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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "a depositing signal" in line 2. Claim 4 is dependent upon claim 3, which also states the limitation “a depositing signal.” It is unclear whether there are two depositing signals, or claims 3 and 4 are referring to the same signal.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 11 recites the limitation “information on the digital currency.” It is unclear what this “information” is referring to.
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, 3-8, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jones (US-20080220707-A1).
Regarding claim 1, Jones discloses A money handling apparatus, comprising:
an input receptacle (7016) receiving money and sending out the money into the apparatus;
a transport member (7018) lines having a transport path connected to the input receptacle, and transporting the money sent out from the input receptacle;
a recognition circuit (7012) recognizing money and outputting a recognition signal;
a first storage (7020, Paragraph 192, lines 1-3) to which the transport path is connected, and which stores recognized money; and
a controller (7010) configured to, in a receiving process, determine whether or not the money to be received is money to be digitized, based on the recognition signal, and output a control signal so that money to be digitized is stored in the first storage (11e and 11i, Figure 56a).
Regarding claim 3, Jones discloses The money handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to output a depositing signal so that, in the receiving process, digital currency into which the money to be received is converted is deposited in a designated account (13c, Figure 56b).
Regarding claim 4, Jones discloses The money handling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to output a depositing signal so that, in the receiving process, money equivalent in value to the money to be received is deposited in the designated account (13c, Figure 56b).
Regarding claim 5, Jones discloses The money handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether or not the money to be received is money to be digitized, based on at least one of version information, fitness information, currency information, and denomination information, of the money to be received, which correspond to the recognition signal (11e, Figure 56a and 7014, Paragraph 161 lines 1-6).
Regarding claim 6, Jones discloses The money handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether or not the money to be received is money to be digitized, based on an identification number (Paragraph 160, lines 20-27), of the money to be received, which corresponds the recognition signal.
Regarding claim 7, Jones discloses The money handling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a return port (7022) to which the transport path is connected, and which holds money to be returned, wherein the controller is configured to output a control signal so that money not to be digitized is returned to the return port (11h).
Regarding clam 8, Jones discloses The money handling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second storage (7020, lines 1-8) to which the transport path is connected, and which stores money not to be digitized.
Regarding claim 15, Jones discloses A money handling method, comprising:
sending out, by an input receptacle (7016), money to be received into a money handling apparatus;
recognizing, by a recognition circuit (7012), the money to be received and outputting a recognition signal;
determining, by a controller (7010), whether or not the money to be received is money to be digitized, based on the recognition signal;
transporting, by a transport member (7018), money to be digitized to a first storage (“Document Bin,” Paragraph 439, lines 1-3), upon receiving determination of the controller; and
storing the money to be digitized in the first storage.
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jones (US-20080220707-A1) in view of Mennie (US-8929640-B1).
Regarding claim 2, Jones teaches The money handling apparatus according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 2, Jones does not expressly teach, however Mennie teaches further comprising an invalidation device (1813) connected to the first storage, and invalidating the money to be digitized (Col. 28, lines 8-23), wherein the first storage stores invalidated money.
Regarding claim 2, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the money handling apparatus taught by Jones with the invalidation device taught by Mennie. One of ordinary skill in the art would identify that invalidating the money to be digitized would ensure that the cash could be safely transported without threat of theft, as the bills could no longer be used.
Claim(s) 9-12, 14, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jones (US-20080220707-A1) in view of Dusterhus (US-20200357217-A1).
Regarding claim 9, Jones teaches The money handling apparatus according to claim 8.
Regarding claim 9, Jones does not expressly teach, however Dusterhus teaches further comprising a third storage (any storage 20-26) to which the transport path is connected, and which stores substitute money (“replacement notes of value,” Paragraph 36 lines 6-10) for the money not to be digitized, wherein
the controller (44) is configured to output a depositing signal so that, when the second storage (52) stores the money not to be digitized (“notes of value that are not approved,” Paragraph 36, lines 6-10), the substitute money is converted into digital currency, and converted digital currency is deposited in the designated account.
Regarding claim 9, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the money handling apparatus taught by Jones with the substitute currency taught by Dusterhus. One of ordinary skill in the art would identify that substitute currency system implemented for withdrawal of banknotes taught by Dusterhus could be adapted to a depositing process, and could be further combined with the digitization step taught by Jones. By implementing a substitute banknote system into the apparatus of Jones, bills which had been identified as un-digitizable would not interrupt the depositing process and the total value of banknotes that had been fed into the apparatus could still be added to a user’s account.
Regarding claim 10, Jones in view of Dusterhus teaches The money handling apparatus according to claim 9.
Regarding claim 10, Dusterhus further teaches wherein the controller (44) is configured to output a control signal so that the substitute money fed out from the third storage (any storage 20-26) is stored in the first storage.
Regarding claim 10, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the first storage taught by Jones with the transfer of money between storages taught by Dusterhus. One of ordinary skill in the art would identify that moving the substitute currency from the third storage into the first storage would ensure all money to be digitized would be moved into the same container. This would prevent digitized substitute currency from accidentally mixing with non-digitized currency.
Regarding claim 11, Jones in view of Dusterhus teaches The money handling apparatus according to claim 9.
Regarding claim 11, Dusterhus further teaches wherein information on the digital currency includes both information on the money to be received and not to be digitized (Paragraph 34, lines 4-9), and information on the substitute money (Paragraph 36, lines 1-6).
Regarding claim 12, Jones teaches, A money handling apparatus, comprising:
an input receptacle (7016) receiving money and sending out the money into the apparatus;
a transport member (7018) having a transport path connected to the input receptacle, and transporting the money sent out from the input receptacle;
a first storage (7020) to which the transport path is connected, and which stores money to be digitized among the money to be received;
Regarding claim 12, Jones does not expressly teach, however Dusterhus teaches a third storage (any storage 20-26) to which the transport path is connected, and which feeds out money stored therein; and
a controller (44) configured to, in a receiving process, output a control signal so that substitute money (“replacement notes of value,” Paragraph 36 lines 6-10) for money not to be digitized among the money to be received is fed out from the third storage, and the substitute money is stored in the first storage as the money to be digitized.
Regarding claim 12, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the money handling apparatus taught by Jones with the substitute currency and third storage taught by Dusterhus. One of ordinary skill in the art would identify that substitute currency system implemented for withdrawal of banknotes taught by Dusterhus could be adapted to a depositing process, and could be further combined with the digitization step taught by Jones. By implementing a substitute banknote system into the apparatus of Jones, bills which had been identified as un-digitizable would not interrupt the depositing process and the total value of banknotes that had been fed into the apparatus could still be added to a user’s account. Additionally, one of ordinary skill in the art would identify that moving the substitute currency from the third storage into the first storage would ensure all money to be digitized would be moved into the same container. This would prevent digitized substitute currency from accidentally mixing with non-digitized currency.
Regarding claim 14, Jones in view of Dusterhus teaches The money handling apparatus according to claim 12.
Regarding claim 14, Dusterhus further teaches wherein the third storage (any storage 20-26) feeds out one or a plurality of pieces of substitute money (“replacement notes of value,” Paragraph 36 lines 6-10) equivalent in value to the money not to be digitized (“notes of value that are not approved,” Paragraph 36, lines 6-10).
Regarding claim 16, Jones teaches A money handling method, comprising:
sending out, by an input receptacle (7016), money to be received into a money handling apparatus;
storing, in a first storage (7020), money to be digitized among the money to be received;
Regarding claim 16, Jones does note expressly teach, however Dusterhus teaches feeding out, by a third storage (any storage 20-26), substitute money (“replacement notes of value,” Paragraph 36 lines 6-10) for money not to be digitized (“notes of value that are not approved,” Paragraph 36, lines 6-10) among the money to be received; and
storing, in the first storage (16), the substitute money as money to be digitized.
Regarding claim 16, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the money handling method taught by Jones with the substitute currency taught by Dusterhus. One of ordinary skill in the art would identify that the substitute currency system implemented for withdrawal of banknotes taught by Dusterhus could be adapted to a depositing process, and could be further combined with the digitization step taught by Jones. By implementing a substitute banknote system into the method of Jones, bills which had been identified as un-digitizable would not interrupt the depositing process and the total value of banknotes that had been fed into the apparatus could still be added to a user’s account.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jones (US-20080220707-A1) in view of Dusterhus (US-20200357217-A1) as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Mennie (US-8929640-B1).
Jones in view of Dusterhus teaches The money handling apparatus according to claim 12.
Jones in view of Dusterhus does not expressly teach, however Mennie teaches further comprising an invalidation device (1813) connected to the first storage, and invalidating the money to be digitized (Col. 28, lines 8-23), wherein the first storage stores invalidated money.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to combine the money handling apparatus taught by Jones in view of Dusterhus with the invalidation device taught by Mennie. One of ordinary skill in the art would identify that invalidating the money to be digitized would ensure that the cash could be safely transported without threat of theft, as the bills could no longer be used.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN R UEBERSCHAER whose telephone number is (571)270-5553. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:30am-4:00pm.
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/J.R.U./ Examiner, Art Unit 3653
/MICHAEL MCCULLOUGH/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3653
