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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s “Response to Amendment and Reconsideration” filed on 7/23/2025 has been considered.
Claims 1-9, 11-19, 21 are pending in this application and an action on the merits follows.
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.
Claims 1-9, 11-19, 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BAAR et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021/0216990), in view of Bell et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 11,182,762).
Regarding claims 1, 11, 21, BAAR teaches an input unit configured to receive a user designation of a first type point of sale terminal or a second point of sale terminal type;
a network interface configured to connect to a transaction server tracking a status of one or more sales transactions being performed by customers on first type point of sale terminals or second point of sale terminal type; (payment terminal types, [20], a central terminal management computing system that is in communication with a plurality of payment terminals, [23], a merchant can interface with the terminal management computing system to receive status information regarding particular payment terminals.. the merchant can receive reporting regarding the security status of the payment terminals or otherwise monitor its payment terminals. [23], the terminal management computing system 200 can include several computer servers and databases, [30], the acquirer 360 can be used to process various types of transactions initiated by the transaction systems 316A, 316B of the terminals 310A, 310B, [36]).
the type point-of-sale service terminal is a smartphone point-of-sale terminal and the second type point-of-sale service terminal is a cart-based point-of-sale terminal, (the terminal management computing system 100 can be part of a computing system of an acquirer, or any other suitable entity. The payment terminals 110A-C can be any type of payment terminal that can operate on a closed-network, such as a POS device, ATM, and so forth [24, 55].
BAAR substantially discloses the claimed invention, however, does not explicitly disclose a display screen with an integrated touch panel display; a processor configured to: filter sales transaction status information based on the user designation of the first terminal type or the second terminal type; and cause a display device to display the sales transaction status information as filtered based on the user designation.
However, Bell teaches the merchant device 902 provides a user interface 904 for selecting both a type 906 of merchant device and a view 908 that is based on the type 906 of merchant device, (see Fig. 9-12, Col.26, ln 30-67, Col.27 ln 1-56). Bell further teaches kitchen display system user interface, Fig. 11A and the user or POS device 204 having touch input device, Fig. 2.
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, to modify the method of BAAR to include the above limitations, as taught by Bell, in order to provide an efficient synchronization, (Bell Col. 1).
Regarding claims 2, 12, BAAR does not explicitly teach, however Bell teaches wherein the input unit includes a first button for designating the first terminal type and a second button for designating the second terminal type, (Fig. 9-12).
Regarding claims 3, 13, BAAR does not explicitly teach, however Bell teaches the input unit further includes operator elements for filtering sales transaction status information by present status, (Fig. 9-12).
Regarding claims 4, 14, BAAR does not explicitly teach, however Bell teaches the processor is further configured to filter the sales transaction status information based on the present status as indicated by the operator elements for filtering the sales transaction information by present status, Fig. 6.
Regarding claims 5-7, 15-17, BAAR does not explicitly teach, however Bell teaches the input unit further includes a key number entry field for entry of a terminal identification number; the processor is further configured to filter the sales transaction status information based on the terminal identification number entered via the key number entry field; the processor is further configured to filter the sales transaction status information based on a partial terminal identification number entered via the key number entry field, (the user interface 904 may include an input box where the merchant can input a number of items to include with respect to the view 908, Col.27 ln 1-10).
Regarding claims 8, 18, BAAR teaches the input unit is a touch panel display screen, [58].
Regarding claims 9, 19, BAAR teaches the network interface is a wireless communication interface, [52].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the prior art does not teach the first POS type is a smartphone and the second POS type is a cart-based POS terminal.
Examiner does not agree. First, the limitation “transactions being performed by customers on first type point of sale terminals OR second point of sale terminal type” limits the claims to read on only one terminal type. Baar teaches “the payment terminal 110A-C can be any type of payment terminal…”[24]. This phrase explicitly establishes that the system supports different categories or types of payment terminals. The open-ended wording makes it broad enough to encompass both smartphone-based and cart-based and cart-based POS terminals as examples of different types. Smartphone POS = portable network connected terminal running and Cart-based POS = integrated hardware. Paragraph [24] further distinguishes terminals by functionality and configuration. It describes that terminal “may vary from terminal to terminal” in encryption technologies, certificate validity operation mode and those distinctions show that the system supports heterogenous terminal architecture such as smartphone and cart based terminals. Paragraph also shows that terminal can be POS devices, ATMs and other types, which is again broad enough to inherently cover a smartphone and a cart. Baar also teaches device 900 can be a smartphone or some other computing device, [55].
To address the argument regarding filter sales transaction status information based on the user designation of the first terminal type or the second terminal type; and cause a display device to display the sales transaction status information as filtered based on the user designation, Examiner again relies on Bell references in combination with Baar.
Baar teaches two different types of point-of-sale terminals. The Examiner turns to Bell to teach the merchant device 902 provides a user interface 904 for selecting both a type 906 of merchant device and a view 908 that is based on the type 906 of merchant device, (see Fig. 9-12). What is described is a user interface 904 that enables a user to select type 906 of merchant device and a view 908 associated with that type. The user’s selection of a “type” (kitchen view, expedite view, in flight view) is a designation of terminal mode or terminal type because user (merchant) changes its operational behavior based on selection. For example, a user selecting “kitchen view” corresponds to operating as a cart-based terminal and user selecting “expedite view” or “in-flight view” could correspond to a smartphone POS. It is also described that upon selecting view the system changes the information displayed, “ the kitchen view 910 can cause the merchant device to display order tickets 502-508 via a kitchen display user interface” and similar for expedite view 914 and in-flight view 918. Each selected view determines which subset of order or transaction data (“sales transaction status information”) is displayed to the user. That means the processor filters transaction data depending on the selected terminal type/view showing only the data relevant to that mode, see Col.26, ln 30-67, Col.27 ln 1-56.
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 MILENA RACIC whose telephone number is (571)270-5933. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30am-4pm EST.
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, Florian (Ryan) Zeender can be reached at (571)272-6790. 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.
/MILENA RACIC/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3627
/FLORIAN M ZEENDER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3627