DETAILED ACTION
This communication is in responsive to Application 18/780832 filed on 8/13/2025. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claims:
Claims 2-21 are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) complies with 37 CFR 1.97 provisions. Accordingly, the Examiner has considered the IDS.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 2-5, 10, 12-13, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kropf et al. (hereinafter Kropf) US 8201732 B1.
Regarding Claim 2: Claim 2 seems to recite the well-known ATM machine. Here, Kropf in most figures provides an ATM machine with firmware that accepts input to process requests. See Figs. 8-12.
Moreover, Kropf teaches a method, comprising:
executing firmware by a processor of an ultra-thin (Col. 5, lines 15-30; zero client devices are ultra-thin e.g. ATM) self-service terminal (SST) (see Figs. 1 or 8; ATM is SST, the appropriate firmware is executed to carry out the selection of transaction. Also see Col. 5, lines 23-30. Col. 2, line 15-29. Col. 9, lines 62. Col. 10, line 3);
establishing, by the firmware, a network connection with a cloud-hosted environment (Col. 5, lines 15-30, also see Fig. 8 provides an example to a network connection to servers that are in a network cloud arrangement. Also see Fig. 12 & Co. 8, lines 25-44);
receiving, by the firmware, input data provided by at least one input peripheral associated with the ultra-thin SST (Col. 5, lines 15-30, see also input devices 14 in Col. 3, lines 49-50. Also see Col. 7, line 8 to Col. 8 line 25; one uses an ATM machine);
providing, by the firmware, the input data over the network connection to the cloud- hosted environment (Col. 5, lines 15-30, see Fig. 8 or 12 that includes firmware to process user’s input data over the network. Also see Col. 7, line 8 to Col. 8 line 25; ATM machines uses network connection to verify user’s input data);
receiving, by the firmware, cloud-hosted environment-generated data from the cloud- hosted environment over the network connection (obvious from Col. 1, lines 55-60 & Col. 5, lines 15-30 because circuits and firmware dedicated to carrying out a remote client protocol in order to communicate device and display communications between the various components in the banking machine and a remote server via a network. For example, ATM receives the result of user’s input data), wherein the cloud-hosted environment- generated data comprises cloud-hosted environment peripheral data (obvious from Figs. 8 or 12 because after user’s input, the firmware process the requests/data. For example, each virtual machine corresponds to the components of the automated banking machine including software components that cause the operation thereof. Such a hypervisor may include software instructions added thereto and/or integrated therewith (e.g., VMware View 4 agent available from VMware or other similar product) which implements communications using the PCoIP protocol (or other remote client protocol). Also see Col. 15, lines 53-67; the virtual machines 410-218 and/or the hypervisor 408 may include agent software components capable of carrying out a remote client protocol with the portal devices (or similarly functioning client software) in a manner similar to that previously described in connection with host interface card devices. As a result, each virtual machine may have an operating system and/or software applications that communicate with the USB devices and control the display in its respective banking machine using device drivers installed in the guest operating system of the respective virtual machine, see Col. 6, lines 46-67);
displaying, by the firmware, the cloud-hosted environment-generated data on a display of the ultra-thin SST (Col. 5, lines 15-30; display. See also Fig. 8 or 12. ATM displays inputs and outputs);
forwarding, by the firmware, the cloud-hosted environment peripheral data received from the cloud-hosted environment to at least one peripheral connected to the ultra-thin SST (Col. 5, lines 15-30, Col. 7, lines 8 to Col. 8, lines 25; executing the request);
and providing, by an agent that executes on the ultra-thin SST (Col. 6, lines 46-67, Col. 1, lines 55-60 & Col. 5, lines 15-30), status data associated with the at least one peripheral to the cloud-hosted environment over the network connection (Col. 8, lines 25-44. Also see examples of banking machine software that communicate with USB driver in Col. 16, lines 34-45 where status of the driver components are communicated).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed limitation to incorporate the known in the art teachings of ATMs in view of Kropf in order to operate and provide an automated backing machine (abstract). Utilizing such teachings enable the system to cause a financial transfer responsive to date read from data bearing records. Id.
Regarding Claim 3, Kropf teaches the method of claim 2, wherein executing further includes executing the firmware while the ultra-thin SST is powered on (obvious from Col. 1, lines 55-60 & Col. 5, lines 15-30; because ATM machines that include the firmware work only when they are powered on. Also see Col. 6, lines 8-66 & Co. 15, lines 28-51).
Regarding Claim 4, Kropf teaches the method of claim 2, wherein establishing further includes processing, by the firmware, a network protocol to establish the network connection (Col. 1, lines 55-60 & Col. 5, lines 15-30; see remote client protocol. It is also obvious from Figs. 8 or 12. Also see Col. 6, lines 46-67; Each virtual machine corresponds to the components of the automated banking machine including software components that cause the operation thereof. Such a hypervisor may include software instructions added thereto and/or integrated therewith (e.g., VMware View 4 agent available from VMware or other similar product) which implements communications using the PCoIP protocol (or other remote client protocol). Also see Col. 15, lines 53-67; the virtual machines 410-218 and/or the hypervisor 408 may include agent software components capable of carrying out a remote client protocol with the portal devices (or similarly functioning client software) in a manner similar to that previously described in connection with host interface card devices. As a result, each virtual machine may have an operating system and/or software applications that communicate with the USB devices and control the display in its respective banking machine using device drivers installed in the guest operating system of the respective virtual machine).
Regarding Claim 5, Kropf teaches the method of claim 2, wherein an operating system is not loaded on the ultra-thin SST (Col. 5, lines 15-30; no operating system like Microsoft).
Regarding Claim 10, Kropf teaches the method of claim 2, wherein receiving the input data further includes receiving the input data from a self-service checkout terminal operating as the ultra-thin SST (Col. 5, lines 15-30; takes input/output. See also Figs. 8 or 12; ATM).
Claims 12-13, 18 are substantially similar to the above claims, thus the same rationale applies.
Claims 6-9 and 14-17 and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kropf in view of Chandaria et al. (hereinafter Chandaria) US 2015/0019692 A1.
claims 6-9 & 14-17 and 21 are obvious and well-known in the art from Kropf teachings in Figs. 8-12. An ATM that is functional will do claims 6-9 that how ATMs work. When they are offline it means that the middleware or cloud system is offline and the ATM will respond by a message stating this fact. Then when the connection is reestablished, the messages goes away. Despite that Examiner still cites to additional art that teaches firmware behavior during loss of unavailable connection that is part of the cloud system.
Regarding Claim 6, Kropf teaches the method of claim 2, but does not expressly teach wherein performing further comprises: determining that an operating system of the cloud-hosted environment is unresponsive; and dropping, by the firmware, the network connection in response to determining that the operating system of the cloud-hosted environment is unresponsive.
Chandaria teaches operating system in the cloud. See ¶0019. Chandaria also teaches connection manager 220. See ¶0039 & ¶0044. The network connection manager 220.sub.N, prepares firmware data for communication from the user device 102n, as well as receiving firmware data from the virtualized firmware platform 108. The network connection manager 220.sub.N may be coupled via wired or wireless networking and operates as a bridge to access the network 110 and the platform 10. See ¶0030. Then in fig. 5 & ¶0060; The method 500 begins at step 505 and continues to step 510 wherein the connection manager 220 determines the network connection is lost or unavailable. Optionally, at step 515, the method 500 may notify the user of the dropped connection and reduced firmware capabilities.
Chandaria also teaches wherein performing further comprises: determining that an operating system of the cloud-hosted environment is unresponsive (connection manager acts like bridge between cloud and user device and determines that the connection has a problem (lost of unavailable) which is part of the operating system. See ¶0060 & Fig. 5); and dropping, by the firmware, the network connection in response to determining that the operating system of the cloud-hosted environment is unresponsive (network manager drops the connection and reduce firmware capabilities. Id.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed limitation to incorporate the teachings of Chandaria into the system of Kropf in order to determine network connection whether lost or unavailable. ¶0060. Utilizing such teachings enable the system to drop connection and reduce firmware capabilities if needed. Id.
Regarding Claim 7, Kropf in view of Chandaria teaches the method of claim 6, Kropf further teaches wherein dropping further includes displaying, by the firmware, an out-of-service message on the display of the ultra-thin SST (Col. 5, lines 15-30; obvious since the deice communication messages are display to and from external networks).
Regarding Claim 8, Kropf in view of Chandaria teaches the method of claim 7, further comprising: Chandaria further teaches determining that the operating system of the cloud-hosted environment is responsive (see claim’s 6 citation. Also this limitation is obvious from ¶0035 because during instances the network 110 is unavailable, the user device 102 operates with the factory installed firmware until such time the network 110 and virtualized firmware is again available); and re-establishing, by the firmware, the network connection in response to determining that the operating system of the cloud-hosted environment is responsive (see claim’s 6 citation. Also, this limitation is obvious from ¶0035 because during instances the network 110 is unavailable, the user device 102 operates with the factory installed firmware until such time the network 110 and virtualized firmware is again available).
Regarding Claim 9, Kropf in view of Chandaria teaches the method of claim 8, wherein re-establishing further includes removing, by the firmware, the out-of-service message from the display (see claim’s 6 citation. Also, this limitation is obvious from ¶0035 because during instances the network 110 is unavailable, the user device 102 operates with the factory installed firmware until such time the network 110 and virtualized firmware is again available)
Regarding Claim 20, Kropf teaches the ultra-thin SST of claim 18, wherein the cloud-hosted environment is hosted by a same cloud as a middleware environment that provides middleware services to the cloud- hosted environment (obvious because the banking machine virtual machine may include middleware 812 that is adapted to communicate instructions from the banking machine application 810 via the network 820 to respective devices 808 in the remote banking machine 802, see Col. 27, lines 5-15. Also note that Kropf teaches the details of the middleware in the integrated by reference applications cited in Col. 16, lines 33-45).
Claims 14-17 and 21 are substantially similar to the above claims, thus the same rationale applies.
Claims 11 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kropf in view of Van Rotterdam et al. (hereinafter Van) US 2020/0120092 A1.
Regarding Claims 11 & 19, Kropf teaches the method of claim 2, but does not expressly teach wherein establishing the network connection further includes establishing the network connection with a cloud-hosted environment that is hosted by an enterprise data center.
Van teaches wherein establishing the network connection further includes establishing the network connection with a cloud-hosted environment that is hosted by an enterprise data center (¶0020; business applications are deployed in datacenter).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed limitation to incorporate the teachings of Van into the system of Kropf in order to provide business application and other data across a range of clients’ devices and provide other functionality for it (¶0020).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAHRAN ABU ROUMI whose telephone number is (469)295-9170. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6AM-5PM.
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, Emmanuel Moise can be reached at 571-272-3865. 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.
MAHRAN ABU ROUMI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2455
/MAHRAN Y ABU ROUMI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2455
Prosecution Insights