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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-9, 12-17, 19-21, 30 and 46 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dan (CN 2713552 Y) in view of Blake et al (US 9,934,640 B2).
Regarding Claim 1, Dan teaches
a money item supply apparatus, i.e., coin sorting device/base (1), as illustrated in figure 1, comprising:
a rotatable apparatus comprising a plurality of separate money item reservoirs, i.e., coin storage compartments (8), configured to store a plurality of sets of money items, noting that a coin set is construed as comprising at least one coin or multiple coins, wherein each different one of the plurality of separate money item reservoirs (8) is configured to store a different one of the plurality of sets of money items, as illustrated in figure 1, and wherein each set of money items of the plurality of sets of money items comprises a single item/coin of different denominations of money items, noting that the ID passage detects and determines the denomination of each coin, wherein each of the plurality of separate money item reservoirs (8) is selectively switchable, by rotation of the rotatable apparatus, between a plurality of operating configurations comprising at least a money item retention configuration, noting that when each of the coin storage compartments (8) are not located in front of coin acceptance compartment (9) or coin return compartment (10), and a money item supply configuration, where the coin storage compartments are located in front of coin acceptance compartment (9) or coin return compartment (10), as illustrated in figure 1. See also English translation of Dan.
Note that it has been held that a change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Regarding Claim 1, Dan does not expressly teach
wherein each set of money items of the plurality of sets of money items comprises a mix of different denominations of money items.
Regarding Claim 1, Dan does not expressly teach, but Blake teaches
wherein each set of money items of the plurality of sets of money items comprises a mix of different denominations of money items, as mentioned in col. 25, lines 28-54 and col. 26, lines 26-41, which states as follows.
(100) Of course, the representation of the self-service machine 510 in FIG. 8 is exemplary and more (or less) coin receptacles or intermediate coin holding areas may be provided within the self-service machine 510 or appurtenant structures. For example, five coin receptacles (e.g., B1-B5) are provided with the coin receptacles being configured to receive quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies and mixed denomination, respectively. In another configuration, ten coin receptacles (e.g., B1-B10) are provided with one or more coin receptacles being configured to receive each of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, and one or more coin receptacles being configured to receive mixed denominations (e.g., overflow). Such “overflow” permits diversion of coins from a single-denomination receptacle or intermediate coin holding area that has reached its limit. The overflow receptacle would contain mixed denomination coins that would need to be sorted during a post-sorting operation, which could include a coin-repurposing operation later conducted within the self-service machine 510. Utilization of one or more overflow receptacles extends the time between coin receptacle changes (e.g., armored carrier pickup) and reduces the potential for machine service interruption. Likewise, additional intermediate coin holding areas could be provided (e.g., eight intermediate coin holding areas I1-I8) with one or more coin receptacles being configured to receive and output each of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies.
(104) The coin packages formed by the coin repurposer 570 are output to a secured repurposing location within the self-service machine 510 (e.g., small to medium repurposed currency retrieval areas R1-R4 or large repurposed currency retrieval area S1 in accessible region 535 (represented by a dashed line)) where they are accessible to designated personnel or customers. As noted above, the coin receptacle(s) B1-B4 are configured to either receive a single denomination of coin (e.g., quarters only) or to receive any combination of mixed denominations of coins (e.g., quarters and dimes in a mixed receptacle). In accord with various aspects of the present concepts, one or more coin receptacles (e.g., B1-B4 in FIG. 8) are utilized to store coins deposited by users, for eventual pickup by an armored carrier, and the coin repurposer(s) 570 is utilized to package coins deposited by one or more users of the self-service machine 510.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 1, 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 each set of money items of the plurality of sets of money items comprises a mix of different denominations of money items, as taught by Blake, in Dan’s money item supply apparatus, for the purpose of increasing the volume of coins moved through the rotatable apparatus. Note that it would have been obvious to have sized the volume of each of Dan’s coin storage compartments to be able to accept sets of multiple coins of different/mixed denominations so as to provide change during transactions using Dan’s money item supply apparatus.
Regarding Claim 2, Dan teaches
wherein, for each of the plurality of separate money item reservoirs (8), switching to the money item supply configuration from another of the plurality of operating configurations comprises aligning a money item outlet, i.e., construed as the opening of the coin storage compartment (8), as illustrated in figure 1, of the money item reservoir (8) with a money item output routing, i.e., construed as either coin acceptance compartment (9) and its inlet or coin return compartment (10) and its inlet, as illustrated in figure 1, for example.
Regarding Claim 3, Dan teaches
wherein, for each of the plurality of separate money item reservoirs (8), switching from the money item supply configuration to another of the plurality of operating configurations comprises unaligning a money item outlet, i.e., coin slot (34) of the money item reservoir (8) with a money item output routing, i.e., construed as either coin acceptance compartment (9) and its inlet or coin return compartment (10) and its inlet, as illustrated in figure 1, for example.
Regarding Claim 4, Dan teaches
wherein the plurality of operating configurations further comprises at least a money item receiving configuration, i.e., via the outlet of circulating coin passage (4), when coin storage compartment (8) is aligned with the outlet of circulating coin passage (4), as illustrated in figure 1, for example.
Regarding Claim 5, Dan teaches
wherein for each of the plurality of separate money item reservoirs (8), switching to the money item receiving configuration from another of the plurality of operating configurations comprises aligning a money item inlet of the money item reservoir (8) with a money item input routing, i.e., via the outlet of the circulating coin passage (4), as illustrated in figure 1, for example.
Regarding Claim 6, Dan teaches
wherein, for each of the plurality of separate money item reservoirs (8), switching from the money item receiving configuration to another of the plurality of operating configurations comprises unaligning a money item inlet, i.e., the entrance of the coin storage compartment, of the money item reservoir (8) with a money item input routing, i.e., via the outlet of the circulating coin passage (4), as illustrated in figure 1, for example.
Regarding Claim 7, Dan teaches
wherein the money item receiving configuration is a sub configuration of the money item retention configuration, noting that when the coin slot is moved out of alignment with either the inlet of the circulating coin passage (4) or the outlets of coin acceptance compartment (9) or the outlet of the coin return compartment, the coins are retained within the housing of reservoir/coin storage compartment (8) by the periphery of the rotatable apparatus, as illustrated in figure 1, for example, and noting that the receiving configuration is the opposite of the coin dispensing configuration, as illustrated in figure 1.
Regarding Claim 8, Dan teaches
comprising a rotatable apparatus, i.e., noting the multiple coin storage compartments (8) connected together via the rotatory structure about shaft (14), as illustrated in figure 1, wherein the plurality of separate money item reservoirs (8) is (are) located in the rotatable apparatus, as illustrated in figure 1, for example.
Regarding Claim 9, Dan teaches
wherein separate reservoirs (8) of the plurality of separate money item reservoirs (8) are separated from one another by at least one internal dividing wall of the rotatable apparatus, as illustrated in figure 1, for example.
Regarding Claim 12, Dan teaches
wherein the money item inlets of the plurality of separate money item reservoirs (8) are located adjacent to one another in an inlet region, i.e., noting that the reservoirs/coin storage compartments (8) are located adjacent to each other radially about the shaft (14) of the rotatable apparatus, as illustrated in figure 1, for example.
Regarding Claim 13, Dan teaches
wherein the money item inlets of the plurality of separate money item reservoirs (8) are located in a row, i.e., interpreted as meaning “sequentially”, which is uninterrupted by money item outlets, noting that all of the coin reservoirs (8) along with their inlets are located about the entire circumference of the periphery of the rotary apparatus (1), as illustrated in figure 1.
Regarding Claim 14, Dan teaches
wherein the money item inlet of at least one of the plurality of money item reservoirs (8) is located on an opposite side of the rotatable apparatus to the at least one of the plurality of money item reservoirs (8), as illustrated in figure 1, noting that the inlet of each reservoir (8) is located opposite each reservoir (8), as illustrated in figure 1, for example.
Regarding Claim 15, Dan teaches
wherein the money item inlet of at least one money item reservoir (8) comprises a channel, i.e., noting the sides of the inlet at the edge of the reservoir (8) comprises a channel, which extends through a central region of the rotatable apparatus to the at least one money item reservoir (8), noting that each reservoir extends from the periphery to the central location near the shaft, as illustrated in figure 1, for example. Note also that Applicant does not provide any criticality for extending the channel through a central region of the rotatable apparatus.
Regarding Claim 16, Dan teaches
wherein the rotatable apparatus is configured to rotate on an axis, i.e., represented by the rotation axis of shaft (14), and wherein, for each of the plurality of separate money item reservoirs (8), switching from any particular one of the plurality of operating configurations to any particular other one of the plurality of operating configurations comprises the rotatable apparatus rotating from a first position to a second position, i.e., rotating so that the particular inlet for each reservoir (8) is cycled from a receiving position under the outlet of the circulating coin passage (4) and the inlet of either the coin acceptance compartment (9) or the coin return compartment (10), as illustrated in figure 1, for example.
Regarding Claim 17, Dan teaches
wherein, for each of the plurality of separate money item reservoirs (8), each of the plurality of operating configurations corresponds to a different rotational position of the rotatable apparatus, i.e., rotating so that the particular inlet for each reservoir (8) is cycled from a receiving position under the outlet of the circulating coin passage (4) and the inlet of either the coin acceptance compartment (9) or the coin return compartment (10), as illustrated in figure 1, for example.
Regarding Claim 20, Dan teaches wherein a money item input routing, i.e., represented by the inlet of coin storage compartment/reservoir (8), is located at a first position, i.e., at a three o’clock position corresponding to the outlet of the circulating coin passage (4), relative to the rotatable apparatus, i.e., as illustrated in figure 1, and a money item output routing, as represented by the inlet of either coin acceptance compartment (9) or coin return outlet (10), is located at a second, different position, i.e., at the bottom, relative to the rotatable apparatus, as illustrated in figure 1.
Regarding Claim 21, see the rejection of Claim 20, above.
Regarding Claim 30, see the rejection of Claim 1, above.
Regarding Claim 46, see the rejection of Claim 1, above.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dan (CN 2713552 Y) in view of Blake et al (US 9,934,640 B2) and further in view of Juan et al (US 9,881,436 B1).
Regarding Claim 19, Dan teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 19, Dan does not expressly teach
further comprising an actuator configured to selectively rotate the rotatable apparatus between different rotational positions.
Regarding Claim 19, Dan does not expressly teach, but Juan teaches
further comprising an actuator, i.e., motor (12), as illustrated in figure 1, configured to selectively rotate the rotatable apparatus, i.e., the barrel assembly as illustrated in figures 1-5, between different rotational positions, as mentioned in col. 5, line 46-col. 6, line 4.
Regarding Claim 19, before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided further comprising an actuator configured to selectively rotate the rotatable apparatus between different rotational positions, as taught by Juan, in Dan’s money item supply apparatus, for the purpose of using a common motor driving device to rotate the rotatable apparatus.
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.
McGinty ‘688 is cited as teaching a rotatable apparatus, i.e., carousels (6a-6d), as illustrated in figures 1 and 2, for example, in coin change apparatus (1) that is controlled by controller (11) as illustrated in figure 13, for example.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 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
August 4, 2026
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