DETAILED ACTION
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12-05-2025 has been entered.
Claim Status
Claims 1, 2 and 8-19 are currently pending. Claims 3-7 are withdrawn. Claims 8-19 are new.
Response to Amendment
The Applicant’s amendment has overcome the claim objection regarding indefiniteness, set forth in the Notice of Non-Responsive amendment dated 01/02/2026.
Response to Arguments
In Applicant’s arguments dated 12-05-2025, Applicant argues that Peters and Schmidt fail to teach a mechanism for connecting and managing a variety of locker systems. However, Applicant’s arguments do not address the rejection in the final rejection dated 06-05-2025 as set forth which relies upon the combined teachings of Peters, Schmidt and Estes, and specifically relies upon Estes for teaching management and control of different locker types within a common system. Estes expressly uses locker type information to manage and control access to different lockers ([0010] teaches use of various types of lockers in different locations; [0033] teaches that a user may request to use certain types of lockers; and [0035] teaches, “…processor 15 compares S26 the key allowed system ID(s) in temporary key data storage memory area 12 to the lock system id in the lock ID and System ID memory area 9. If the System ID is present in the key data S27, the processor 15 compares S28 the allowed locker types and concurrent uses stored in the Temporary storage of key data memory area 12 to the locker type stored in Locker Type and Locker Number memory area 10, if the lock type is present S29, the processor will compare S30 the In use locker types and numbers in the Temporary storage of key data memory area 12 to the locker type stored in Locker type and locker number memory area 10…” thus teaching comparison of allowed locker types in the key with the locker type stored in memory area 10. It also compares current usage with permitted concurrent usage).
Accordingly, in response to applicant's arguments against only Peters and Schmidt, one cannot show non-obviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references (Peters, Schmidt and Estes). See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 18 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PETERS (US Publication 2016/0300409) in view of SCHMIDT (US Publication 2022/0051515) and ESTES (US Publication 2002/0118095).
Regarding claim 1,
PETERS teaches a secured asset transfer system comprising:
an electronic locker system including a secured network connectivity to at least one locker compartment (56a-56n);
a locker processor executing a locker management application (“60” controller per 0029 and fig. 3) operable to monitor and control access to the at least one locker compartment (0032 teaches monitoring and controlling bins 56a-56n);
a server system (100 in fig. 5) including a secured network having connectivity with the at least one locker compartment, and having a server processor (112 in fig. 5), a server memory (116, 118) electronically coupled to the server processor, and at least one server database stored in the server memory (0035 teaches that an important feature of the invention is a database stored in a data storage device 126 coupled to server 100); and
a secured communication link between the electronic locker system and the server system, where the locker management application is further operable to transmit the set of locker usage data from electronic locker system to the server system over the secured communication link (0062 teaches that only when the server 100 is able to confirm the proper conditions have been met, at step 464, the lock 82 of door 80 is locked and the accounting information in table 320 is updated to reflect any usage and other charges and late fees the inmate may have occurred).
Peters fails to expressly teach that:
the locker processor determines a set of locker usage data, and a persistent locker data storage storing the locker management application;
the server processor executes a system administration application stored in the server memory and operable to identify and record a form factor associated with the electronic locker system and selected from a plurality of locker form factors, that monitors usage of and enabling access to the at least one locker compartments; and
where the system administration application is further operable to process the set of locker usage data to dynamically update locker profile information and facilitate reconfiguration of the electronic locker system based upon the locker profile information.
SCHMIDT teaches a storage locker system including a locker processor wherein the locker processor determines a set of locker usage data (0361 teaches locker inventory records), and a persistent locker data storage storing the locker management application (0325 teaches FIG. 15A which shows a table (i.e. schema) used to create data records stored in a local database 315 maintained within the locker system 150 maintaining the various locker records for the storage locker identified by its locker #);
the server processor executes a system administration application stored in the server memory and operable to identify and record a form factor associated with the electronic locker system and selected from a plurality of locker form factors, that monitors usage of and enabling access to the at least one locker compartments (0121 teaches a facility ride management server which automatically sends the double-sided ride storage locker system, via an application programming interface (API) and the like, up-to-date guest un-boarding information and other train ride status information for controlling the operation of the locker-rental status indication lights on the egress side of the locker system); and
where the system administration application is further operable to process the set of locker usage data to dynamically update locker profile information and facilitate reconfiguration of the electronic locker system based upon the locker profile information (0361 teaches that once a rental transaction has been completed, and payment or token-exchange made per the rental agreement, the kiosk server system 170 (i) stores the user's digital PIN code into the memory store of the rented/scanned locker unit 151, and automatically (ii) updates the locker inventory records and locker transaction records within database servers maintained on the local kiosk server system 170).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to modify the Peters system per the teachings of Schmidt so as to include the elements recited - for the purpose of collecting and utilizing user data and controlling the lock/unlock status of the locker, in addition to any rental status indicators so as to alert a user to the particular locker which may or may not be accessed.
The combined teachings of Peters and Schmidt fail to expressly teach that the locker system further comprises at least one locker form factor from the group consisting of: a virtual locker, stand-alone box locker, pedestal locker, and stationary locker and wherein the server shall identify; and recording a form factor associated with the electronic locker system as claimed.
ESTES teaches a shared access personal storage locker system wherein the locker system comprises at least one locker form factor from the group consisting of: a virtual locker, stand-alone box locker, pedestal locker, and stationary locker ([0035] teaches that the system comprises a processor 15 which compares the locker types within the system and concurrent locker uses stored in the Temporary storage of key data memory area 12 to the locker type stored in Locker Type and Locker Number memory area 10; [0035] further teaches that the user may utilize a bike storage locker, interpreted by the Examiner as corresponding to a “stand-alone box locker”; and [0037] teach that the user may utilize a book storage locker within a school building, corresponding to a “stationary locker”) and wherein the server shall identify and record a form factor associated with the electronic locker system ([0033] teaches that the key issuer prepares a key and writes, at least in-part, in the locker types and concurrent uses memory area (3), the locker type(s) and number of lockers of that types that may be concurrently occupied; [0036]).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to further modify the Peters system per the teachings of Estes such that the processor shall identify and record a form factor associated with the electronic locker system, for the purpose of providing a means for issuing keys to users of a system of storage lockers placed throughout various areas – but in a controlled manner whereby no single user is permitted to monopolize more than a predetermined number of lockers across all locker types, thereby ensuring the availability of locker resources to other users.
Regarding claim 2,
Peters teaches that the locker is electronically securable (col. 2:14-25 teaches a dispensing unit comprising a plurality of storage compartments wherein access to the storage compartments is controlled by portable electronic devices and wherein the dispensing unit has a wireless communications unit for two-way communications with the two-way wireless communicators of the portable electronic devices thus corresponding to the locker being “electronically securable”.)
Regarding claim 18,
Schmidt teaches a user interface connected to at least one indicator lamp indicating system status ([0119] teaches indication lights of a locker state corresponding to “indicator lamp” as broadly recited).
Regarding claim 19,
Schmidt teaches a user interface connected to a biometric reader ([0376] teaches a biometric sensor).
Claim(s) 8-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PETERS (US Publication 2016/0300409) in view of SCHMIDT (US Publication 2022/0051515), ESTES (US Publication 2002/0118095) and COELHO PINTO (US Publication 2025/0218237).
Regarding claim 8,
The combined disclosures of Peters, Schmidt and Estes teach the secured asset transfer system of claim 1, but fails to further teach a virtual shelf form factor having at least one virtual locker compartment.
COELHO PINTO teaches a locker system comprising a virtual shelf form factor having at least one virtual locker compartment (Coelho Pinto teaches a virtual locker system comprising in fig. 2 physical shelves 5 within cabinet. Fig. 3 teaches at least a bottom shelf 9, cameras 6 with vision area 10. [0119] teaches that the system cameras are used to record the interaction within the vision area which detects and defines a monitored storage area and corresponds to a “virtual locker compartment”).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to further modify the Peters system per the teachings of Coelho Pinto and to include a virtual locker form factor for the purpose of providing more flexible storage arrangements capable of accommodating items of various sizes while efficiently utilizing available storage spaces via sensor-based detection of items placed within available storage spaces.
Regarding claim 9,
Coelho Pinto teaches that the virtual locker compartment bounded by a physical bottom shelf (see bottom shelf 9 in fig. 3, see plurality of shelves in Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 10,
Coelho Pinto teaches that the virtual locker compartment is further bounded by at least one virtual wall (Fig. 3 and [0119] teach cameras (6) and vision areas (10), each vision area is interpreted as being defined by virtual walls inside of which, positioned items are detected).
Regarding claim 11,
Coelho Pinto teaches that the virtual locker compartment further comprises a space created by one or more sensors positioned to detect a package within the virtual compartment (Fig. 2 & Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 12,
Schmidt teaches further including a display ([0357] teaches an E-ink display panel) electronically coupled to at least one package sensor ([0349] teaches indication of locker
availability via panel 303; [0357] teaches an object sensor determining whether items are present).
Regarding claim 13,
Coelho Pinto teaches that an indicator electronically coupled to at least one package sensor ([0119] teaches sensors (6) operating to detect item placement/removal from shelves and further transmission of data identifying the item).
Regarding claim 14,
Schmidt teaches the indicator is a visual LED device ([0356] teaches LED lights 152 to indicate locker status).
Regarding claim 15,
Schmidt teaches that the indicator is an audio device ([0376] teaches an audio subsystem 226).
Claim(s) 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PETERS (US Publication 2016/0300409) in view of SCHMIDT (US Publication 2022/0051515), ESTES (US Publication 2002/0118095) and GLOGOVSKY (US Publication 2023/0056375).
Regarding claim 16,
Peters (modified) teaches the system of claim 1, but fails to expressly teach that the locker form factor fits under a work surface such as a table.
Glogovsky teaches that a locker form factor may be constructed such that it fits under a work surface such as a table ([0004] teaches a safe which may be mounted under a desk, countertop, or other surface to remain hidden, while the contents may be easily accessed by separating a lower tray from an upper portion mounted to the surface; Fig. 1).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to further modify the Peters system per the teachings of Glogovsky and to include a locker form factor which fits under a work surface, for the purpose of providing more efficient use of otherwise unused space while also providing secure storage close to a user’s work area.
Regarding claim 17,
Glogovsky teaches that the locker form factor is attached to drawer ([0026] teaches a drawer compartment wherein when closed - the lower section 14 is moved upwardly to adjoin and lock to the upper section 12).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIONNE PENDLETON whose telephone number is (571)272-7497. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9a-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Davetta Goins can be reached at 571-272-2957. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DIONNE PENDLETON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689
Prosecution Insights