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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to communication filed 9/25/25.
Response to Amendment
The examiner acknowledges the amendment of claims 1,11, and 18.
Response to Arguments
Regarding applicant’s argument regarding the manual grip of the manual key, Katagiri teaches a manual grip portion (37) frictionally and releasably received within the recess, the key portion frictionally and releasably received within the recess (movement of the key over the recess area cause friction, col. 3 lines 27-35, col. 3 lines 37-63). Katagiri teaches the first width of the recess varies from the second width of the recess (the width of the recess for holding sect 149 of the mechanical key is different from recess of the width of the recess for holding the handle 191 of the mechanical key, see fig. 20).
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Van Wiemeersch US Patent Application Publication 20240326739 in view of Katagiri et al. US Patent 7690233 in view of Almblad US Patent 5201203.
Regarding claim 1-3,5,9, Van Wiemeersch teaches a near-field communication card and key system, comprising: a near-field communication (NFC) card having a chip embedded within a face of the NFC card (paragraph 018). Van Wiemeersch teaches the use of a mechanical key as a vehicle key (paragraph 04) but is silent on teaching the NFC card having a recess created in the face of the NFC card and a physical grooved key provided within the recess of the card. Katagiri et al. in an analogous art teaches a portable device for accessing a vehicle and portable device has a recess in the front face of the card opposite the rear face for retaining a mechanical key (col. 3 lines 27-55). Katagiri teaches the first width of the recess varies from the second width of the recess (the width of the recess for holding sect 149 of the mechanical key is different from recess of the width of the recess for holding the handle 191 of the mechanical key, see fig. 20). Katagiri teaches a manual grip portion (37) frictionally and releasably received within the recess, the key portion frictionally and releasably received within the recess (movement of the key over the recess area cause friction, col. 3 lines 27-35, col. 3 lines 37-63). Katagiri teaches the manual grip portion providing a surface providing a frictional grip of the physical grooved key and enabling rotation (mechanical is generally rotated to start the vehicle, US 6,548,915,col. 4 lines 37-61) of the physical grooved key to engage and operate a start feature of the vehicle (col. 1 lines 26-37). Katagiri teaches a key portion having a grove segment defining a key geometry adapted to engage and lock or unlock a vehicle door lock of a vehicle, the key portion frictionally and releasably with the recess (movement of the key over the recess area cause friction, col. 3 lines 27-35, col. 4 lines 12-22). Katagiri teaches the first width varies from the second width of the recess to receive the manual grip portion and the key portion of the physical grooved key frictionally and releasably ((the width of the recess for holding sect 149 of the mechanical key is different from recess of the width of the recess for holding the handle 191 of the mechanical key, see fig. 20). Katagiri teaches the card and key system has a L-shaped recess (mechanical key is L-shaped, fig.5, fig, 8) ) but is silent on teaching a first width of the L-shaped recess is substantially equal to the second width. One skilled in the art recognizes that the dimension of the recess is generally adapted to accommodate the expected key and the width of the recess represents a design choice. Katagiri is silent on teaching a concave-shaped slot positioned proximate to a free-end of the second portion. Almblad in an analogous art teaches a concave-shaped slot positioned proximate to a free-end of the second portion (concave portion 215, fig, 31). The card having a recess portion for retaining a mechanical key (col. 8 lines 36-57) and inherently teaches a depth of the recess is less than a thickness of the NFC card, and wherein a planar inner surface is created for an extent of the recess, including the first portion and the second portion represents an obvious variation in order for the NFC card to securely accommodate the key device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the system of Van Wiemeersch as disclosed by Katagiri et al. in view of Almblad because such modification represents an improvement over the NFC card of Van Wiemeersch by providing a convenient storage means for a mechanical key and further providing an available mechanical key for accessing the vehicle in case of an emergency of the card battery discharged.
Regarding claims 6-8, Van Wiemeersch is silent on teaching the physical grooved key includes a manual grip portion having a width substantially equaling the first width of the first portion of the recess, the manual grip portion frictionally and releasably received within the first portion of the recess. Almblad in an analogous art teaches card having a recess portion for retaining a mechanical key (col. 8 lines 36-57). Almblad teaches a manual grip portion frictionally and releasably received within the recess, the key portion frictionally and releasably received within the recess (fig. 14, col. 8 lines 5-57). Almblad teaches the physical grooved key includes a manual grip portion having a width substantially equaling the first width of the first portion of the recess, the manual grip portion frictionally and releasably received within the first portion of the recess (fig. 14,fig.31). Almblad teaches the grooved segment defines a key geometry adapted to engage and lock or unlock a vehicle door or to engage and operate a start feature of a vehicle (col. 1 lines 54-65,col. 7 lines 20-34).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the system of Van Wiemeersch as disclosed by Katagiri et al. in view of Almblad because such modification represents an improvement over the NFC card of Van Wiemeersch by providing a convenient storage means for a mechanical key and further providing an available mechanical key for accessing the vehicle in case of an emergency of the card battery discharged.
Regarding claim 10, Van Wiemeersch teaches data of the NFC card is saved in and transmitted from the chip using a wireless transmission path to a vehicle (paragraph 018).
Regarding claim 11-17, Van Wiemeersch teaches a vehicle near-field communication card and key system, comprising: a near-field communication (NFC) card having a chip positioned on or embedded within a face of the NFC card (paragraph 018);
data of the NFC card is saved in and transmitted from the chip using a wireless transmission path to a vehicle (paragraph 018). Van Wiemeersch teaches the use of a mechanical key as a vehicle key (paragraph 04) but is silent on teaching the NFC card having a recess created in the face of the NFC card and a physical grooved key provided within the recess of the card. Katagiri et al. in an analogous art teaches a portable device for accessing a vehicle and portable device has a recess for retaining a mechanical key (col. 3 lines 27-55). Katagiri teaches a manual grip portion (35) frictionally and releasably received within the recess, the key portion frictionally and releasably received within the recess (col. 3 lines 37-63). Katagiri teaches the first width varies from the second width to receive the manual grip portion and the key portion of the physical grooved key frictionally and releasably, the manual grip portion providing a surface area providing a frictional grip of the physical grooved key and enabling rotation of the physical grooved key to engage and operate a start feature of the vehicle (mechanical is generally rotated to start the vehicle, US 6,548,915,col. 4 lines 37-61). Katagiri teaches the card and key system has a L-shaped recess (mechanical key is L-shaped, fig.5, fig, 8) ) but is silent on teaching a first width of the L-shaped recess is substantially equal to the second width. One skilled in the art recognizes that the dimension of the recess is generally adapted to accommodate the expected key and the width of the recess represents a design choice. Almblad in an analogous art teaches card having a recess portion for retaining a mechanical key (col. 8 lines 36-57). Almblad teaches a manual grip portion frictionally and releasably received within the recess, the key portion frictionally and releasably received within the recess (fig. 14, col. 8 lines 5-57).. Almblad teaches the manual grip portion and the key portion of the physical grooved key have an equivalent thickness (fig. 36, fig, 37,col. 6 lines 5-37). Almblad teaches the card having a recess portion for retaining a mechanical key (col. 8 lines 36-57) and inherently teaches a depth of the recess is less than a thickness of the NFC card, and wherein a planar inner surface is created for an extent of the recess, including the first portion and the second portion represents an obvious variation in order for the NFC card to securely accommodate the key device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the system of Van Wiemeersch as disclosed by Katagiri et al. in view of Almblad because such modification represents an improvement over the NFC card of Van Wiemeersch by providing a convenient storage means for a mechanical key and further providing an available mechanical key for accessing the vehicle in case of an emergency of the card battery discharged.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Van Wiemeersch US Patent Application Publication 20240326739 in view of Katagiri US Patent 7690233 in view of Almblad US Patent 5201203 and further in view of Wright US Patent 6672118.
Regarding claim 4, Van Wiemeersch is silent on teaching an aperture provided proximate to a free-end of the second portion, the aperture extending through a thickness of the NFC card. Wright in an analogous art teaches an aperture (114) provided proximate to a free-end of the second portion, the aperture extending through a thickness of the card (fig.2, col. 3 lines 19-23).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the system of Van Wiemeersch in view of Katagiri in view of Almblad as disclosed by Wright because such modification represents an improvement over the system of Wiemeersch in view of Katagiri in in view of Almblad in order to mount a strap for user’s convenience.
Claim(s) 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Van Wiemeersch US Patent Application Publication 20240326739 in view of Almblad US Patent 5201203 and further in view of Katagiri US Patent 7690233.
Regarding claim 18, Van Wiemeersch teaches a near-field communication card and key system, comprising: a near-field communication (NFC) card having a chip positioned on or embedded within a face of the NFC card (paragraph 018). Van Wiemeersch teaches the use of a mechanical key as a vehicle key (paragraph 04) but is silent on teaching the NFC card having a recess created in the face of the NFC card and a physical grooved key provided within the recess of the card. Almblad in an analogous art teaches forming a recess in a face of a near-field communication (NFC) card, having the recess substantially equal to a shape and size of a physical grooved key (fig. 31, col. 8 lines 36-57), wherein a first width of the recess varies from a second width of the recess (the portion of the recess for the key handle has a different with than the portion of recess holding the key shaft, fig. 29). Almblad teaches aligning the physical grooved key with the recess, with a manual grip portion of the physical grooved key aligned with a first portion of the recess and a key portion of the physical grooved key aligned with a second portion of the recess and pressing the physical grooved key into the recess to releasably fix the physical grooved key in the recess by frictional contact between the physical grooved key and opposed walls of the recess (fig. 31, col. 8 lines 27-37). Almblad is not explicit in teaching the key is used to start the vehicle. Katagiri in an analogous art teaches the first width varies from the second width to receive the manual grip portion and the key portion of the physical grooved key frictionally and releasably, the manual grip portion providing a surface area providing a frictional grip of the physical grooved key and enabling rotation of the physical grooved key to engage and operate a start feature of the vehicle (mechanical is generally rotated to start the vehicle, US 6,548,915,col. 4 lines 37-61).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the system of Van Wiemeersch as disclosed by Almblad in view of Katagiri because such modification represents an improvement over the NFC card of Van Wiemeersch by providing a convenient storage means for a mechanical key and providing an alternative means of access the vehicle when the electronic key fails.
Regarding claims 19-20, Van Wiemeersch in view of Almblad is silent on teaching including separating the physical grooved key from the recess of the NFC card by inserting an object into a concave-shaped slot positioned proximate a free end of the slot where the physical grooved key contacts the NFC card and separating the physical grooved key from the recess of the NFC card by inserting an object into an aperture oppositely located from an opening into the NFC card recess, and applying an insertion force into the aperture to displace the physical grooved key out of the recess. Katagiri et al in an analogous art teaches removing a key from a key holder provided by a card by applying force (col. 6 lines 34-46, col. 8 lines 35-47). One skilled in the art recognizes that a force can be applied by using the user’s finger to remove the key or using tool object to remove the key.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the system Van Wiemeersch in view of Almblad in order inserting an object into an aperture oppositely located from an opening into the NFC card recess in order to remove the key because such modification represents the substitution of one means for removing the key from the key holder and providing the predictable result of conveniently removing the key from the key holder.
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 VERNAL U BROWN whose telephone number is (571)272-3060. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8AM-5PM, EST.
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/VERNAL U BROWN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686
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