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 § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 4 recites the phrase “wherein the preparatory operation is not completed when the next deposit acceptance command arrives”. However, the phrase “not completed” is mentioned in Applicant’s specification at paragraphs 24 and 131, which states as follows.
[0024] The predetermined condition may be a case where the preparatory operation is not completed when a next deposit acceptance command arrives.
[0131] Next, Embodiment 5 of the control method for the coin handling apparatus and the coin handling apparatus of the present disclosure will be described. In Embodiment 5 described below, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in Embodiment 1, and the description thereof will be omitted. Embodiment 5 is different from the other embodiments in the dispensing preparatory operation and the dispensing operation performed in the case where preparation of the change fund is not completed, among the basic operations of the coin handling apparatus.
Emphasis provided.
No other discussion or explanation is provided in Applicant’s specification or disclosure.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Onishi et al (US 2020/0372745 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Onishi discloses
a method for controlling a coin handling apparatus (1), as illustrated in figures 1 and 2, comprising: performing a preparatory operation including: recognizing by a recognition unit (70), as mentioned at paragraphs 26 and 28, a denomination of a coin fed from a first storage unit (40, 40a-40h) that stores one or more coins, as mentioned at paragraphs 26 and 27, and storing, in a second storage unit, i.e., feeding unit (80), a certain number of coins for each denomination of a first combination from among the one or more coins based on the denomination recognized, as mentioned at paragraphs 28, 56, noting that the combination of denominations depends upon the storage units (40, 40a-40h) dispensing their coins for reconciliation and noting that the coins are stored in the plurality of storage/feeding units for each denomination, as mentioned at paragraph 3, as illustrated in figures 10a and 10b, for example; and dispensing at least a part of the certain number of coins stored in the second storage unit (80) to an outlet in response to a dispensing instruction, as mentioned at paragraphs 57, 59, 60 and 62, wherein when a predetermined condition is satisfied, a certain number of coins for each denomination of a combination different from the first combination are stored in the second storage unit (80), as mentioned in paragraph 57, which mentions feeding out the coins from second storage unit (80) to the transport path of the transport unit, as illustrated in figures 10b, 11b and 12b for example. Note that a predetermined condition is construed as a condition where a deposit or a withdrawal is performed, or a reconciliation process, or as a request for change during a transaction or as a change fund, and noting that depending upon the combination of coins available/deposited/dispensed, the number of coins will be different from process to process and from transaction to transaction. See also paragraph 64, and figures 7a-12b.
Regarding Claim 14, Onishi discloses
a coin handling apparatus, i.e., coin handling apparatus (2), as illustrated in figures 1 and 7a, for example, comprising:
a first storage unit, i.e., any of stores (30, 40, 40a-40h), as illustrated in figures 7a-12b, that stores a coin;
a second storage unit, i.e., feeding unit (80), as illustrated in figures 7a-12b, that stores a coin to be dispensed, i.e., either to dispensing unit (20) or transport units (50, 50a, 50b), as illustrated in figures 7a-12b, for example;
a transport unit (50, 50a, 50b) that transports the coin along a transport path;
a recognition unit (70) disposed on the transport path and configured to recognize a denomination of the coin, as mentioned at paragraphs 28 and 29, for example; and
a control unit (110), as mentioned at paragraphs 36 and 37 and as illustrated in figure 3, that controls the transport unit (50, 50a, 50b) based on a result of recognition by the recognition unit (70) such that a certain number of coins for each denomination of a first combination are stored in the second storage unit (80), the certain number of coins being from among a plurality of the coins fed from the first storage unit, i.e., any of stores (30, 40, 40a-40h),
wherein the control unit (110) is capable of storing, in the second storage unit (80), a certain number of coins for each denomination of a combination different from the first combination when a predetermined condition is satisfied, i.e., construed as a request for change during a transaction or as a change fund, as mentioned at paragraph 64, and as illustrated in figures 7a-12b, for example.
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.
Claim(s) 2 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi et al (US 2020/0372745 A1) in view of Nakashima (US 2019/0035198 A1).
Regarding Claims 2 and 3, Onishi teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 2, Onishi does not expressly teach
wherein the predetermined condition is a condition relating to a time for the preparatory operation for storing the certain number of coins from the first storage unit to the second storage unit.
Regarding Claim 2, Onishi does not expressly teach, but Nakashima teaches
wherein the predetermined condition is a condition relating to a time for the preparatory operation for storing the certain number of coins from the first storage unit, i.e., any of storage units (43, 44, 143, 144, 153, 154), as mentioned at paragraphs 67, 68, 106, to the second storage unit, i.e., any one of the other storage units (43, 44, 143, 144, 153, 154), noting also the mention of collecting coins at a predetermined time, as mentioned at paragraphs 21, 46, 47, 54, 55, 76, 77, 110, 112, 118, 138 and 139, and Claim 12, for example, which state as follows.
[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, a money handling system is a money handling system in which a plurality of change machines and a money handling apparatus arranged in a shop are communicably connected. Each of the change machines includes a notifying unit that notifies, at a previously specified time point, the money handling apparatus of money information relating to a schedule of deposit. The money handling apparatus includes an inlet configured to take in money into a body of the apparatus; a plurality of money storage units configured to be detachably arranged to the body and store thereinto the money; a scheduling unit configured, based on the money information notified from the change machines, to perform scheduling to distribute money in the money storage units such that the weight of the money to be stored in each of the money storage units is substantially equal to each other; an identifying unit configured to identify the change machine in which money to be taken in from the inlet is present; and a control unit configured to control, when the money present in the change machine identified by the identifying unit is taken in from the inlet, so as to store the money in the money storage unit scheduled by the scheduling unit.
Description
[0046] First of all, a concept of a proceeds deposit machine according to the present invention is explained. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view for explaining the concept of the proceeds deposit machine according to the present invention. A proceeds deposit machine 100 shown in this drawing is a device that is installed in a back office and the like of a shop and that receives deposit of proceeds from sales present at a plurality of checkout counters provided in the shop. A plurality of money cassettes X and Y are detachably attached to the proceeds deposit machine 100. The money deposited as the proceeds from sales is stored in the money cassette X or the money cassette Y. When a predetermined time of a day comes, a collector of a cash-in-transit company, the shop, and the like detaches the money cassette X and/or Y from the proceeds deposit machine 100, and the cassette is delivered to a cash center. For the convenience of explanation, two money cassettes X and Y have been shown; however, actually there can be a plurality of banknote cassettes and/or a plurality of coin cassettes.
[0047] The proceeds deposit machine 100 is characterized in that weight of the money stored in the money cassette X and weight of the money stored in the money cassette Y are equalized. Specifically, the proceeds deposit machine 100 is configured such that “when the proceeds from sales is newly deposited therein, the money as the proceeds from sales is stored in the money cassette X or the money cassette Y that is the lightest in weight”. This is because, when the collector holds the money cassette X with his right hand, holds the money cassette Y with his left hand, and tries to carry both the money cassettes X and Y at the same time, it is possible that a body part of the collector may be affected when there is an uneven balance between the weight of the money cassette X and the weight of the money cassette Y.
[0054] Operation of Proceeds Deposit Machine at the Time of Deposit of Proceeds from Sales
[0055] An operation performed by the proceeds deposit machine 100 at the time of deposit of the proceeds from sales is explained next. A case is explained here in which the checkout counter cashier deposits in the proceeds deposit machine 100 the proceeds from sales present in a change machine and the like arranged on the checkout counter; however, the same technique can be applied to a case in which a salesclerk other than the checkout counter cashier deposits the proceeds from sales in the proceeds deposit machine 100.
[0076] The deposit processing unit 91b performs a display control to display on the display/operation unit 73 a screen relating to the money deposit process of the proceeds from sales. In response to an operation of the display/operation unit 73 by the operator, recognition of the denomination and counting of number for each denomination of the banknotes received in the banknote inlet 10, and recognition of the denomination and counting of number for each denomination of the coins received in the coin inlet 110 are performed. The result of counting of the money is displayed on the display/operation unit 73. After the counting of the money is over, upon receiving an operation (approval operation) via the display/operation unit 73 instructing deposit of the counted money, the deposit processing unit 91b stores the counted money in the banknote cassette 53 or 54 and the coin cassette 153 or 154 based on a result of calculation of the weight obtained in the weight calculating unit 91c. Specifically, upon newly storing the banknote in the banknote cassette 53 or 54, the weight of the money present in the banknote cassette 54 is compared with the weight of the money present in the banknote cassette 53 at that point in time, and for example, the banknote cassette 53 having the lighter weight of the money is selected, and this banknote is temporarily stored in the temporary storage unit 43 corresponding to the banknote cassette 53.
[0077] The weight calculating unit 91c is a processing unit that calculates the weight of the money deposited as the proceeds from sales. Specifically, the weight calculating unit 91c calculates the weight of the money by multiplying the unit weight of one piece of the money of each of the denominations contained in the unit weight data 90a with the number of the money for each denomination. For example, assuming that “10 JPY 500 coins” and “20 JPY 10 coins” are present in the coin cassette 153, because the unit money weight of the JPY 500 coin is 7.0 g and the unit money weight of the JPY 10 coin is 4.5 g, the weight of the coins in the coin cassette 153 is “(7.0 g×10)+(4.5 g×20)=160 g”.
[0100] An internal functional configuration of the proceeds deposit machine 200 shown in FIG. 7 is explained next. FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram of the proceeds deposit machine 200 shown in FIG. 7. After the counting of the money is over, upon receiving an operation (approval operation) via the display/operation unit 73 instructing deposit of the counted money, a deposit processing unit 201 stores the counted money in the banknote cassette 53 or 54 and/or the coin cassette 153 or 154 based on the weight of the money detected by the weight sensors 53a, 54a, 153a, and 154a. Specifically, upon newly storing the banknote in the banknote cassette 53 or 54, each of the weight respectively detected by the weight sensors 53a and 54a at that point in time are compared, and for example, the banknote cassette 53 having the lighter weight of the banknotes is selected, and this banknote is temporarily stored in the temporary storage unit 43 corresponding to the banknote cassette 53.
[0106] In the second embodiment, a case is explained in which the weight sensors 53a, 54a, 153a, and 154a are provided to the banknote cassettes 53 and 54 and the coin cassettes 153 and 154 respectively; however, the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, weight sensors 43a, 44a, 143a, and 144a can be provided to the temporary storage units 43, 44, 143, and 144 that correspond to the banknote cassettes 53 and 54 and the coin cassettes 153 and 154, respectively. This is because, there are situations in which the money is temporarily stored for a relatively longer time in the temporary storage units 43, 44, 143, and 144. The process in this case is similar to that in the second embodiment.
[0110] In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, it is explained to select a money cassette as a storing destination of the money to be newly stored based on each of the weight of the money stored in the plurality of money cassettes; however, the present invention is not limited to this, and the money cassette as the storing destination of the money can be changed each time the deposit of the proceeds from sales is received. This is because there may not be a big difference in the proceeds from sales stored by each checkout counter cashier. Therefore, in a third embodiment, a case of changing the money cassette as the storing destination of the money each time the deposit of proceeds from sales is received is explained.
[0112] For example, if the money was stored in the banknote cassette 53 (banknote cassette A) and/or the coin cassette 153 (coin cassette a) last time, the storing destination cassette data 303 contains recognition information of the banknote cassette 54 (banknote cassette B) and/or the coin cassette 154 (coin cassette b). Therefore, when newly storing the money, the banknote cassette 54 (banknote cassette B) and/or the coin cassette 154 (coin cassette b) is selected by the cassette selection unit 302, and the money is stored in the selected banknote cassette 54 (banknote cassette B) and/or the coin cassette 154 (coin cassette b).
[0118] In the third embodiment, the money cassette as the storing destination of the money is changed each time the deposit of proceeds from sales is received; however, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to change the money cassette as the storing destination of the money each time the weight of the money reaches to a predetermined weight. Therefore, in a fourth embodiment, a case of changing the money cassette as the storing destination of the money each time the weight of the money reaches to the predetermined weight is explained.
[0121] A deposit processing unit 401 maintains information to identify the money cassette (e.g., banknote cassette A and/or coin cassette a) as the storing destination of the money at the current point in time. Moreover, the weight of the banknotes stored in the banknote cassette (e.g., banknote cassette A) whose recognition information has been maintained is calculated, and each time the banknote is stored in the banknote cassette A, the accumulation weight of the banknotes in the accumulation weight data 403 is added and updated. When the accumulation weight of the banknotes in the accumulation weight data 403 exceeds the changeover threshold value 402, information “banknote cassette B” is maintained to enable changing the banknote cassette as the storing destination from the banknote cassette A to the banknote cassette B, and the accumulation weight of the banknotes in the accumulation weight data 403 is reset. Similarly, the weight of the coins stored in the coin cassette (e.g., coin cassette a) whose recognition information has been maintained is calculated, and each time the coin is stored in the coin cassette a, the accumulation weight of the coins in the accumulation weight data 403 is added and updated. When the accumulation weight of the coins in the accumulation weight data 403 exceeds the changeover threshold value 402, information “coin cassette b” is maintained to enable changing the coin cassette as the storing destination from the coin cassette a to the coin cassette b, and the accumulation weight of the coins in the accumulation weight data 403 is reset.
[0138] Because in the first embodiment to the fifth embodiment an explanation about handling of a change fund in the proceeds deposit machine has been omitted, the handling of the change fund is explained below. Conventionally, the change fund is delivered from the cash center by using a change fund delivery service and the like, and change for each checkout counter is prepared by using a batch function of the proceeds deposit machine. However, because the change fund is delivered from the cash center, it is necessary to inform previously to the cash center and the like of the number of the change fund for each denomination, such a communication puts an unreasonable burden on the staff member.
[0139] Therefore, the present embodiment is configured so that, upon receiving a predetermined change fund mode selection operation, the change fund is stored in one of the money cassettes originally used for storing the proceeds deposit machine and the proceeds from sales is stored in the other money cassette. Specifically, the change fund (number for each denomination) to be stored in the money cassette is set previously from a host application installed in the proceeds deposit machine, and when the checkout counter cashier deposits the proceeds from sales, among the money of the denomination set as the change fund and the money of the number and the denomination specified as the change fund is transported to the money cassette X, among the money of the denomination not set as the change fund and the money of the denomination set as the change fund and the money exceeding the specified number is transported to the money cassette Y. Accordingly, the change fund can be prepared even without receiving the delivery of the change fund from the cash center. Then, this change fund can be collected and the change for each of the checkout, counters can be prepared by using the batch function. Accordingly, the cash can be efficiently recycled inside the shop, and even if an unpredictable situation occurs because of an event and the like, it is possible to respond on a case-by-case basis.
Claims
12. A money handling system in which a plurality of change machines and a money handling apparatus arranged in a shop are communicably connected, wherein each of the change machines includes a notifying unit that notifies, at a previously specified time point, the money handling apparatus of money information relating to a schedule of deposit, the money handling apparatus includes an inlet configured to take in money into a body of the apparatus; a plurality of money storage units configured to be detachably arranged to the body and store thereinto the money; a scheduling unit configured, based on the money information notified from the change machines, to perform scheduling to distribute money in the money storage units such that the weight of the money to be stored in each of the money storage units is substantially equal to each other; an identifying unit configured to identify the change machine in which money to be taken in from the inlet is present; and a control unit configured to control, when the money present in the change machine identified by the identifying unit is taken in from the inlet, so as to store the money in the money storage unit scheduled by the scheduling unit.
Emphasis provided.
Regarding Claim 2, 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 the predetermined condition is a condition relating to a time for the preparatory operation for storing the certain number of coins from the first storage unit to the second storage unit, as taught by Nakashima, in Onishi’s coin handling apparatus and method for the purpose of properly balancing coins and other forms of cash within the coin handling apparatus.
Regarding Claim 3, Onishi does not expressly teach
wherein the predetermined condition is a case where the time for the preparatory operation is equal to or longer than a predetermined time.
Regarding Claim 3, Onishi does not expressly teach, but Nakashima teaches
wherein the predetermined condition is a case where the time for the preparatory operation is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, as mentioned at paragraphs 21, 46, 47, 54, 55, 76, 77, 110, 112, 118, 138 and 139, and Claim 12, noting that the amount of time depends upon the scheduling of intake and dispensing of funds which depends upon the increase or decrease of volume of cash required to be taken in or dispensed to meet demand and thus frequency of instances of dispensing or depositing of coins.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi et al (US 2020/0372745 A1) in view of Nakashima (US 2019/0035198 A1) and further in view of Fukuda et al (US 2019/0172292 A1).
Regarding Claims 4, Onishi teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 4, Onishi does not expressly teach wherein the predetermined condition is a case where the preparatory operation is not completed when a next deposit acceptance command arrives.
Regarding Claim 4, Onishi does not expressly teach, but Fukuda teaches wherein the predetermined condition is a case where the preparatory operation is not completed when a next deposit acceptance command arrives, noting that this is interpreted as being a situation where the transaction has been interrupted due to an anomaly, such as a jam, or when a cassette is changed out, requiring a reconciliation of the coins in the storage units of the coin handling device, as mentioned at paragraphs 260-339 and 389-399 with mention of a predetermined condition at paragraphs 63, 71-73, 107, 109, 185, 214, 249, 250, 289, 338, 343, 347 and 352, for example. Note also that paragraph 427 mentions that the disclosure may be applied to either banknote or coin handling apparatus’. Note that paragraphs 120 and 263 mentions an abnormal event such “money that is transported abnormally and money of incorrect denomination (e.g., money whose denomination is different from the one to be stored is fed from the storage)” as well as jamming of banknotes, noting that a transport abnormality is construed as an incomplete/not completed condition.
Regarding Claim 4, 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 the predetermined condition is a case where the preparatory operation is not completed when a next deposit acceptance command arrives, as taught by Fukuda, in Onishi’s coin handling apparatus and method for the purpose of properly balancing coins and other forms of cash within the coin handling apparatus upon the detection of an interrupted transaction such as during a jam or other anomaly.
Claim(s) 5-9, 11, 12 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi et al (US 2020/0372745 A1) in view of Nakashima (US 2019/0035198 A1) and further in view of Daout et al (US 2004/0093117 A1).
Regarding Claims 5-9, 11, 12 and 15, Onishi teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 5, Onishi does not expressly teach
wherein a coin of a denomination which is inadequate in number for the first combination is substitutable with a coin of a denomination whose face value is smaller than that of the denomination of the coin which is inadequate in number for the first combination.
Regarding Claim 5, Onishi does not expressly teach, but Daout teaches
wherein a coin of a denomination which is inadequate in number for the first combination is substitutable with a coin of a denomination whose face value is smaller than that of the denomination of the coin which is inadequate in number for the first combination, as mentioned at paragraph 50. See also paragraph 1, stating that Daout’s disclosed invention is applicable to either coins or banknotes, both paragraphs 1, 50 and 54 stating as follows.
[0001] This invention relates to currency stores, and particularly to stores from which currency items can be dispensed and which can be automatically replenished. The invention is particularly applicable to stores for coins or banknotes, used for example in vending machines, which are arranged to receive payment and give change.
[0049] At step 210, the controller determines whether the average number of received bills for denomination j-1 exceeds the average number of dispensed bills of denomination j-1 (em(i+1,j-1)>rm(i+1,j-1)). If the average number of received bills exceeds the average number of dispensed bills, this means that the apparatus is receiving more bills of denomination j-1 than required for dispensing. In this case, the program proceeds to step 212. At this step, the controller 18 modifies the value rm(i+1,j-1) representing the average number of dispensed bills of denomination j-1, by adding to it the difference between the average number of dispensed bills of denomination j and the average number of received bills of denomination j (rm(i+1,j-1)=rm(i+1,j-1)+rm(i+1,j)-em(i+- 1,j)). In other words, the controller 18 calculates a quantity representing the rate at which the quantity of bills of denomination j in the store 4 is decreasing, and then adds this quantity to the calculated average number of dispensed bills of denomination j-1, in order to indicate that the average number of dispensed bills of denomination j-1 was higher than the actual true value.
[0050] The result of this is to suggest that the requirement for bills of denomination j-1 is higher than the actual requirement was in the past. As a result, the threshold for the denomination j-1 is increased, so more bills of denomination j-1 are sent to the store 4. Accordingly, this will allow change to be dispensed using the smaller denomination, j-1, rather than the larger denomination j, of which there is insufficient supply.
[0054] The result of this procedure is that, over the course of a number of transactions, the proportions of the different denominations in the store 4 will tend to correspond to the average proportions of the denominations required for change. However, this tendency is modified (according to step 210 ) if one denomination is in short supply and the next-lower denomination is in plentiful supply, to increase the number of lower-denomination banknotes which can therefore be dispensed as change in preference to the higher denomination. This diminishes the requirement for the higher denomination banknotes.
Emphasis provided.
Note also that Daout’s algorithm is taught to operate to distribute smaller denominations to meet demand for unavailable larger denominations and that the algorithm uses weighted rolling averages, as mentioned at paragraphs 42-46, 54 and at figure 2, for example.
Regarding Claim 5, 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 a coin of a denomination which is inadequate in number for the first combination is substitutable with a coin of a denomination whose face value is smaller than that of the denomination of the coin which is inadequate in number for the first combination, as taught by Daout, in Onishi’s coin handling apparatus and method for the purpose of properly balancing coins and other forms of cash within the coin handling apparatus.
Regarding Claim 6, Onishi does not expressly teach
wherein:
the predetermined condition is a condition of a ratio of coins for each denomination stored in the first storage unit, and
when a term of the ratio of coins of a first denomination is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, a certain number of the coins of the first denomination which make a same amount of money as a face value of a second denomination whose face value is greater than that of the first denomination are stored instead of a coin of the second denomination in the second storage unit.
Regarding Claim 6, Onishi does not expressly teach, but Daout teaches
wherein:
the predetermined condition is a condition of a ratio of coins for each denomination stored in the first storage unit, as mentioned at paragraphs 54, 59, 65, 69, 71 and 72, mentioning “adjusting the relative proportions of the different denominations in the store 4”, for example, and
when a term of the ratio of coins of a first denomination is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, i.e., the threshold value as mentioned at paragraphs 8, 65 and 69, for example, a certain number of the coins of the first denomination which make a same amount of money as a face value of a second denomination whose face value is greater than that of the first denomination are stored instead of a coin of the second denomination in the second storage unit, as taught by Daout, noting also that Daout’s algorithm operates to distribute smaller denominations to meet demand for unavailable larger denominations, as mentioned at paragraphs 54, 59, 65, 69, 71 and 72, mentioning “proportion”. Note also that Daout teaches that the algorithm uses weighted rolling averages, as mentioned at paragraphs 42-46 and at figure 2, for example, which can be construed as being ratios.
Regarding Claim 7, see the rejection of Claim 5, above, noting again that Daout’s algorithm operates to distribute smaller denominations to meet demand for unavailable larger denominations.
Regarding Claim 8, see the rejection of Claims 5 and 6, above.
Regarding Claim 9, Onishi does not expressly teach further comprising:
storing a deposited coin in the first storage unit, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition relating to a denomination of the deposited coin, and
when the predetermined condition is satisfied, a coin of a corresponding denomination from among a plurality of the deposited coins is stored in the second storage unit.
Regarding Claim 9, Onishi does not expressly teach, but Daout teaches further comprising:
storing a deposited coin in the first storage unit, i.e., multi-denominational store (4), as illustrated in figures 1 and 4, and as mentioned at paragraphs 26 and 74, for example, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition relating to a denomination (D1-D4, j) as mentioned at paragraph 28, for example, of the deposited coin, and
when the predetermined condition is satisfied, a coin of a corresponding denomination from among a plurality of the deposited coins is stored in the second storage unit (4), as mentioned at paragraphs 32-54, for example.
Regarding Claim 11, Onishi does not expressly teach
wherein the predetermined condition is that a coin of a rare denomination is deposited.
Regarding Claim 11, Onishi does not expressly teach, but Daout teaches
wherein the predetermined condition is that a coin of a rare denomination is deposited, as mentioned in paragraphs 49-54, noting that a rare denomination is construed as a denomination that is unavailable or less available than another/other denomination(s).
Regarding Claim 12, Onishi does not expressly teach
wherein the predetermined condition is that a coin of a denomination, coins of which denomination are stored in the first storage unit, is deposited in the first storage unit, the coins are greater in number than an initial setting for a number of coins.
Regarding Claim 12, Onishi does not expressly teach, but Daout teaches
wherein the predetermined condition is that a coin of a denomination, coins of which denomination are stored in the first storage unit (4), is deposited in the first storage unit (4), the coins are greater in number than an initial setting for a number of coins, as mentioned at paragraphs 8, 65 and 69, noting that the threshold levels for particular denominations change over time as the prior demand for them changes.
Regarding Claim 15, see the rejection of Claim 6, above.
Claim(s) 10 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Onishi et al (US 2020/0372745 A1) in view of Nakashima (US 2019/0035198 A1), further in view of Daout et al (US 2004/0093117 A1) and further in view of Chen et al (US 2021/0134102 A1).
Regarding Claims 10 and 13, Onishi teaches the system as described above.
Regarding Claim 10, Onishi does not expressly teach
wherein the predetermined condition is that a coin of a denomination preset by a user is deposited.
Regarding Claim 10, Onishi does not expressly teach, but Chen teaches
wherein the predetermined condition is that a coin of a denomination preset by a user is deposited, as mentioned at paragraphs 28, 30-35.
Regarding Claim 10, 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 the predetermined condition is that a coin of a denomination preset by a user is deposited, as taught by Chen, in Onishi’s coin handling apparatus and method for the purpose of enabling a user to flexibly change the denominations desired to properly balance coins and other forms of cash within the coin handling apparatus.
Regarding Claim 13, Onishi does not expressly teach
wherein the coin of the preset denomination is a coin of a denomination which is not used as change.
Regarding Claim 13, Onishi does not expressly teach, but Daout teaches
wherein the coin of the preset denomination is a coin of a denomination which is not used as change, i.e., noting paragraph 72, which states in the last sentence, that “the change algorithm could be used to decide which denominations should be sent to the store, and which should be sent to the cashbox”, noting that the cashbox is understood as meant to store coins which are not used as change. See also paragraphs 3, 10, 21 and 27, for example.
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.
Nakamoto ‘794 is cited as teaching a coin handling device (100), as illustrated in figures 1-10b, with a setting screen, as illustrated in figures 9-10b, for example.
Hamada ‘209 is cited as another disclosure by the same inventive entity and inventor with similar subject matter.
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/JEFFREY A SHAPIRO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619
September 19, 2026
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