DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-18 are presented for consideration.
Specification
Content of Specification
(a) TITLE OF THE INVENTION: See 37 CFR 1.72(a) and MPEP § 606. The title of the invention should be placed at the top of the first page of the specification unless the title is provided in an application data sheet. The title of the invention should be brief but technically accurate and descriptive, preferably from two to seven words. It may not contain more than 500 characters.
(b) CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS: See 37 CFR 1.78 and MPEP § 211 et seq.
(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT: See MPEP § 310.
(d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT. See 37 CFR 1.71(g).
(e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A READ-ONLY OPTICAL DISC, AS A TEXT FILE OR AN XML FILE VIA THE PATENT ELECTRONIC SYSTEM: The specification is required to include an incorporation-by-reference of electronic documents that are to become part of the permanent United States Patent and Trademark Office records in the file of a patent application. See 37 CFR 1.77(b)(5) and MPEP § 608.05. See also the Legal Framework for Patent Electronic System posted on the USPTO website (https://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2019LegalFrameworkPES.pdf) and MPEP § 502.05
(f) STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR. See 35 U.S.C. 102(b) and 37 CFR 1.77.
(g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: See MPEP § 608.01(c). The specification should set forth the Background of the Invention in two parts:
(1) Field of the Invention: A statement of the field of art to which the invention pertains. This statement may include a paraphrasing of the applicable U.S. patent classification definitions of the subject matter of the claimed invention. This item may also be titled “Technical Field.”
(2) Description of the Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98: A description of the related art known to the applicant and including, if applicable, references to specific related art and problems involved in the prior art which are solved by the applicant’s invention. This item may also be titled “Background Art.”
(h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: See MPEP § 608.01(d). A brief summary or general statement of the invention as set forth in 37 CFR 1.73. The summary is separate and distinct from the abstract and is directed toward the invention rather than the disclosure as a whole. The summary may point out the advantages of the invention or how it solves problems previously existent in the prior art (and preferably indicated in the Background of the Invention). In chemical cases it should point out in general terms the utility of the invention. If possible, the nature and gist of the invention or the inventive concept should be set forth. Objects of the invention should be treated briefly and only to the extent that they contribute to an understanding of the invention.
(i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S): See MPEP § 608.01(f). A reference to and brief description of the drawing(s) as set forth in 37 CFR 1.74.
(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: See MPEP § 608.01(g). A description of the preferred embodiment(s) of the invention as required in 37 CFR 1.71. The description should be as short and specific as is necessary to describe the invention adequately and accurately. Where elements or groups of elements, compounds, and processes, which are conventional and generally widely known in the field of the invention described, and their exact nature or type is not necessary for an understanding and use of the invention by a person skilled in the art, they should not be described in detail. However, where particularly complicated subject matter is involved or where the elements, compounds, or processes may not be commonly or widely known in the field, the specification should refer to another patent or readily available publication which adequately describes the subject matter.
(k) CLAIM OR CLAIMS: See 37 CFR 1.75 and MPEP § 608.01(m). The claim or claims must commence on a separate sheet or electronic page (37 CFR 1.52(b)(3)). Where a claim sets forth a plurality of elements or steps, each element or step of the claim should be separated by a line indentation. There may be plural indentations to further segregate subcombinations or related steps. See 37 CFR 1.75 and MPEP 608.01(i) - (p).
(l) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE: See 37 CFR 1.72 (b) and MPEP § 608.01(b). The abstract is a brief narrative of the disclosure as a whole, as concise as the disclosure permits, in a single paragraph preferably not exceeding 150 words, commencing on a separate sheet following the claims. In an international application which has entered the national stage (37 CFR 1.491(b)), the applicant need not submit an abstract commencing on a separate sheet if an abstract was published with the international application under PCT Article 21. The abstract that appears on the cover page of the pamphlet published by the International Bureau (IB) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the abstract that will be used by the USPTO. See MPEP § 1893.03(e).
(m) SEQUENCE LISTING: See 37 CFR 1.821 - 1.825 and MPEP §§ 2421 - 2431. The requirement for a sequence listing applies to all sequences disclosed in a given application, whether the sequences are claimed or not. See MPEP § 2422.01.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
2. Claims 1-18 are 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. The claimed language of “verifying legitimacy” is not disclose in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
3. Claims 1-18 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Bain et al. [ US Patent Application No 2001/0034768 ] in view of Nassiri [ US Patent Application No 2002/0046250 ].
4. As per claim 1, Bain discloses the invention as claimed including a computer-implemented method for facilitating electronic communication using unique identifiers [ “Inter Vehicle Communication System”, paragraphs 0008, 0026, and 0028 ], the method comprising:
establishing an electronic repository in which a plurality of unique identifiers [ “information into a database”, Fig. 2 Item 60; paragraphs 0034-0043, and 0050 ] are respectively associated with a corresponding plurality of electronic addresses [ paragraphs 0033-0050 ];
receiving, at a gateway server [ Fig. 4 Item IVCS; paragraphs 0029, 0030, and 0049-0050 ], an electronic communication including content [ paragraphs 0033-0043 ], the electronic communication being addressed to one of the plurality of electronic addresses [ paragraph 0056 “email address…addressed to the e-mail address” ]…prior to sending of the electronic communication [ paragraph 0056 “email address…addressed to the e-mail address” ];
receiving, from the first user, an authorization for release of information from an entity that issues the unique identifiers [ i.e. if the information matches the profile of particular member, and the member profile authorizes the transmission of the information ] [ paragraphs 0054-0056 ].
Bain does not specifically disclose
receiving, at the gateway server, a communication access request from a first user relating to the one identifier of the plurality of unique identifiers;
verifying legitimacy of the communication access request; and
enabling, responsive to the verifying, electronic access to the content by the first user.
Nassari discloses
receiving, at the gateway server, a communication access request from a first user relating to the one identifier of the plurality of unique identifiers; verifying legitimacy of the communication access request; and enabling, responsive to the verifying, electronic access to the content by the first user [ i.e. pending verification of identify of the intended recipient and provide instructions on how to satisfy the identity Verification request ] [ Abstract; and paragraphs 0059-0066 ].
It would have been obvious to a person skill in the art at the time the invention was made to combine the teaching of Bain and Nassiri because the teaching of Nassiri would enable to provide a confirmation of the intended recipient’s identify prior to receipt of the electronic message [ Nassiri, paragraph 0022 ].
5. As per claim 2, Bain discloses wherein the plurality of unique identifiers comprise a plurality of license plate numbers [ paragraph 0042 ].
6. As per claim 3, Bain discloses wherein the electronic communication comprises electronic mail [ paragraph 0053 ].
7. As per claim 4, Bain discloses wherein the electronic communication comprises posting information upon a website [ Fig. 6; and paragraph 0053 ].
8. As per claim 5, Bain in view of Nassiri discloses the method of claim 2, furthermore, Nassiri discloses verifying that a sender of the communication access request is a rightful holder [ i.e. identity verification ] [ paragraphs 0059-0066 ].
9. As per claim 6, Bain discloses generating at least one of the plurality of electronic addresses based upon one of the plurality of unique identifiers [ i.e. correlating on the user’s email address and vehicle license plate number ] [ Abstract ].
10. As per claim 7, it is rejected for similar reasons as stated above in claim 1, furthermore, Bain discloses generating a message containing the content using the one of the plurality of electronic addresses associated with the one identifier [ paragraphs 0055-0057 ].
11. As per claims 8-12, they are rejected for similar reasons as stated above in claims 2-6.
12. As per claims 13-18, they are rejected for similar reasons as stated above in claims 1-6.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US7188358 Hisada discloses Email access control scheme using identification concealment mechanism
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUSTIN NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-3971. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9-6 PST.
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, Brian Gillis can be reached on 571-2727952. 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.
/DUSTIN NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2446