the first entrance message and the first departure message are used for indicating the server to deduct parking fees from a payment account number bound to the terminal identification.”)
HAN ZHE does not explicitly disclose the following, however OKAZAKI DAIKI further teaches:
permitting only the second settlement device to perform the first settlement after the user using the service or purchasing the product gets in the vehicle. (OKAZAKI DAIKI: See page 3, lines 1-23: “The user of the parking lot acquires the parking lot payment application (App2) using the smartphone 12 and executes the parking lot payment. When the smart phone 12 executes the payment for the parking lot, the payment management server 30 completes the payment by the set payment method.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the payment terminal that is installed on a vehicle and sends the terminal identification to the parking lot fee deduction terminal when the parking lot fee deduction terminal installed at the entrance and exit of the parking lot of HAN ZHE to include the user of the parking lot that acquires the parking lot payment application using the smartphone and executes the parking lot payment, as taught by OKAZAKI DAIKI, in order to manage a parking lot without being paid. (See OKAZAKI DAIKI, page 3)
Regarding claims 8 and 9: it is similar scope to claim 1, and thus it is rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HAN ZHE in view of OKAZAKI DAIKI in view of SAKUMA in further view of Okamura, US Publication Number US 2021/0182742 A1.
Regarding claim 5:
HAN ZHE, OKAZAKI DAIKI, and SAKUMA do not explicitly disclose the following, however Okamura further teaches:
The management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle service is a transfer service using the vehicle or an automated valet parking service. (Okamura: See paragraph [0095] “the operation authority of the vehicle 30 is transferred from the primary user to the parking facility 20. This enables the AVP of the vehicle 30 in the parking facility 20.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the payment terminal that is installed on a vehicle and sends the terminal identification to the parking lot fee deduction terminal when the parking lot fee deduction terminal installed at the entrance and exit of the parking lot of HAN ZHE to include managing an AVP (Automated Valet Parking) in a parking facility, as taught by Okamura, in order to provide a service for an automated valet parking. (See Okamura, ¶ [0095] and Claim 1)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record but not relied upon herein but pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure is listed in the enclosed PTO-892.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 extension fee 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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/YONGSIK PARK/Examiner, Art Unit 3694
September 21, 2026
/BENNETT M SIGMOND/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3694
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