DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to papers filed on 1/16/2026.
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 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.
Claims 1-4, 6-11, 13-20, 22, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Collicoat (U.S. Pub No. 2022/0101331). Collicoat teaches a system and method that includes all of the limitations recited in the above claims.
Regarding claims 1, 8, 17, Collicoat teaches generating, using one or more processors, a single-use token for a purchaser account, wherein the single-use token identifies a discount amount for a closed-loop transaction (Paragraphs 0028-0029, token, 0031-0032, discount coupon); receiving, using the one or more processors, first transaction data using a closed-loop transaction channel, wherein the first transaction data comprises the single-use token (Paragraphs 0028-0029, token, 0034-0037, transaction data using a closed loop channel); generating, using the one or more processors, first settlement data at least in part by retrieving purchaser account data from the purchaser account based at least in part on the single-use token and populating the first settlement data having a format for a financial system (Paragraphs 0034-0037, settlement data relates to which funds are used); transmitting, using the one or more processors, the first settlement data to the financial system to cause funding to be transferred from the first funding account to a second funding account (Paragraphs 0034-0037, transferring funds between the open-loop and closed-loop accounts); receiving, using the one or more processors, second transaction data using an open-loop transaction channel in communication with a payment network, wherein the second transaction data comprises a payment instrument identifier linked with the purchaser account (Paragraph 0030, can be an open-loop transaction channel, 0033, payment instrument identifier, 0034-0037, invention may be used for multiple transactions); generating, using the one or more processors, second settlement data at least in part by populating the second settlement data from the second transaction data into a format for the financial system(Paragraphs 0034-0037, settlement data relates to which funds are used); and transmitting, using the one or more processors, the second settlement data to the financial system to cause funding to be transferred from the first funding account to the second funding account (Paragraphs 0034-0037, transferring funds between the open-loop and closed-loop accounts).
Regarding claims 2, 9, 18, Collicoat teaches generating the first transaction data based at least in part on user input received from a merchant computing entity as a part of the closed-loop transaction (Paragraphs 0034-0037).
Regarding claims 3, 14, 19, Collicoat teaches authorization data indicating the first settlement data is authorized for transferring funds from the first funding account associated with the purchaser account (Paragraph 0026).
Regarding claims 4, 10, 20, Collicoat teaches the second transaction data is received using an open-loop transaction channel in communication with a payment network by an application programming interface (API) (Paragraph 0037).
Regarding claims 6, 16, 22, Collicoat teaches the first settlement data comprises a transaction type identifier reflecting a closed-loop transaction type and the second settlement data comprises a transaction type identifier comprises a transaction type identifier reflecting an open-loop transaction type (Paragraph 0027, determination made based on information which represents an identifier).
Regarding claims 7, 15, 23, Collicoat teaches after receipt of the first transaction data or receipt of the second transaction data, verifying funding within the first funding account; and upon determining the first funding account has insufficient funds to satisfy the first transaction data or the second transaction data, causing the financial system to initiate funding into the first funding account from an external account (Paragraphs 0034-0037).
Regarding claim 11, Collicoat teaches to pre-process the first transaction data and the second transaction data to populate at least a portion of the first settlement data and the second settlement data (Paragraph 0040, authentication is a step of “pre-processing”).
Regarding claim 13, Collicoat teaches receive a token generation request from a purchaser computing entity, and wherein the single-use token is linked with the purchaser account based at least in part on the token generation request received from the purchaser computing entity (Paragraphs 0028-0029).
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.
Claims 5, 12, 21, and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Collicoat (U.S. Pub No. 2022/0101331).
Regarding claim 5, 21, Collicoat does not appear to specify the second transaction data comprises L2 data from a payment instrument having the payment instrument identifier. Collicoat does teach the user of credit cards (Paragraph 0024). However, L2 data has been old and well known long before the filing of Applicant’s invention. American Express is an example of a credit card that uses L2 data. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use L2 data since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements and the combination of each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately and a person of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 12, Collicoat does not appear to specify encrypt the first settlement data and the second settlement data. However, encryption of data has been old and well known long before the filing of Applicant’s invention. Collicoat, for example, teaches encryption in the form of encrypted token (Paragraph 0028) or encrypted network (Paragraph 0065). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to encrypt settlement data since encryption is a known proven way to increase the security and safety of data.
Regarding claim 24, Collicoat does not appear to specify the discount amount comprises one of (a) a gross discount amount, (b) a per product discount amount, (c) a per unit discount amount, or (d) a percentage discount. However, Collicoat does teach a coupon (Paragraphs 0031-0032). Further, Merriam Webster online dictionary defines “coupon” as “a small piece of paper that allows one to get a service or product for free or at a lower price”. Coupons have been old and well known to state the discount amount as a gross, per unit, or percentage discount amount long before the filing of Applicant’s invention. As an example of percentage based discounts, Bed Bath and Beyond used to send out coupons for 20% off a purchase. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to state the discount amount as any of the well known types of discounts since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements and the combination of each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately and a person of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s cites sections of the specification including paragraph 0080, and supported by other paragraphs 0025 and 0095 showing that the unconventional arrangement of elements provides an improvement data security with regards to sensitive information and integrates the abstract idea into a practical application. Therefore, Applicant’s arguments regarding the 101 rejection have been found to be persuasive.
Applicant argues “Collicoat's coupon and closed loop funds are clearly different from "a discount amount for a closed-loop transaction" at least insofar that the coupon increases the amount of closed-loop funds available for paying a closed-transaction amount whereas as the claimed single-use token provides a mechanism to identify an amount by which the closed-loop transaction may be directly reduced prior to payment”. However, the claim does not state that the single use token is used to identify an amount by which the closed-loop transaction may be directly reduced prior to payment. Note that limitations from the specification are not read into the claim language, and that if Applicant intends for such language to be limiting, it should be incorporated directly into the claim language. Rather, the claim merely says that the single-use token identifies a discount amount for a closed-loop transaction. Merriam Webster Online Dictionary defines “coupon” as “a small piece of paper that allows one to get a service or product for free or at a lower price”. Regardless if the interpretation is a lower price (discount amount), or free (100% discount amount), the token of Collicoat identifies a closed-loop purchase transaction (as taught by Paragraphs 0028-0029), and the closed-loop funds that pay for the transaction are linked to a coupon (as taught by Paragraphs 0030-0031), which is a discount amount. Therefore, this argument is not persuasive and Collicoat is still a valid 102 reference.
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 MICHAEL BEKERMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-3256. The examiner can normally be reached 9PM-3PM EST M, T, TH, F.
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/MICHAEL BEKERMAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3621
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