DETAILED ACTION
The following is a Non-Final Office Action in response to communications filed on November 20, 2025. Claims 1 and 13 are amended, and claims 3–5 and 14–16 are canceled. Currently, claims 1 and 13 are pending.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 November 20, 2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s remarks with respect to the previous rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the updated grounds of rejection presented below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1 and 13 recite “the permission” in the element “to issue a gate identification code”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims.
Claims 1 and 13 further recite “a mobile terminal” in the element “to issue a gate identification code”. However, claims 1 and 13 previously recite “a mobile terminal” in the element reciting “the reception telephone comprises a reader” (claim 1) and “issuing a visitor identification code” (claim 13). As a result, the scope of the claims is indefinite because it is unclear whether Applicant intends for the second recitation to reference the first recitation or intends to introduce a second, different mobile terminal.
For purposes of examination, claim 1 is interpreted as reciting “in response to [[the]] permission for the entry of the visitor, the reception system is configured to issue a gate identification code as a digital code for [[a]] the mobile terminal” and claim 13 is interpreted as reciting “issuing a gate identification code as a digital code for [[a]] the mobile terminal, a sheet of paper or a card in response to [[the]] permission for the entry of the visitor”.
In view of the above, claims 1 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
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 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Troesch et al. (U.S. 2019/0251771) in view of Lee et al. (U.S. 2022/0353472), and in further view of SHEU et al. (U.S. 2021/0354953).
Claims 1 and 13: Troesch discloses a reception system comprising:
a reception telephone and a communication device (See FIG. 1 and paragraphs 36–37 and 39, wherein the reception device receives a visitor identification code and initiates telephonic communications with a verifying party device);
the reception telephone comprises a reader configured to read a visitor identification code (See paragraph 37, wherein the reception device receives a visitor entrance identifier over the network);
the reception telephone is further configured to make a call to the communication device (See FIG. 1 and paragraph 5, wherein upon verification of the entrance ID, the system connects the visitor to a communication device of a resident, receptionist, or concierge; see also paragraphs 36–39 and 42);
the communication device is configured to enable a person in charge of reception to respond to the call on the communication device, establishing a call on the reception telephone between the visitor and the person in charge of reception (See FIG. 1 and paragraphs 5 and 36, wherein upon verification of the entrance ID, the system connects the visitor to a communication device of a resident, receptionist, or concierge; see also paragraphs 37–39 and 42),
the communication device further comprises a display configured to enable the person in charge of reception to confirm the visitor from an image of the visitor imaged by a camera included in the reception telephone, and to permit entry of the visitor (See FIG. 1 and paragraphs 40–41, wherein the selected party can grant access to the visitor after confirming the visitor using an audio/video link); and
in response to the permission for the entry of the visitor, the reception system is configured to issue a gate identification code (See paragraph 41, wherein access grant information is issued to the visitor after permission is granted);
the reception system further comprises a gate terminal configured to read the gate identification code issued for the visitor, and to unlock the gate (See paragraph 41, wherein the access grant information is provided by the user to the control access means for unlocking the gate). Troesch does not expressly disclose the remaining claim elements.
Lee discloses the reception telephone comprises a reader configured to read a visitor identification code displayed on a mobile terminal of a visitor presented to the reader (See paragraphs 69–70, wherein the visitor may scan an ID card or personal device to initiate an identification process);
the reception telephone is further configured to automatically make a call to the communication device (See paragraphs 69–70, wherein upon scanning an ID card or personal device to initiate an identification process, the reception device activates a call to a remote receptionist); and
the communication device is configured to enable a person in charge of reception to respond to the call on the communication device, establishing a hands-free call on the reception device between the visitor and the person in charge of reception (See paragraphs 69–70, wherein upon scanning an ID card or personal device to initiate an identification process, the reception device activates a contactless call to a remote receptionist).
Troesch discloses a system directed to controlling visitor access to a building. Lee discloses a system directed to establishing a video conference with a remote receptionist. Each reference discloses a system directed to access control. The technique of using a reception telephone and reader to scan an identification code and establish a hands-free call is applicable to the system of Troesch as they each share characteristics and capabilities; namely, they are directed to access control.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that applying the known technique of Lee would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system. It would have been recognized that applying the technique of Lee to the teachings of Troesch would have yielded predictable results because the level of ordinary skill in the art demonstrated by the references applied shows the ability to incorporate access control into similar systems. Further, applying a reader for scanning identification codes and establish a hands-free call to Troesch would have been recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art as resulting in an improved system that would allow improved management and more reliable results. Troesch and Lee do not expressly disclose the remaining elements of claim 1.
Sheu discloses in response to the permission for the entry of the visitor, the reception system is configured to issue a gate identification code as a digital code for a mobile terminal, a sheet of paper or a card (See paragraphs 61–62, wherein, in response to verifying the user identity and permitting entrance, the output device generates a QR code for user access);
the reception system further comprises a gate terminal including a gate and a gate reader, the gate reader being configured to read the gate identification code issued for the visitor, and to unlock the gate (See FIG. 7 and paragraph 62, wherein the visitor scans the access code to access an elevator gate).
As disclosed above, Troesch discloses a system directed to controlling visitor access to a building, and Lee discloses a system directed to establishing a video conference with a remote receptionist. Sheu discloses a system directed to managing a non-contact control system. Each reference discloses a system directed to access control. The technique of using a gate reader to scan a digital code is applicable to the systems of Troesch and Lee as they each share characteristics and capabilities; namely, they are directed to access control.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that applying the known technique of Sheu would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system. It would have been recognized that applying the technique of Sheu to the teachings of Troesch and Lee would have yielded predictable results because the level of ordinary skill in the art demonstrated by the references applied shows the ability to incorporate access control into similar systems. Further, applying a gate reader for scanning digital codes to Troesch and Lee would have been recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art as resulting in an improved system that would allow improved management and more reliable results.
Conclusion
The following prior art is made of record and not relied upon but is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Sahani (U.S. 2022/0351564) discloses a system directed to managing visitor access control using a touchless access system; and
Gowtham et al. (Gowtham, I., et al. "Automation of visitor gate pass management system." 2019 2nd International Conference on Intelligent Computing, Instrumentation and Control Technologies (ICICICT). Vol. 1. IEEE, 2019.) discloses an automated visitor gate pass system.
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/WILLIAM S BROCKINGTON III/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3623