33Notice 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
Claims 1-20 are pending in this application and have been examined in response to application amendment filed on 06/30/2026.
Claims 16-20 are new.
CONTINUING DATA
This application is a 371 of PCT/EP2022/084689 12/07/2022
FOREIGN APPLICATIONS
EP 21213097.5 12/08/2021
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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.
Claims 1, 3, 11-15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sankaran et al. (US 2022/0041425 A1) in view of Zhu (US 2014/0351099 A1), Mann (US 2020/0337333 A1) and Hernandez et al. (US 2014/0188271 A1).
As to INDEPENDENT claim 1, Sankaran discloses a computer-implemented method for displaying on an electronic device the beverage menu of a beverage dispensing machine, the beverage dispensing machine being configured for dispensing a plurality of different beverages, the computer-implemented method comprising the following steps: a. transmitting machine …data from the beverage dispensing machine to a remote server by a computer program executed on the electronic device ([0024], [0025]; a QR code containing data about the vending machine is read by a mobile device, wherein the code is usable for pairing the mobile device with a remote server);
b. compiling said machine and beverage data into the beverage menu at the remote server; and c. transmitting the beverage menu compiled at the remote server to the computer program via a communication network and displaying the beverage menu on the electronic device ([0025], [0026]; an ordering menu interface is generated at the server and presented at the paired mobile device),
the electronic device comprising a screen (fig.1, “134”) which instruction…([0033]; the user is instructed to make an ordering selection based on the displayed user interface).
wherein the remote server stores a database of information relative to a plurality of beverage dispensing machines ([0026]; inventory information is stored at the server) and the method comprises the step of updating the database with the machine and beverage data between steps a and b ([0026]; inventory data is updated periodically). Sankaran does not expressly disclose a. transmitting machine and beverages data from the beverage dispensing machine to a remote server by a computer program executed on the electronic device; … in form of photos or films are showed; and d. displaying the beverage menu on the electronic device and showing the instructions in the form of photos or films to allow a customer of the beverage dispensing machine to order beverages.
In the same field of endeavor, Zhu discloses transmitting machine and beverages data from the beverage dispensing machine to a remote server by a computer program executed on the electronic device ([0015]; data from the vending machine that is connected to a local device is transmitted from the local device to a remote server).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teaching of Sankaran and Zhu before him prior to the effective filling date, to modify the touchless dispensing system taught by Sankaran to include local data transferring taught by Zhu with the motivation being to ensure connectivity by allowing a smart phone to server as a gateway (Zhu, [0014]). Sankaran-Zhu does not expressly disclose d. displaying the beverage menu on the electronic device and showing the instructions in the form of photos or films to allow a customer of the beverage dispensing machine to order beverages.
In the same field of endeavor, Mann discloses d. displaying the beverage menu …and showing the instructions … to allow a customer of the beverage dispensing machine to order beverages (fig.4; [0051]; a help button displayed for providing ordering instructions).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teaching of Sankaran-Zhu and Mann before him prior to the effective filling date, to modify the dispensing system interface taught by Sankaran-Zhu to include a help button taught by Mann with the motivation being to aid the user in operating the ordering interface. Sankaran-Zhu-Mann does not expressly disclose the instructions are in the form of photos or films.
In the same field of endeavor, Hernandez discloses the instructions are in the form of photos or films ([0085]; tutorial videos are available for the user to view).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teaching of Sankaran-Zhu-Mann and Hernandez before him prior to the effective filling date, to modify the dispensing system interface taught by Sankaran-Zhu-Mann to include tutorial videos taught by Hernandez with the motivation being to aid the user in operating the ordering interface.
As to claim 3, the prior art as combined discloses wherein said machine and beverage data comprises at least: an identifier of the beverage dispensing machine, and an identifier of each of the different beverages dispensed by the beverage dispensing machine (Zhu, fig.4; device ID and product IDs are transmittable).
As to claim 11, the prior art as combined discloses wherein the communication network between the computer program and the remote server comprises a network interface for communication (Zhu, [0017]; the communication network is wireless).
As to claim 12, the prior art as combined discloses wherein the step of transmitting the machine and beverage data from the beverage dispensing machine to the remote server comprises the following steps: reading a code encoding at least said machine and beverage data presented on the beverage dispensing machine by the computer program executed on the electronic device, said electronic device being equipped with a camera or scanner; and decoding the code by the computer program and transmitting said code decoded by the computer program to the remote server via the communication network (Sankaran, fig.4, [0008]; Zhu, fig.4; dispensing machine information is presented as a QR code, wherein the QR code is scanned by a mobile device for communication with a remote server).
As to claim 13, the prior art as combined discloses wherein the code further encodes an Internet address for connecting to the remote server (Sankaran, [0025]; the QR code points to a web page).
As to claim 14, the prior art as combined discloses wherein the code is selected from the group consisting of a barcode, OID, a QR code, and/or electromagnetic (Sankaran, [0025]; the QR code points to a web page).
As to claim 15, the prior art as combined discloses wherein the electronic device is a smartphone (Sankaran, [0023]; Zhu, [0014]; the mobile device is a smart phone).
As to claim 20 is rejected under the same rationale addressed in the rejection of claim 11 above.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sankaran-Zhu- Mann-Hernandez and in view of Connor (US 2021/0371266 A1).
As to claim 2, the prior art as combined does not expressly disclose wherein the beverage menu displayed on the electronic device is a replication of the beverage menu displayed simultaneously on a screen of the beverage dispensing machine.
In the same field of endeavor, Connor discloses wherein the beverage menu displayed on the electronic device is a replication of the beverage menu displayed simultaneously on a screen of the beverage dispensing machine (fig.2B, fig.6; [0072]; a replicate of the beverage menu from the vending machine is displayed on the mobile device).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teaching of the prior art as combined and Connor before him prior to the effective filling date, to modify the touchless dispensing system taught by the prior art as combined to include the above limitation taught by Connor with the motivation being to reduce confusion by providing a familiar ordering interface.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sankaran-Zhu- Mann-Hernandez and in view of Chung et al. (US 2022/0172549 A1).
As to claim 4, the prior art as combined discloses wherein said machine and beverage data further comprises: names of each of the different beverages dispensed by the beverage dispensing machine (Sankaran, [0032]; “price”; Zhu, fig.4, product IDs are considered as beverage names). The prior art as combined does not expressly disclose ingredients.
In the same field of endeavor, Chung discloses ingredients ([0108], [0166]; ingredient information is disclosed).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teaching of the prior art as combined and Chung before him prior to the effective filling date, to modify the touchless dispensing system taught by the prior art as combined to include ingredient information taught by Chung with the motivation being to allow informed decision to be made.
Claims 5-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sankaran-Zhu- Mann-Hernandez and in view of DATA TRANSFER STANDARD EVA DTS 6.1.2 (EVA).
As to claim 5, the prior art as combined does not expressly disclose wherein said machine and beverage data are stored in a file of the beverage dispensing machine, said file comprising plurality of lines, each line corresponding to a different type of data represented by a unique identifier.
In the same field of endeavor, EVA discloses wherein said machine and beverage data are stored in a file of the beverage dispensing machine, said file comprising plurality of lines, each line corresponding to a different type of data represented by a unique identifier (pg.19, pg.27, an example file of unique machine IDs and selection numbers is disclosed).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teaching of the prior art as combined and EVA before him prior to the effective filling date, to modify the touchless dispensing system taught by the prior art as combined to include ingredient information taught by EVA with the motivation being to provide standardized vending machines data transfer format (EVA, pg.7)
As to claim 6, the prior art as combined discloses wherein the unique identifier is at the start of each of the plurality of lines (EVA, pg.27).
As to claim 7, the prior art as combined discloses wherein said machine and beverage data are extracted from the file by parsing each of said plurality of lines and retrieving the lines corresponding to at least an identifier of a beverage or an identifier of the beverage dispensing machine using the unique identifiers (EVA, pg.9-pg.11).
As to claim 8, the prior art as combined discloses wherein the file is formatted with the EVA Data Transfer Standard (EVA, pg.7-pg.8).
As to claim 9, the prior art as combined discloses wherein the beverage dispensing machine-further comprises a control unit for extracting said machine and beverage data from the file (EVA, pg.8-pg.9; the vending machine device extracts data from an EVA-DTS standard format file).
As to claim 10, the prior art as combined discloses wherein the control unit further comprises a memory unit for storing said machine and beverage data extracted from the file (EVA, pg.8-pg.9; memory is required to store standardized data).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sankaran-Zhu- Mann-Hernandez and in view of Godoi et al. (US 2022/0130216 A1).
As to claim 16, the prior art as combined does not expressly disclose validating the machine and beverage data.
In the same field of endeavor, Godoi discloses validating the machine and beverage data ([0045]; inventory data is checked).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teaching of the prior art as combined and Godoi before him prior to the effective filling date, to modify the touchless dispensing system taught by the prior art as combined to include data validation taught by Godoi with the motivation being to provide accurate inventory data.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 HAOSHIAN SHIH whose telephone number is (571)270-1257. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FRED EHICHIOYA can be reached at (571) 272-4034. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HAOSHIAN SHIH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2179
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