DETAILED ACTION
This action is in reply to the submission filed on 10/03/2024.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 3 and 12-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) for lack of an antecedent basis.
Claims 3 and 14 recite the limitation “generating, by the coupling circuit through using the induction coil, the induced electrical signal according to the first radio frequency signal, and outputting the induced electrical signal to the acquisition circuit”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. If this is the first time an “induced electrical signal according to the first radio frequency signal” is mentioned in the claims, it must be acknowledged properly. For purposes of claim interpretation, this induced signal is seen as a form of the first frequency signal during processing.
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.
Claims 1-16 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (US 2018/0053180) in view of Rezayee (US 2022/0019993).
Claim 1. Cho teaches a terminal device, wherein the terminal device is provided with a physical radio frequency card, (Figure 2F) and the terminal device comprises:
a detection circuit, the detection circuit detecting a first radio frequency signal from a sale terminal; and (para. 90 RFID short range communications between terminals)
a built-in near field communication (NFC) unit, the built-in NFC unit sending a second radio frequency signal to the physical radio frequency card; (para. 90 RFID and NFC short range communications between terminals); para. 184 showing NFC communications between card and mobile terminal)
wherein the terminal device further controls the built-in NFC unit to send the second radio frequency signal to the physical radio frequency card according to the first radio frequency signal, so as to acquire transaction data of the physical radio frequency card. (para. 184 showing NFC communications between card and mobile terminal; paragraphs 353-358 showing purchase through mobile terminal using card connected by “Bluetooth or the like”, also showing capture of transaction data)
Cho does not teach using the terminal-to-terminal communications for transactions, though it is conceivably in the realm of the use case for Cho’s device(s). However, Rezayee does teach this: See Figure 1 showing mobile terminal and point of sale terminal embodiment.
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 system of card management in Cho, with the known technique of terminal to terminal payments in Rezayee, because applying the known technique would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system by allowing point of sale purchases. See Rezayee Figure 1.
Claim 2. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the terminal device according to claim 1. Cho teaches wherein the terminal device comprises a housing, the housing comprises a card slot, and the card slot is configured to place the physical radio frequency card. (Cho Figure 2F)
Claim 3. The terminal device according to claim 1. Cho teaches send the second radio frequency signal to the physical radio frequency card. (See claim 1 mapping.) Cho does not explicitly teach the following, but Rezayee teaches wherein the detection circuit comprises a coupling circuit, an acquisition circuit and a processing unit; and
the coupling circuit comprises an induction coil to generate the induced electrical signal according to a detected first radio frequency signal and outputs the induced electrical signal to the acquisition circuit; (para. 11 showing circuitry for antenna tuning. Examiner interprets the claim to include the scope of recording detected signals. See also para. 37 showing mobile terminal with circuitry to demodulate and process signal data.)
the acquisition circuit converts the induced signal into a characteristic electrical signal, and outputs the characteristic electrical signal to the processing unit; and (para. 37 showing mobile terminal with circuitry to demodulate and process signal data, including signal amplitude and/or phase. Para. 62 showing reception of signal parameters such as RSSI and/or amplitude. Characteristic signal is interpreted to include parameters such as amplitude see in para. 130 of Rezayee.)
the processing unit turns off the built-in NFC unit in a case where the characteristic electrical signal is greater than or equal to a preset intensity, or controls the terminal device after the characteristic electrical signal changes from greater than or equal to the preset intensity to less than the preset intensity. (Rezayee para. 130 showing sale terminal signal strength threshold determination for deciding whether to turn on or off the NFC active transceiver)
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 system of card management in Cho, with the known technique of transceiver configuration in Rezayee, because applying the known technique would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system by mitigating signal noise or data transmission errors. See para. 130 of Rezayee.
Claim 4. Cho teaches a data processing method, applied to a first terminal device, wherein the data processing method comprises:
acquiring a first radio frequency signal from a sale terminal; (para. 90 showing terminal to terminal RFID/NFC communication)
sending a second radio frequency signal to a physical radio frequency card of the first terminal device according to the first radio frequency signal, so as to enable the physical radio frequency card to send transaction data; and (paras. 354-358 showing signals to card and terminal to make transaction; para. 184 showing NFC from card to terminal; para. 90 showing signals from terminal to terminal)
acquiring the transaction data. (paras. 354-358 showing signals to card and terminal to make transaction, as well as acquiring transaction data)
Cho does not teach using the terminal-to-terminal communications for transactions, though it is conceivably in the realm of the use case for Cho’s device(s). However, Rezayee does teach this: See Figure 1 showing mobile terminal and point of sale terminal embodiment.
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 system of card management in Cho, with the known technique of terminal to terminal payments in Rezayee, because applying the known technique would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system by allowing point of sale purchases. See Rezayee Figure 1.
Claim’s 9 and 10 are rejected on the same basis as claim 4. Additionally, claim 9: A terminal device, wherein the device comprises: a memory, a processor, a program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, and a data bus for enabling connection and communication between the processor and the memory, wherein the program, upon being executed by the processor, implements. Additionally, claim 10: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, configured for computer-readable storage, wherein the storage medium stores one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are executable by one or more processors, so as to implement the data processing method according to claim 4. (paras. 74, 90 and 124 showing computer embodiments)
Claim 5. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the data processing method according to claim 4. Cho teaches further comprising: sending the transaction data to a second terminal device of a guardian corresponding to a ward using the first terminal device. (para. 197 of Cho showing charge amount sent to family account manager’s terminal)
Claim 6. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the data processing method according to claim 5. Cho teaches further comprising: acquiring current location information of the first terminal device. (para. 92 showing location of first terminal determined) and sending the current location information to the second terminal device of the guardian corresponding to the ward using the first terminal device. (paras. 231 and 232 showing real time notification of purchase place output to manager of family account’s terminal.)
Claim 7. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the data processing method according to claim 4. Cho teaches wherein the first terminal device comprises a built-in near field communication (NFC) unit, the built-in NFC unit sending a second radio frequency signal to the physical radio frequency card. (See claim 1 mapping.) Cho does not, but Rezayee teaches the data processing method further comprises:
turning off the built-in NFC unit in a case where the first radio frequency signal being greater than or equal to a preset intensity is detected. (Rezayee para. 130 showing sale terminal signal strength threshold determination for deciding whether to turn on or off the NFC active transceiver)
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 system of card management in Cho, with the known technique of transceiver configuration in Rezayee, because applying the known technique would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system by mitigating signal noise or data transmission errors. See para. 130 of Rezayee.
Claim 8. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the data processing method according to claim 4. Cho teaches wherein the first terminal device comprises a built-in near field communication (NFC) unit, and sending, by the built-in NFC unit, the second radio frequency signal to the physical radio frequency card. (See claim 1 mapping.) Cho does not, but Rezayee teaches the sending the second radio frequency signal to the physical radio frequency card according to the first radio frequency signal, comprises:
turning on the built-in NFC unit in a case where the first radio frequency signal being less than a preset intensity. (Rezayee para. 130 showing sale terminal signal strength threshold determination for deciding whether to turn on or off the NFC active transceiver)
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 system of card management in Cho, with the known technique of transceiver configuration in Rezayee, because applying the known technique would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system by mitigating signal noise or data transmission errors. See para. 130 of Rezayee.
Claim 11. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the terminal device according to claim 2. Cho teaches wherein the card slot is provided on an outer surface or an inner surface of the housing, or on a circuit board of the terminal device. (Figure 2F).
Claim 12. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the terminal device according to claim 3. Cho teaches wherein the induction coil is an antenna of the built-in NFC unit. (para. 90 showing NFC built in to mobile terminal.)
Claim 13. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the terminal device according to claim 3. Cho does not, but Rezayee teaches wherein the induction coil is an independently installed coil. (Figure 1, item 20 showing separate NFC dongle)
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 system of card management in Cho, with the known technique of transceiver configuration in Rezayee, because applying the known technique would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system by mitigating signal noise or data transmission errors. See para. 130 of Rezayee.
Claim 14. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the data processing method according to claim 4. Cho teaches to send the second radio frequency signal to the physical radio frequency card. (See claim 1 mapping.) Cho does not teach the following, but Rezayee teaches wherein the first terminal device comprises a detection circuit, the detection circuit detecting a first radio frequency signal from a sale terminal; and a built-in near field communication (NFC) unit; the detection circuit comprises a coupling circuit, an acquisition circuit and a processing unit; and the coupling circuit comprises an induction coil;
the sending, the second radio frequency signal to the physical radio frequency card of the first terminal device according to the first radio frequency signal, comprises;
generating, by the coupling circuit through using the induction coil, the induced electrical signal according to the first radio frequency signal, and outputting the induced electrical signal to the acquisition circuit; (para. 11 showing circuitry for antenna tuning. Examiner interprets the claim to include the scope of recording detected signals. See also para. 37 showing mobile terminal with circuitry to demodulate and process signal data.)
converting, by the acquisition circuit, the induced electrical signal into a characteristic electrical signal, and outputting the characteristic electrical signal to the processing unit; and (para. 37 showing mobile terminal with circuitry to demodulate and process signal data, including signal amplitude and/or phase. Para. 62 showing reception of signal parameters such as RSSI and/or amplitude. Characteristic signal is interpreted to include parameters such as amplitude see in para. 130 of Rezayee.)
turning off, by the processing unit, the built-in NFC unit in a case where the characteristic electrical signal is greater than or equal to a preset intensity, or controlling the built-in NFC unit to send after the characteristic electrical signal changes from greater than or equal to the preset intensity to less than the preset intensity. (Rezayee para. 130 showing sale terminal signal strength threshold determination for deciding whether to turn on or off the NFC active transceiver)
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 system of card management in Cho, with the known technique of transceiver configuration in Rezayee, because applying the known technique would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system by mitigating signal noise or data transmission errors. See para. 130 of Rezayee.
Claim 15. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the data processing method according to claim 14. Cho does not, but Rezayee teaches further comprising determining whether to turn off or turn on the built-in NFC unit according to a length of generating time of an induced voltage or current. (para. 131 showing current generation for a period of time as a factor for powering on or off the NFC unit.)
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 system of card management in Cho, with the known technique of transceiver configuration in Rezayee, because applying the known technique would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system by mitigating signal noise or data transmission errors. See para. 130 of Rezayee.
Claim 16. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the data processing method according to claim 14. Chloe teaches wherein the transaction data is obtained through the built-in NFC unit. (See claim 1 mapping.)
Claim 19. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the data processing method according to claim 6. Cho teaches wherein the first terminal device generates notification information based on the transaction data and the current location information and sends the notification information to a second terminal device of a guardian corresponding to a ward using the first terminal device. (paras. 231 and 232 showing real time notification of purchase place output to manager of family account’s terminal.)
Claim 20. Cho as modified by Rezayee teaches the data processing method according to claim 19. Cho teaches wherein the first terminal device sends the notification information to the second terminal device of the guardian corresponding to the ward using the first terminal device through a short message. (paras. 231 and 232 showing real time notification of purchase place output to manager of family account’s terminal.)
Reasons why Claims Would be Allowable over Prior Art
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
No prior art or non-patent literature has been found that teaches the claimed limitations, either wholly or in an obvious combination of, after determining the physical radio frequency card leaves an external radio frequency field generated by the sales terminal, the built-in NFC unit sends the transaction data to a processor of the first terminal device, and after a first time interval from determining the physical radio frequency card leaves an external radio frequency field generated by the sales terminal, the built-in NFC unit sends the transaction data to a processor of the first terminal device, in combination with the other limitations found within the independent claim(s).
The closest prior art that reads on the claims is Cho and Rezayee. Cho teaches a device with a card holder and NFC radio communication between said card and other terminals. Rezayee teaches using NFC payments between terminals, and smart activation of NFC based on signal amplitude. Neither reference alone or in combination teach the aforementioned limitations regarding signal processing and analysis for reduced interference of very recent forwarded card transaction data. In summation, Applicant' s claims 17 and 18 are distinct from the closest prior art and non-patent literature.
The examiner notes the cited limitations above in combination with the other limitations found within the parent claim(s) are found to be allowable over the prior art of record.
Conclusion
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/AARON TUTOR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3627
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