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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: The claim recited “wherein the transmitter transmits radio waves for measuring a direction from the transmitter to the user's terminal to the user's terminal”. The Examiner believes “to the user’s terminal” twice is a typo. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 5-9, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Grigg et al. (US Publication No. 20140006188).
As to claims 1, 8, and 9, Grigg teaches an information processing method and an energy supply system (fig. 2) comprising: an information processing apparatus (fig. 2, #230), a supply device that supplies energy (pp0035, pp0036, fuel pump), a transmitter installed in association with the supply device (pp0035, pp0036, information-providing source e.g. RFID or NFC tag at the fuel pump), and a user's terminal (fig. 2, mobile device), wherein the information processing apparatus comprises: at least one memory storing instructions, and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to (fig. 2, #230); acquire, from the user's terminal, identification information on the user, information on an amount of energy specified by the user, and identification information on the transmitter transmitted from the transmitter (fig. 1, #130, fig. 2, pp0021, transmitting a purchase authorization request to an external server based on the identification information and the pre-configured information and pp0030, e.g. generate an authorization request to purchase fuel for a vehicle that comprises the information-providing source. As used herein, the pre-configured information may refer to any identification information that identifies at least one of the fuel station, the fuel pump, the merchant associated with the fuel station, the user's vehicle, the user's mobile device, the user (or other information associated with the user) and pp0046, how much fuel it needs to fill up the vehicle's fuel tank to a predetermined capacity (e.g., 100% capacity). Therefore, the vehicle may communicate this information to the mobile device. In some embodiments, the vehicle may additionally or alternatively communicate this information to the external server); control, based on information in which the identification information on the transmitter is recorded in association with identification information on the supply device, the supply device in accordance with the identification information on the transmitter based on information on an amount of energy specified by the user (fig. 1, #130, fig. 2, pp0030, pp0046, based on the external server processing the transmitted information in the purchase authorization request, pp0049, the external server sends an authorization message to a computing system (associated with a unique network address) associated with the fuel pump, wherein the fuel pump is automatically activated by the computing system upon receiving the authorization message. After the car has been fueled using fuel at the fuel pump, the external server may transmit an electronic receipt to the mobile device); and make a payment of an amount of money, which corresponds to the amount of energy supplied from the supply device to an article of the user, from a balance of an account of the user (fig, 1, fig. 2, pp0044, the external server may determine a prepaid payment account associated with the pre-configured information, wherein the prepaid account may be established by the user for fuel purchase from the fuel station, pp0045, and pp0046).
As to claim 5, Grigg teaches wherein the transmitter emits radio waves including the identification information on the transmitter within a specific range from the supply device (fig. 1, fig. 2, pp0031, the readable indicia is comprised in a tag (e.g., radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, near field communication (NFC) tag, or the like). A user may bring a mobile device in close proximity to the tag in order to receive information (e.g., readable indicia or pre-configured information) associated with the tag, and pp0030, identification information that identifies at least one of the fuel station, the fuel pump).
As to claim 6, Grigg teaches wherein the transmitter transmits radio waves for measuring a direction from the transmitter to the user's terminal to the user's terminal (fig. 1, fig. 2, pp0031, the readable indicia is comprised in a tag (e.g., radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, near field communication (NFC) tag, or the like). A user may bring a mobile device in close proximity to the tag in order to receive information (e.g., readable indicia or pre-configured information) associated with the tag, pp0030, identification information that identifies at least one of the fuel station, the fuel pump, and pp0028, the application may provide directions to the fuel station).
As to claim 7, Grigg teaches wherein the at least one processor is configured to acquire information on a service specified by the user (fig. 1, #130, fuel purchasing authorization request, and fig. 2), and the at least one processor is configured to transmit information in accordance with the identification information on the transmitter and the information on the service specified by the user to equipment in accordance with the identification information on the transmitter (fig. 1, fig. 2, pp0049, the external server sends an authorization message to a computing system (associated with a unique network address) associated with the fuel pump, wherein the fuel pump is automatically activated by the computing system upon receiving the authorization message. After the car has been fueled using fuel at the fuel pump, the external server may transmit an electronic receipt to the mobile device, and pp0030).
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) 2-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grigg et al. (US Publication No. 20140006188) in view of Brooks et al. (US Publication No. 20100051691).
As to claim 2, Grigg teaches the limitations of the independent claim as discussed above. Grigg further teaches wherein the at least one processor is configured to specify a unit cost of the energy to be supplied from the supply device to the user based on the identification information on the transmitter (fig. 1, fig. 2, pp0046, mobile device (or the external server) determines the cost of the fuel purchase based on determining the fuel station associated with the mobile device's location, and the prices of various fuel types associated with the fuel station, pp0031, pp0030, identification information that identifies at least one of the fuel station, the fuel pump), and sets, when the user has specified that a maximum amount of energy that can be supplied at one time to the user's article is to be supplied (fig. 1, fig. 2, pp0046, fill up the fuel tank to 100% capacity), that the specified amount of money cannot be used from the balance of the account of the user (fig. 1, fig. 2, pp0046, fill up the fuel tank to 100% capacity, pp0044, determines that the balance in the prepaid payment account is below a certain threshold (e.g., zero)). However, fails to explicitly teach that the at least one processor is configured to control the supply device to supply an amount of energy which is equal to or less than the amount in accordance with the specified amount of money and the unit cost to the user.
In an analogous field of endeavor, Brooks teaches the concept that the at least one processor is configured to control the supply device to supply an amount of energy which is equal to or less than the amount in accordance with the specified amount of money and the unit cost to the user (fig. 1, and pp0043, For example, if a gasoline pump configured to accept partial authorizations, transmits a purchase authorization request of, for example, $50, but the account balance of the associated account is only $30, the Visa.RTM. debit processing system can return a partial authorization of $30. Accordingly, the pump can configure itself to automatically shut off if the meter reaches $30, the account balance would need to be verified by the user so that the pump could be set, for example, by the merchant, to be limited to the amount of fuel representing an amount equal to or less than the account balance). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Grigg with the teachings of Brooks to achieve the goal of efficiently and reliably activating and processing the sale of a serialized transaction card product over existing payment networks utilizing partial-authorization messaging in a timely manner (Brooks, pp0011 and pp0013).
As to claim 3, Grigg teaches the limitations of the independent claim as discussed above. Grigg further teaches wherein the at least one processor is configured to specify a unit cost of the energy to be supplied from the supply device to the user based on the identification information on the transmitter (fig. 1, fig. 2, pp0046, mobile device (or the external server) determines the cost of the fuel purchase based on determining the fuel station associated with the mobile device's location, and the prices of various fuel types associated with the fuel station, pp0031, pp0030, identification information that identifies at least one of the fuel station, the fuel pump), and sets, when the user has specified that an amount of energy that corresponds to a specified amount of money is to be supplied (fig. 1, fig. 2, pp0046, present a first option to fill up the fuel tank to 100% capacity and the accompanying cost of the fuel purchase), that the specified amount of money cannot be used from the balance of the account of the user (fig. 1, fig. 2, pp0046, fill up the fuel tank to 100% capacity and the accompanying cost of the fuel purchase, pp0044, determines that the balance in the prepaid payment account is below a certain threshold (e.g., zero)). However, fails to explicitly teach that the at least one processor is configured to control the supply device to supply an amount of energy which is equal to or less than an amount in accordance with the specified amount of money and the unit cost to the user.
In an analogous field of endeavor, Brooks teaches the concept that that the at least one processor is configured to control the supply device to supply an amount of energy which is equal to or less than an amount in accordance with the specified amount of money and the unit cost to the user (fig. 1, and pp0043, For example, if a gasoline pump configured to accept partial authorizations, transmits a purchase authorization request of, for example, $50, but the account balance of the associated account is only $30, the Visa.RTM. debit processing system can return a partial authorization of $30. Accordingly, the pump can configure itself to automatically shut off if the meter reaches $30, the account balance would need to be verified by the user so that the pump could be set, for example, by the merchant, to be limited to the amount of fuel representing an amount equal to or less than the account balance). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Grigg with the teachings of Brooks to achieve the goal of efficiently and reliably activating and processing the sale of a serialized transaction card product over existing payment networks utilizing partial-authorization messaging in a timely manner (Brooks, pp0011 and pp0013).
As to claim 4, Grigg teaches the limitations of the independent claim as discussed above. Grigg further teaches wherein the at least one processor is configured to specify a unit cost of the energy to be supplied from the supply device to the user based on the identification information on the transmitter (fig. 1, fig. 2, pp0046, mobile device (or the external server) determines the cost of the fuel purchase based on determining the fuel station associated with the mobile device's location, and the prices of various fuel types associated with the fuel station, pp0031, pp0030, identification information that identifies at least one of the fuel station, the fuel pump), and sets, when the user has specified that a specified amount of energy is to be supplied (fig. 1, fig. 2, pp0046, present a first option to fill up the fuel tank to 100% capacity and the accompanying cost of the fuel purchase), that a first amount of money in accordance with the specified amount cannot be used from the balance of the account of the user (fig. 1, fig. 2, pp0046, fill up the fuel tank to 100% capacity and the accompanying cost of the fuel purchase, pp0044, determines that the balance in the prepaid payment account is below a certain threshold (e.g., zero)). However, fails to explicitly teach that the at least one processor is configured to control the supply device in such a way that the supply device supplies an amount of energy which is equal to or less than the amount in accordance with the first amount of money and the unit cost to the user.
In an analogous field of endeavor, Brooks teaches the concept that the at least one processor is configured to control the supply device in such a way that the supply device supplies an amount of energy which is equal to or less than the amount in accordance with the first amount of money and the unit cost to the user (fig. 1, and pp0043, For example, if a gasoline pump configured to accept partial authorizations, transmits a purchase authorization request of, for example, $50, but the account balance of the associated account is only $30, the Visa.RTM. debit processing system can return a partial authorization of $30. Accordingly, the pump can configure itself to automatically shut off if the meter reaches $30, the account balance would need to be verified by the user so that the pump could be set, for example, by the merchant, to be limited to the amount of fuel representing an amount equal to or less than the account balance). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Grigg with the teachings of Brooks to achieve the goal of efficiently and reliably activating and processing the sale of a serialized transaction card product over existing payment networks utilizing partial-authorization messaging in a timely manner (Brooks, pp0011 and pp0013).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OMONIYI OBAYANJU whose telephone number is (571)270-5885. The examiner can normally be reached M-Thur 10:30-7pm.
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/OMONIYI OBAYANJU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
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