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 .
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the application filed on 06/30/2026.
Claims 1, 8, and 18 are currently amended.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues step 2A prong 1 starting on page 12 of the response. Applicant argues “claims as amended recite specific technical operations for proactive ATM management, including "detecting the change comprises querying the first ATM to confirm whether a device of the first ATM is operational" and "wherein the information identifies one or more profiles associated with respective interactions of the second plurality of interactions." These features are directed to specific technical implementations for monitoring and managing ATM devices, not to fundamental economic practices or commercial interactions.” (Response at 13).
Examiner respectfully disagrees, the argued elements represent managing an atm by facilitating users to conduct transaction at atms, when the status of an atms changes.
Applicant further argues step 2a prong 2 starting on page 13 of the response. Applicant argues “the amended claims recite "detecting the change comprises querying the first ATM to confirm whether a device of the first ATM is operational," which provides a specific technical implementation for determining ATM status. Additionally, the amended claims recite "wherein the information identifies one or more profiles associated with respective interactions of the second plurality of interactions," which provides a specific technical mechanism for identifying user profiles associated with ATM interactions.” (Response at 13-14).
Examiner respectfully disagrees, the argued elements represent managing an atm by facilitating users to conduct transaction at ATMs, when the status of an ATM changes.
Applicant argues step 2b starting on page 14 of the response.
Applicant cites the argument regrading prong 2 and argues the amended claim 1 recites specific details regarding a particular solution to a particular problem.
Examiner respectfully disagrees, the argued elements represent managing an atm by facilitating users to conduct transaction at ATMs, when the status of an ATM changes. Regarding the amended claim language, the wherein steps of detecting the change and describing the information more specifically as profiles associated with respective interactions is merely further narrowing the abstract idea.
Applicant’s arguments filed 06/30/2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-20 under 35 U.S.C. § 102 and 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more.
In the instant case, claims 1, 10 and 18 are directed to a system, method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium.
Abstract ideas are in bold below, and represents a Managing ATM’s which falls under fundamental economic practice and commercial interaction.
Claim 10:
monitoring, by a computing system based on communications with a plurality of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), a first plurality of interactions of one or more users with the plurality of ATMs;
detecting, by the computing system subsequent to monitoring the first plurality of interactions of one or more users with the plurality of ATMs, a change from a first status of a first ATM of the plurality of ATMs to a second status of the first ATM, wherein detecting the change comprises querying the first ATM to confirm whether a device of the first ATM is operational;
retrieving, by the computing system from a database, responsive to detecting the change from the first status to the second status, information corresponding to a second plurality of interactions of the one or more users with the first ATM;
identifying, by the computing system responsive to retrieval of the information, the one or more profiles associated with respective interactions of the second plurality of interactions , wherein the information identifies one or more profiles associated with respective interactions of the second plurality of interactions;
determining, by the computing system based at least on the one or more profiles, a plurality of user devices enrolled in a subscription to receive status updates regarding the first ATM; and
transmitting, by the computing system responsive to determination of the plurality of user devices, a signal to the plurality of user devices to cause the plurality of user devices to display a user interface to identify the second status of the first ATM.
The additional elements of claim 10 such as “…by a computing system based on communications with a plurality of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs),…”, “…by the computing system subsequent to monitoring the first plurality of interactions with the plurality of ATMs…”, “ retrieving, by the computing system from a database, responsive to detecting the change from the first status to the second status, information corresponding to a second plurality of interactions with the first ATM;”, “…by the computing system responsive to retrieval of the information…”, “…by the computing system based at least one the one or more profiles…”, “transmitting, by the computing system responsive to determination of the plurality of user devices, a signal to the plurality of user devices to cause the plurality of user devices to display a user interface to identify the second status of the first ATM.” represent the use of a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea and/or does no more than generally link the abstract idea to a particular field of use. Furthermore, “retrieving, by the computing system from a database, responsive to detecting the change from the first status to the second status, information corresponding to a second plurality of interactions with the first ATM” and “transmitting, by the computing system responsive to determination of the plurality of user devices, a signal to the plurality of user devices to cause the plurality of user devices to display a user interface to identify the second status of the first ATM” represent the use of computer functions to perform an economic task of “Managing ATM’s” (MPEP 2106.05(f)(2)). Therefore, the additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application as they do no more than represent a computer performing functions that correspond to (i.e., automate) the acts of banknote suspension and reinstatement.
The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration into a practical application, the additional elements amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the abstract idea of using generic computer components. The claim elements when considered separately and in an ordered combination, do not add significantly more than implementing the abstract idea of Managing ATM’s.
Hence, claim 1, 10 and 18 are not patent eligible.
Claims 2, 11 and 19 recites the additional elements of “identify, according to a geographical region that includes the first ATM, one or more second ATMs of the plurality of ATMs located within a predetermined proximity of the first ATM”, and “transmit, responsive to determination of the statuses of the one or more second ATMs, a second signal to cause the user interface to identify the statuses of the one or more second ATMs” does no more than use a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea and do no more than generally link the abstract idea to a particular field of use. Therefore, as it is no more than apply it does not improve the functioning of a computer, or improve other technology or technical field.
Claims 3, and 12 recites the additional elements of “detect, based on second information provided by the first ATM, a presence of a user proximate to the first ATM”, “transmit, responsive to detection of the presence, a second signal to the first ATM to cause the first ATM to display the user interface to identify: the second status of the first ATM; and the one or more features available from the first ATM” does no more than use a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea and do no more than generally link the abstract idea to a particular field of use. Therefore, as it is no more than apply it does not improve the functioning of a computer, or improve other technology or technical field.
Claims 4 and 13 recites the additional elements of “prompt, via the user interface, the plurality of user devices to identify subsequent interactions; receive, via the user interface from a first user device of the plurality of user devices, an indication of a first subsequent interaction; identify, based at least one the first subsequent interaction, one or more second ATMs of the plurality of ATMs to perform the first subsequent interaction; and transmit a second signal to the first user device to cause the first user device to update the user interface to: identify locations of the one or more second ATMs; and include a list of features available from the one or more second ATMs” does no more than use a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea and do no more than generally link the abstract idea to a particular field of use. Therefore, as it is no more than apply it does not improve the functioning of a computer, or improve other technology or technical field.
Claims 5 and 14 recites the additional elements of “identify, based at least one the second status of the first ATM and a geographical region that includes the first ATM, a set of second ATMs of the plurality of ATMs within a predetermined proximity to the first ATM; transmitting one or more second signals to one or more first user devices of the plurality of user devices to cause the user interface to identify locations of a first subset of the set of second ATMs; and transmitting one or more third signals to one or more second user devices of the plurality of user devices to update the user interface to identify locations of a second subset of the set of second ATMs” does no more than use a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea and do no more than generally link the abstract idea to a particular field of use. Therefore, as it is no more than apply it does not improve the functioning of a computer, or improve other technology or technical field.
Claim 6 and 15 recites the additional elements of “identify, based on a geographical region that includes the first ATM, one or more second ATMs of the plurality of ATMs proximate to the first ATM” and “transmit a second signal to the plurality of user devices to cause the user interface to identify the predicted amounts of time to interact with the one or more second ATMs” does no more than use a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea and do no more than generally link the abstract idea to a particular field of use. Therefore, as it is no more than apply it does not improve the functioning of a computer, or improve other technology or technical field.
Claim 7 and 16 recites the additional elements of “retrieve, from the database, second information that identifies a plurality of authentication devices of the first ATM, the plurality of authentication devices including the first authentication device; query the first ATM to provide third information corresponding to the plurality of authentication devices; … and cause, responsive to detection of the one or more second authentication devices, the first ATM to display a second user interface to identify the one or more second authentication devices.” does no more than use a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea and do no more than generally link the abstract idea to a particular field of use. Therefore, as it is no more than apply it does not improve the functioning of a computer, or improve other technology or technical field.
Claim 8, 17, and 20 recites the additional elements of “a detection of a fault in an authentication device of the first ATM” does no more than use a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea and do no more than generally link the abstract idea to a particular field of use. Therefore, as it is no more than apply it does not improve the functioning of a computer, or improve other technology or technical field.
Claim 9 recites the additional elements of “receive, from a user device proximate to the first ATM, an indication of the second status of the first ATM, wherein the indication is received responsive to an interaction with a mobile application stored in memory of the user device; and detect, responsive to receipt of the indication of the second status of the first ATM, the change from the first status of the first ATM to the second status of the first ATM.” does no more than use a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea and do no more than generally link the abstract idea to a particular field of use. Therefore, as it is no more than apply it does not improve the functioning of a computer, or improve other technology or technical field.
The claims as a whole do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself. This is because the claims do not affect an improvement to another technology or technical field, the claims do not amount to an improvement to the functioning of a computer system itself, and the claims do not move beyond a general link of the use of an abstract idea to a particular technological environment.
Accordingly, there are no meaningful limitations in the claims that transform the judicial exception into a patent eligible application such that the claims amount to significantly more than the judicial exception itself.
Prior Art of Record not relied upon
Bhuvad et al. (US 10,825,307 B1) Teaches: Transaction plan management.
Benkreira et al. (US 2021/081913 A1) Teaches: Method to predict ATM locations for users.
Chebrole et al. (US 2018/0190082 A1) Teaches: Electronic method for ATM cash management
Conclusion
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 GREGORY MARK JAMES whose telephone number is (571)272-5155. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30am - 5:00pm EST.
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/GREGORY M JAMES/Examiner, Art Unit 3692
/CHRISTINE M Tran/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3695
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