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
Due to communications filed 9/4/25, the following is a final office action. Claims 1, 9, 10, 14 are amended. Claims 1-14 are pending in this application and are rejected as follows.
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-AlA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AlA) 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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over XU ET AL (CN 110443923 A), and further in view of PAN, et al (CN 109829370 A), and further in view of SAKON (JP 2017182326 A), and further in view of (KR 102148699 B1).
As per claim 1, XU ET AL discloses:
at least one memory storing one or more instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the one or more instructions, (XU ET AL: the self-service subsystem comprises: a processor... the processor is connected with the server... The security management system of the invention at least comprises a hotel reservation system, an information collecting system, a hotel management system, intelligent access management control system, a face detection and recognition system, a database storage system, a visitor management system sub-system module, and a central server, said each sub- system is connected with the central server.); to:
obtain, from a first camera, a face image of a visiting user using a check-in terminal at an accommodation facility, (See claim 1 of XU et al: “at the hotel entrance, based on monitoring video intelligent terminal collects entering all the human face data hotel, wherein said video intelligent monitoring terminal is an active face detection”, “the first information collecting point is set at least comprises human face image collecting module on the hotel/ foreground area”); perform a matching operation by comparing a first feature value extracted from the face image of the first user with one or more second feature values extracted from one or more faces images of one or more checked-in users, (See claim 1 of XU et al: “human face image data of the video intelligent terminal transmits the collected is sent to the server for further processing and stored in the face database...the first information collecting point is set at least comprises human face image collecting module on the hotel foreground area, face detecting identifying module of the foreground self-service terminal device extracting face image information field and comparing the human face image within a predetermined information face database stored in the reservation system by face detecting identifying module, according to the similarity judging whether it is the same human face, by matching, configured guest and granted by the system based on the access right of the face”);
Perform the check-in process of the visiting user based on the reservation information; Perform storing the image obtained by the first camera as a face image of a permitted user allowed to use a service at the accommodation facility and changing a flag related to the service available to the permitted user, in response to the check-in process being completed based on the reservation information, (Claim 1, “wherein when the second information acquisition point collected face image, at least a group of face image obtained is sent to the backend server to the face feature information extraction and registration check-in stored in the face database of human face characteristic information for identification and comparison, confirming whether the guest has been registered according to the similarity, if the comparison is passed, then executing automatic open gate operation, system marking the current face information is the abnormal information when the comparison fails.”);
Xu et al does not disclose the following limitations, however, PAN, et al (CN 109829370 A) discloses:
output a message to the visiting user to input reservation information of the visiting user in response to a determination that the face image of the visiting user does not match the one or more registered face images stored in the storage, wherein the processor does not output the message in response to a determination that the face image of the visiting user matches the one or more registered face images stored in the storage
However, PAN, et al (CN 109829370 A) discloses in claim 3 of PAN et al: “the mentioned one kind of based on immigrants consultative service platform login system, wherein the face recognition by the face image comparison module for comparing the portrait information is not passed, the secondary verification module will send out prompting, prompting the user to input password using the password login module to perform password login authentication... when the secondary verification fails, the user can login to verify code through the reserved phone number.”; ALSO SEE “the human face image collecting module collects the human face information will be sent to will be sent in to face image analyzing module, the human face image analysis module for analyzing the received human face image, and analyzing the data in the human face image comparing module to compare; i.e. directly jumps to the information inquiring module”; “SS4: when | M | is greater than the preset value, judging that the comparison is not passed, entering the secondary verification mode; SS5: when | M | is less than the predetermined value M=0, that is to say, judging the comparison is passed, it will directly jump to the information inquiring module.”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include the above limitations as taught by PAN, et al in the systems of XU ET AL, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Xu et al does not disclose the following limitations, however, SAKON discloses:
obtain, from a second camera, a face image of a first user requiring authentication to use the service at the accommodation facility, (SAKON (JP 2017182326 A): SOLUTION: “An authentication system comprises: a portable mobile terminal 13 that has a camera and communication functions; and a register DB (database) server 7 that is connectable to the mobile terminal via a network. In the register
DB server, information about a qualification to be authenticated, and face information on a legitimate proprietary of the qualification are registered. The mobile terminal includes: a reception unit that receives the information about the qualification and the face information from the register DB server via the network; a storage unit that stores a face image of an authenticated person shot by using the camera function”);
send a control signal to trigger a lock to open a barrier to permit use of the service at the accommodation facility based on a determination of a match between the face image of the first user with one of the one or more faces images of the one or more checked-in users as a result the matching operation, (SAKON (JP 2017182326 A): SOLUTION: “...and a collation unit that implements processing of collating the face information transmitted from the register DB server with the shot face image within the terminal. As a result of the collation processing in the collation unit, when the face information and the face image coincide with each other and the information about the qualification is judged valid, the authenticated person is authenticated to be the legitimate proprietary of the qualification, and a right to be granted by the qualification is given to the authenticated person”; ALSO SEE: “perform a matching operation based on the face image of the first user obtained from the second camera and the checked - in user images in the second collection of images”; ALSO SEE: (Application to unattended authentication): “The tool main body of FIG. 13 is installed at the entrance of the restricted area. The user wears the mobile terminal 13 on this tool (S32), and photographs his / her face with the camera 15 of the terminal (S33). In addition, when confirmation of the user is required at the time of use, such as signing the signature information input unit 33 of the tool main body 30, speaking a predetermined word, touching the fingerprint sensor, etc. Confirmation information is input (S34). After that, the authentication tool collates the captured face image and the input confirmation information with the registered face information and confirmation information (S35), and if they match, the door is unlocked
and the facility can be used. (S36). Please note that only areas that meet the qualifications given at the time of registration are available; ALSO SEE: “Next, the procedure of an authentication method that satisfies the authentication condition described in the pattern (C1) of FIG. 6 using the mobile terminal having the function shown in FIG. 7...The installed authentication program is decrypted by the authentication program execution unit 16, and a control signal for controlling each hardware mechanism in the terminal is generated...”.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include the above limitations as taught by SAKON et al in the systems of XU ET AL, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
XU ET AL does not disclose:
identify the visiting user based on a match between the face image of the visiting user and a registered face image among one or more registered face images stored in a storage, and perform a check-in process of the visiting user,
However, (KR 102148699 B1) discloses in the Abstract: “A feature point detector that detects, and a contrast processing unit that contrasts and processes the image so that the contrast of the detected feature point region and the remaining regions other than the feature point region in the face region are contrasted, and the contrast-processed contrast is based on the contrast distribution of the image. And a histogram generator for generating histogram data; and a face recognition unit for recognizing a face of the authentication subject through a similarity comparison between the generated histogram data and face data of each of a plurality of previously registered users.”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include the above limitations as taught by (KR 102148699 B1) in the systems of XU ET AL, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
As per claim 2, Xu et al does not disclose:
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: register the face image of the visiting user performing the check-in process, as the registered face image of a permitted user allowed to use services provided in the accommodation facility, and permit the use of the services when the first user is determined to be the permitted user by face authentication using the face image of the first user and the registered face image of the permitted user.
However, SAKON discloses: (DETAILED DESCRIPTION OFTHE INVENTION: On the other hand, when the purchaser of the first ticket transfers the ticket to a third party, as shown in FIG. 5B, the person who received the transfer sends his face information and qualification information to the server to perform a new registration. Perform (S6). The server stores this new registration information ($7) and invalidates the previously registered qualification information ($8). By doing so, it is possible to update a valid qualification holder in ticket use, and to prevent unauthorized use).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include the above limitations as taught by SAKON et al in the systems of XU ETAL, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
As per claim 3, Xu et al does not disclose:
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to register a face image of a traveling companion of the visiting user as the registered face image of a permitted user allowed to use services provided in the accommodation facility, in addition to the face image of the visiting user, (SAKON: DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: On the other hand, when the purchaser of the first ticket transfers the ticket to a third party, as shown in FIG. 5B, the person who received the transfer sends his face information and qualification information to the server to perform a new registration. Perform (S6). The server stores this new registration information (S7) and invalidates the previously registered qualification information (S8). By doing so, it is possible to update a valid qualification holder in ticket use, and to prevent unauthorized use).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include the above limitations as taught by SAKON et al in the systems of XU ETAL, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
As per claim 4, Xu et al does not disclose:
Wherein at least one processor is further configured to register a gender information about a gender of the permitted user, in addition to the registered face image of the permitted user, and permit the use of the services when the first user is determined to be a permitted user allowed to use services provided in the accommodation facility and the gender information of the permitted user meets use conditions of the services,
However, SAKON discloses: (Detailed Description of the Invention: Here, when the authentication side can know in advance the visit of the person to be authenticated... In addition, when an unspecified number of persons to be authenticated are targeted, depending on the nature of the qualification to be authenticated, qualification holders corresponding to this may be collectively received. In the case where a large number of users visit at the same time, in consideration of the memory capacity of the mobile terminal, each certifier (person in charge) is assigned to each terminal (for example, alphabet, age, gender, birth). The user may be authenticated in an empty space by guiding the user. In particular, in this case, the staff can authenticate only with the mobile terminal, so it is possible to authenticate freely and quickly using the empty space without securing a dedicated authentication space or carrying large equipment. can do.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include the above limitations as taught by SAKON et al in the systems of XU ETAL, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
As per claim 5, Xu et al does not disclose:
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
issue a card key to the visiting upon completion of the check-in process, permit the use of the services when the card key is authenticated, and limit a number of card keys issued to be less than a number of people in a group performing the check-in process when the group includes a user that performs face authentication and a user that performs authentication by the card key,
However, SAKON discloses: (Description: Here, another point to be noted is the relationship between the face information of the qualification holder registered in the registration DB server 7 and the qualification information...Therefore, in Embodiment 3 of the present invention, conversely, a method of associating card information with face information is adopted. It will be understood that this makes card less payment possible for the first time. However, if it is recommended to present a credential (card), it is of course possible to associate a face with the card. Even in such a case, itis obvious that the effect obtained by performing collation with the mobile terminal of the certifier, that is, the effect of the present invention that qualification authentication can be performed regardless of the authentication location can be obtained similarly).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include the above limitations as taught by SAKON et al in the systems of XU ETAL, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
As per claim 7: wherein the registered face image stored in the storage is commonly used during a first process for the check-in process and a during a second process for permitting the use of the services. Please see the rejection of claim 1.
As per claim 8, Xu et al discloses:
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: compare the face image of the visiting user and the registered face image stored in the storage based on a first similarity threshold value; compare the face image of the first user and the registered face image stored in the storage based on a second similarity threshold value, (See claim 1 of XU et al: “at the hotel entrance, based on monitoring video intelligent terminal collects entering all the human face data hotel, wherein said video intelligent monitoring terminal is an active face detection, it at least includes a face detection module, a face image collecting module; human face image data of the video intelligent terminal transmits the collected is sent to the server for further processing and stored in the face database. ..the first information collecting point is set at least comprises human face image collecting module on the hotel foreground area, face detecting identifying module of the foreground self-service terminal device extracting face image information field and comparing the human face image within a predetermined information face
database stored in the reservation system by face detecting identifying module, according to the similarity judging whether it is the same human face, by matching, configured guest and granted by the system based on the access right of the face”); and
wherein the second similarity threshold value is higher than the first similarity threshold value., (the image extracting the face feature, at last carrying out face recognition. identifying process is the human face of input image characteristics and features stored in the face database to match, according to matching score value that similarity is compared with the set threshold value, so as to determine the matching result. That is, matching score value is greater than the threshold then it is considered that the detected human face in the database is the same person corresponding to the face).
As per claim 9, this claim recites limitations similar to those disclosed in independent claim 1 and is therefore rejected for similar reasons.
As per claim 10, this claim recites limitations similar to those disclosed in independent claim 1, and is therefore rejected for similar reasons.
As per claim 11, Xu et al discloses:
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
output the message to the visiting user to input a reservation number or a reservation code
of the visiting user as the reservation information, (XU et al: “XU et al: “CN 107194835 discloses a hotel foreground reception robot system, comprising a first information collecting module collects the hotel check-in information, first identification processing module emits prompt voice, instructing the client to equivalently identity information input operation through the user operation device, a second
information collecting module collects the display hotel room status information displayed on the screen, the second recognition processing module identifies the hotel room information of the acquisition, the user device obtains the check-in operation equivalently input identity information”). As per claim 12, Xu et al discloses:
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
control a display to prompt the user to input the reservation information of the user, (XU et al: “CN 107194835 discloses a hotel foreground reception robot system, comprising a first information collecting module collects the hotel check-in information, first identification processing module emits prompt voice, instructing the client to equivalently identity information input operation through the user operation device, a second information collecting module collects the display hotel room status information displayed on the screen, the second recognition processing module identifies the hotel room information of the acquisition, the user device obtains the check-in operation equivalently input identity information”);
As per claim 13, Xu et al does not disclose: wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: output the message to the visiting user to indicate whether to register the face image obtained by the first camera as the face image of the permitted user; and perform storing the face image based on a response to the message from the visiting user.
However, ((JP 6889023 B2) discloses: When the reservation number read by the passport reader 14 is transmitted from the settlement terminal 2, the accommodation information management means 33b checks the reservation number stored in the database 33d to confirm the presence or absence of the reservation. If there is a reservation, the check-in process by the guest information acquisition means
10b is permitted by transmitting the room number stored in the database 33d in association with the reservation number to the settlement terminal 2...A camera that takes a photo of the user's face, With The host computer associates the reservation number with the guest information sent from the reception input terminal together with the reservation information, the signature character image, the handwriting information, and the image data of the face photograph. A reception system characterized by storing in a database).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include the above limitations as taught by (JP 6889023 B2) in the systems of XU ETAL, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
As per claim 14, Xu et al discloses:
wherein the service includes entry to a checked-in room of the accommodation facility, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: control a display to display an error message to a user attempting to enter a room different from the checked-in room based on the matching operation, (Xu et al CN107146171 claims a hotel management system, relating to hotel management technical field, for solving the problem that the customer cannot self-registration, self-selected floor or room, check-in security is low and cannot realize the remote automatic alarm. the hotel management system comprises: a server, self-service subsystem, a security subsystem, guest room intelligent monitoring subsystem and a cloud storage platform, the self-service subsystem comprises: a processor, an identity authentication device, room selection device, display device and payment device, said identity authentication device, the room selection device, the display device and the paying device are all
connected with the processor, the processor is connected with the server, the guest room intelligent monitoring subsystem comprises a power supply module, a temperature sensor, a smoke sensor, a harmful gas monitoring sensor, an intelligent door lock, remote alarm module and the single-chip microcomputer control centre.).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over XU ET AL (CN 110443923 A), and further in view of PAN, et al (CN 109829370 A), and further in view of SAKON (JP 2017182326 A), and further in view of (KR 102148699 B1), and further in view of TABATA et al (JP 2019046124 A).
As per claim 6, XU ETAL does not disclose:
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to limit the number of the card keys issued such that an upper limit of the number of the card keys issued is obtained by subtracting a number of users that perform the face authentication from the number of people in the group.
However, TABATA et al discloses in : (Abstract: To enhance the efficiency in lending/collecting card keys in accommodation facilities. SOLUTION: A machine to check in/out for accommodation facilities according to the present invention can execute check-in processing and check- out processing, and is characterized in that: the check-in processing can execute payment processing and issuing processing; the payment processing can execute payments relating to stays; the issuing processing can issue, after completion of the payment processing, card keys to unlock guest rooms with the number corresponding to the number of lodgers as its upper limit; and the check-out processing can collect the card keys with a maximum number of card keys to be collected determined based on the number of card keys issued at the check-in processing as its upper limit.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to include the above limitations as taught by TABATA et al in the systems of XU ETAL, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Prior Art Considered
The following prior art is considered relevant by the Examiner, however has not been used in the present Office Action:
YAMASAKI (CN 111919233 A)
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see arguments/remarks, filed 5/5/25, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-10 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made further in view of PAN, et al (CN 109829370 A).
Conclusion
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Akiba Robinson whose telephone number is 571-272-6734 and email is Akiba.Robinsonboyce@USPTO.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday 6:30am-4:30pm.
If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner's supervisor, Resha Desai can be reached on 571-270-7792. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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November 25, 2025
/AKIBA K ROBINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3628