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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/10/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 05/10/2024 are accepted by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that use the word “means” or “step” but are nonetheless not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph because the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure, materials, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “a settlement processing component configured to execute, a daily account processing component configured to execute, a first communication controller configured to execute, an operation controller configured to receive, a second communication controller configured to transmit” in claims 1, 8, and 13.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are not being interpreted to cover only the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant intends to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to remove the structure, materials, or acts that performs the claimed function; or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) does/do not recite sufficient structure, materials, or acts to perform the claimed function.
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 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.
Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by International Patent Application No. WO 2019/225812 to Yim.
With regard to claims 1, 8, and 13, Yim discloses a store account processing system, comprising:
a plurality of settlement terminals each configured to execute settlement (page 5, lines 15-17, the unmanned equipment mainly for cash settlement); and
a portable terminal configured to operate the plurality of settlement terminals (page 7, lines 1-5, The processor of the unmanned equipment management information system 100 may load a program code stored in a file of a program for providing the unmanned equipment management information to a memory. For example, when a program is executed in the unmanned equipment management information system 100, the processor may control the unmanned equipment management information system to load the program code from the file of the program into the memory under the control of the operating system.), each settlement terminal including:
a settlement processing component configured to execute, by communication with a settlement server, settlement for paying a price (page 6, lines 2-6, page 7, lines 10-30, A separate device may be installed in the unmanned equipment 110 to identify a payment signal generated from the unmanned equipment. For example, a separate device installed in the unmanned equipment 110 has a communication function, so that the payment signal generated from the unmanned equipment can be mirrored and transmitted to the server or / and the unmanned equipment management information system. the collecting unit 210 may collect data related to a payment signal generated from the unmanned equipment through a separate device connected to the unmanned equipment.);
a daily account processing component configured to execute daily account processing for tallying settlements executed within a period by the settlement processing component (page 7, lines 30-48, page 10, lines 19-23, the generation unit 220 may generate management information including sales information and cost management information of the unmanned equipment as the analysis of the payment signal of the unmanned equipment is performed based on the collected data. A user interface for managing the sales status of the workplace can be provided, and the sales status of the workplace can be checked through the user interface. Referring to Figure 14, it is possible to provide the total sales for each period for the equipment. For example, you can provide total monthly sales. At this time, the daily sales through each calendar may be provided.); and
a first communication controller configured to execute communication with the portable terminal (page 5, line 36-page 6, lines 2, The unmanned equipment 110 may communicate with the unmanned equipment management information system 100 through the network 120 using a wireless or wired communication method.), the portable terminal including:
an operation controller configured to receive operation for causing the settlement terminal to execute the daily account processing (page 7, lines 1-48, For example, when a program is executed in the unmanned equipment management information system 100, the processor may control the unmanned equipment management information system to load the program code from the file of the program into the memory under the control of the operating system. In operation 310, the collecting unit 210 may collect data related to a payment signal generated from the unmanned equipment through a separate device connected to the unmanned equipment. In operation 320, the generation unit 220 may generate management information including sales information and cost management information of the unmanned equipment as the analysis of the payment signal of the unmanned equipment is performed based on the collected data.); and
a second communication controller configured to, if the operation is received by the operation controller, transmit a daily account processing command for requesting the execution of the daily account processing (page 6, lines 20-22 and 45-47, The unmanned equipment management information system 100 may be implemented as a computer device or a plurality of computer devices that communicate with the unmanned equipment 110 through the network 120 and provide commands, codes, files, contents, services, and the like. These components may control the unmanned equipment management information system 100 to perform steps 310 to 340 included in the method for providing unmanned equipment management information of FIG. 3.).
With regard to claims 2, 9, and 14, Yim discloses the first communication controller transmits a processing result of the daily account processing, and the portable terminal further includes a display controller configured to display the processing result on a display component (page 6, lines 3-6, page 8, lines 42-44, fig. 5-15, a separate device installed in the unmanned equipment 110 has a communication function. The overall data analysis and data average value are displayed for all equipment, companies, and sales generated from the unmanned equipment. In addition, the average value of the company may be derived based on the company details, and the average value may be displayed on the screen. Referring to FIG. 15, the total sales for each period may be managed. The total sales for each period of each piece of equipment over a set period and time from the store owner may be inquired, and the inquired result may be provided).
With regard to claims 3, 10, and 15, Yim discloses the display controller displays a state of the daily account processing based on a communication log by the second communication controller (fig. 5-15, page 10, 19-23, A user interface for managing the sales status of the workplace can be provided, and the sales status of the workplace can be checked through the user interface. At this time, the daily sales through each calendar may be provided. ).
With regard to claims 4, 11, and 16, Yim discloses the settlement terminal further includes a registration component configured to register the portable terminal having authority to cause the settlement terminal to execute the daily account processing (page 5, lines 6-8, page 8, lines 16-18, Granting authority of data transmitted / received with a separate device connected to the unmanned equipment according to an account for viewing management information of the unmanned equipment. The provider 240 may provide a user interface to register and change information related to an unmanned equipment or a company of an unmanned equipment in a web service for viewing management information.).
With regard to claims 5, 12, and 17, Yim discloses the portable terminal further includes a receiving component configured to receive information concerning the portable terminal having the authority to cause the settlement terminal to execute the daily account processing, and the registration component registers the portable terminal specified by the information concerning the portable terminal received by the receiving component (page 8, lines 16-18 and 30-37, the unmanned equipment management information system is an example showing a login window for accessing the system to provide management information related to the unmanned equipment. The administrator or shopkeeper associated with the unmanned equipment can log in by entering the user's identification information, including the user ID and password. The provider 240 may provide a user interface to register and change information related to an unmanned equipment or a company of an unmanned equipment in a web service for viewing management information.).
With regard to claims 6 and 18, Yim discloses the portable terminal is a smartphone (page 6, lines 20-22, The unmanned equipment management information system 100 may be implemented as a computer device. Examiner notes that it would be obvious that a computer device can be a smartphone).
With regard to claims 7 and 19, Yim discloses the portable terminal is a tablet terminal (page 6, lines 20-22, The unmanned equipment management information system 100 may be implemented as a computer device. Examiner notes that it would be obvious that a computer device can be a tablet terminal).
Conclusion
Please refer to form 892 for cited references.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARIEL J YU whose telephone number is (571)270-3312. The examiner can normally be reached on 11AM - 7PM (M-F).
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, Obeid Fahd A can be reached on 571-270-3324. 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.
/ARIEL J YU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3627