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 .
This office action is in response to amendment filed on 8/10/2026. Claims 1-5, 7-15, and 17-20 have been examined. This office action is Non-Final.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 8/10/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks, filed 8/10/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claims 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 Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.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 in view of Allen (2024/0406677).
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.
Claims 1, 7-8, 10-11, 17-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brown (2017/0195339) in view of Jiang et al. (2016/0316369), and in view of Canavor (2018/0255419), and further in view of Allen (2024/0406677).
As per claim 1, Brown discloses a method comprising:
receiving, over a network interface, a login request from a requesting computing device, the login request associated with a user account (Brown: para. 0098, 0113, receive login request);
detecting a location of the requesting computing device (Brown: para. 0007, 0094, first device (i.e. requesting computing device) determine proximity(i.e. location) to second device) ;
detecting a location of the receiving device (Brown: 0007, 0094, detect a location of a second device (i.e. receiving device));
comparing, using the processing unit, the location of the requesting computing device to the location of the receiving device (Brown: para. 0007, 0097, compare a location of the first device to location of the second device);
determining, based on the comparing, that the location of the requesting computing device and the location of the receiving device are different (Brown: para. 0098, determining if the comparing locations are different (i.e. no match)); and
generating an authorization response to the login request based on the determining (Brown: para. 0098, if no match is found, denying the action or request to gain access (i.e. generating an authorization response to the login request)).
Brown does not disclose generating using a processing unit, an authorization code; transmitting the authorization code to a code receiving device, the code receiving device associated with the user account.
However, analogous art of Jiang discloses generating using a processing unit, an authorization code (Jiang: para. 0071, login server generates a verification code (i.e. authorization code)); transmitting the authorization code to a code receiving device, the code receiving device associated with the user account via a messaging application (Jiang: sending verification code to the first terminal (i.e. code receiving device)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include generating using a processing unit, an authorization code; transmitting the authorization code to a code receiving device via a messaging application, the code receiving device associated with the user account of Jiang with Brown, the motivation is a secure method of security of an account login can be performed (Jiang: para. 0006).
Brown and Jiang do not disclose after transmitting the authorization code, detecting a location of the code receiving device.
However, analogous art of Canavor discloses after transmitting the authorization code, detecting a location of the code receiving device (Canavor: para. 0080, verification code (i.e. authorization code).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include after transmitting the authorization code, detecting a location of the code receiving device of Canavor with the system/method of Brown and Jiang, the motivation is that it is a security measure that can insure verifying the identity/authenticity of the device (Canavor: para. 0015).
Brown, Jiang, and Canavor do not disclose wherein detecting the location of the code receiving device includes requesting the location from the messaging application.
Allen discloses wherein detecting the location of the code receiving device includes requesting the location from the messaging application (Allen: para. 0207-0208, obtain the location of the second user using the text messaging app).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include detecting the location of the code receiving device includes requesting the location from the messaging application, the motivation is that the method is efficient way of providing the location (Allen: para. 0208).
As per claim 7, Brown, Jiang, Canavor, and Allen disclose the method of claim 1.
Brown further discloses transmitting the location of the requesting computing device to the code receiving device (Brown: para. 0094, transmitting location of first device to the second device, proximity of first device to the second device).
As per claim 8, Brown, Jiang, Canavor, and Allen disclose the method of claim 1. Jiang further discloses transmitting the authorization code, transmitting a message to the code receiving device including a request of acknowledgement of the message; and receiving an indication of acknowledgment from the code receiving device, wherein transmitting the authorization code is in response to receiving the indication (Jiang: para. 0057, 0082, transmitting a message, SMS (short message service)).
Same motivation as claim 1 above.
As per claim 10, Brown, Jiang, Canavor, and Allen disclose the method of claim 1. Jiang further discloses wherein generating the authorization response to the login request based on the determining includes denying the login request (Jiang: para. 0098, denying login request to gain access).
Same motivation as claim 1 above.
As per claims 11 and 20, rejected under similar basis as claim 1 above.
As per claim 17, rejected under similar basis as claim 7 above.
As per claim 18, rejected under similar basis as claim 8 above.
Claims 2, 9, 12, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brown (2017/0195339) in view of Jiang et al. (2016/0316369), in view of Canavor (2018/0255419) and in view of Allen (2024/0406677) and further in view of Rafferty (2022/0255929).
As per claim 2, Brown, Jiang, Canavor, and Allen disclose the method of claim 1.
Brown, Jiang, Canavor, and Allen do not explicitly disclose wherein detecting the location of the requesting computing device is based on an internet protocol address of the login request.
However, analogous art of Rafferty discloses detecting the location of the requesting computing device is based on an internet protocol address of the login request (Rafferty: para. 0081, IP address associated with the login request).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to include detecting the location of the requesting computing device is based on an internet protocol address of the login request of Rafferty with Brown-Jiang-Canavor-Allen combination, the motivation is that improves security through fraud detection (Rafferty: para. 0081).
As per claim 9, Brown, Jiang, Canavor, and Allen disclose the method of claim 1, Brown further discloses wherein generating the authorization response to the login request based on the determining (Brown: para. 0098, if no match is found, denying the action or request to gain access (i.e. generating an authorization response to the login request)).
Brown, Jiang, Canavor, and Allen do not explicitly disclose comparing a device fingerprint of the requesting computing device to a stored device fingerprint associated with the user account.
However, analogous art of Rafferty discloses comparing a device fingerprint of the requesting computing device to a stored device fingerprint associated with the user account (Rafferty: para. 0081, determine device fingerprint matches authentication fingerprint (i.e. stored device fingerprint)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to include comparing a device fingerprint of the requesting computing device to a stored device fingerprint associated with the user account of Rafferty with the combination of Brown-Jiang-Canavor-Allen, the motivation is that it provides additional network security (Rafferty: para. 0004).
As per claim 12, rejected under similar scope as claim 2 above.
As per claim 19, rejected under similar scope as claim 9 above.
Claims 3-5, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brown (2017/0195339) in view of Jiang et al. (2016/0316369), in view of Canavor (2018/0255419) in view of Allen (2024/0406677) and further in view of Wu (2015/0332226).
As per claim 3, Brown, Jiang, Canavor, and Allen disclose the method of claim 1. Brown nor Jiang, Canavor, and Allen disclose wherein transmitting the authorization code to the code receiving device includes transmitting the authorization code as part of a push notification to an application installed on the code receiving device.
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However, analogous art of Wu discloses transmitting the authorization code to the code receiving device includes transmitting the authorization code as part of a push notification to an application installed on the code receiving device (Wu: para. 0136, transmitting verification code as part of a push notification to an application (i.e. SMS) installed on the second client terminal).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to include transmitting the authorization code to the code receiving device includes transmitting the authorization code as part of a push notification to an application installed on the code receiving device of Wu with the combination of Brown-Jiang-Canavor-Allen, the motivation is that push notification provides an additional layer of security be requiring users to confirm their identity (Wu: para. 0136).
As per claim 4, Brown, Jiang, Canavor, Allen, and Wu disclose the method of claim 3. Allen further discloses receiving the location of the code receiving device from the application installed on the code receiving device (Allen: para. 0207-0208).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include receiving the location of the code receiving device from the application installed on the code receiving device of Allen with the combination of Brown, Jiang, Canavor, and Wu, the motivation is that the method is efficient way of providing the location (Allen: para. 0208).
As per claim 5, Brown, Jiang, Canavor, and Allen disclose the method of claim 1. Jiang further disclose wherein transmitting the authorization code to the code receiving device (Jiang: para. 0136, sending verification code to the first terminal (i.e. code receiving device)).
Brown, Jiang, Canavor, and Allen do not explicitly disclose; however, Wu discloses accessing a messaging application preference associated with the user account; and transmitting the authorization code via the messaging application (Wu: para. 0136, accessing a messaging application preference (i.e. phone number) associated with the account, and transmitting verification code via SMS).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to include accessing a messaging application preference associated with the user account; and transmitting the authorization code via the messaging application of Wu with the combination of Brown, Jiang, Canavor, and Allen, the motivation is that it is an SMS is an efficient method of transmission of the authorization code (Wu: para. 0136).
As per claim 13, rejected under similar scope as claim 3.
As per claim 14, rejected under similar scope as claim 4.
As per claim 15, rejected under similar scope as claim 5.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENISE E JACKSON whose telephone number is (571)272-3791. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00am-3:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Philip J Chea can be reached at (571) 272-3951. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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9/14/2026
/J.E.J/Examiner, Art Unit 2499
/PHILIP J CHEA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2499
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