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 .
Claim Status
Claims 1-9 are currently pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) rejected in the official action mailed 01/15/2026 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the same combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record.
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) 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM (US Pub. 2022/0297634) in view of KATO (US Patent 8,751,065).
Regarding claim 1,
KIM teaches a vehicle (16) configured to utilize a digital key registered in a mobile information terminal (11) of a user, the vehicle comprising a processor configured to transmit, to a management server for the digital key, log information of an event occurring in the vehicle when the digital key is registered to the mobile information terminal ([0036] teaches, "In order for the mobile key management server 12 to receive the authentication number directly from the vehicle, a screen which includes a confirmation button for transmitting the mobile key is displayed on a display device in the vehicle, and a screen that guides the user to press the confirmation button on the display device of the vehicle is displayed on the user's smartphone 11 (FIG. 1(i-1))" - thus teaching that the vehicle transmits the authentication number (see, "log information ") following actuation of a confirmation button (see, "an event occurring in the vehicle") for transmission of a mobile key (see, "when the digital key is registered").
KIM does not expressly teach “wherein the log information indicates start or completion of multiple steps related to digital key registration.”
KATO teaches a multi-step mobile-device/digital-key registration and authentication process in which registration stages and completion states are tracked and indicated. In particular, KATO teaches initiating registration when the mobile device is placed on the NFC pad, prompting the user to register the mobile device with the vehicle, authenticating the key fob during the registration sequence, initiating a communication or learning sequence with the mobile device, and indicating that “the process is complete” once the cellphone and vehicle learning process is completed (see FIG. 4 and col. 5:53-67).
KATO further teaches “authentication complete” following authentication of the mobile device and key fob (see FIG. 5 and col. 6:1-11), as well as communicating “completion of the tasks” after stored preference data are uploaded and vehicle adjustments are completed (see FIG. 9 and col. 6:58- col. 7:8). Thus, KATO teaches or at least recognizes a need in the art for log or status information indicating the start and/or completion of multiple steps associated with digital-key/mobile-device registration (and authentication).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to modify KIM to include the registration-step completion/status indications taught by KATO in order to improve tracking, verification, user feedback, and reliability during digital-key registration and authentication operations.
Regarding claim 2,
Kim teaches that the processor is configured to transmit, to the management server, information indicating that key exchange with the mobile information terminal is completed, as the log information ([0037], [0038] teaches that the authentication number is displayed on the display device of the vehicle along with guidance information. [0038] teaches that when the vehicle authentication is completed, a message informing the completion of the mobile key service registration (or subscription) is displayed on the smartphone via communication network; [0041] teaches that following addition processing, If the user is confirmed, a completion message is transmitted to the mobile key management server 12; note that [0035] teaches that authentication comprises key exchange between server 12, vehicle and mobile information terminal 11 ).
Regarding claims 4, 8 and 9,
Kim teaches an information management device (and associated method of operation) configured to manage information regarding progress of registration of a digital key for a vehicle to a mobile information terminal of a user, the information management device comprising:
data storage ([0028] teaches that the mobile key management server 12 comprises a server which is configured to store and update all the information for a mobile key service),
a processor ([0028] teaches that the mobile key management server 12 is able to provide any required information in response to the requests of the devices within the mobile key service system) configured to:
acquire, from the vehicle, log information of an event occurring in the vehicle when the digital key is registered, and record the log information in the data storage ([0036] teaches, "In order for the mobile key management server 12 to receive the authentication number directly from the vehicle, a screen which includes a confirmation button for transmitting the mobile key is displayed on a display device in the vehicle, and a screen that guides the user to press the confirmation button on the display device of the vehicle is displayed on the user's smartphone 11 (FIG. 1(i-1))" - thus teaching that the vehicle transmits the authentication number (see, "log information") following actuation of a confirmation button (see, "an event occurring in the vehicle") for transmission of a mobile key (see, "when the digital key is registered"), and
acquire, from the mobile information terminal, log information of processing carried out at the mobile information terminal when registering the digital key, and record the log information in the data storage ([0040] teaches that when the user installs the smart key application on the user's smartphone 11 for the mobile key registration (see, "processing carried out at the mobile information terminal when regerstering the digital key") and inputs the member information for the subscription for the mobile key service, the user's smartphone 11 transmits the member information to the mobile key management server 12 (see, "acquire, from the mobile information terminal"). The mobile key management server 12 stores the member information received from the user's smartphone 11 (see, "and record the log information in the data storage").
KIM fails to expressly teach that the log information of the event acquired from the vehicle, indicates start or completion of multiple steps related to digital key registration.
KATO teaches that registration and authentication of a mobile device/digital key involve multiple sequential steps including initiating registration when the mobile device is placed on the NFC pad, prompting the user to register the device, authenticating the associated key fob, initiating a communication or learning sequence, and indicating that “the process is complete” after completion of the registration/learning process (see FIG. 4 and col. 5:53-67).
KATO additionally teaches “authentication complete” after successful authentication of the mobile device and key fob (see FIG. 5 and col. 6:1-11), and communicating completion of tasks after preference-upload and configuration operations are completed (see FIG. 9 and col. 6:58- col. 7:8). Thus, KATO teaches or at least suggests log or status information from the vehicle indicating the start and/or completion of multiple registration-related steps. Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to modify the system of KIM to include the registration-step status/completion indications taught by KATO in order to improve registration tracking, system diagnostics, user feedback, and operational reliability during digital-key registration and authentication processes.
Regarding claim 5,
Kim teaches that the log information of the event includes one or more of completion of pairing between the vehicle and the mobile information terminal, ([0037], [0038] teaches that the authentication number is displayed on the display device of the vehicle along with guidance information; [0038] teaches that when the vehicle authentication is completed, a message informing the completion of the mobile key service registration (or subscription) is displayed on the smartphone via communication network; [0041] teaches that following addition processing, if the user is confirmed, a completion message is transmitted to the mobile key management server 12; note that [0035] teaches that authentication comprises key exchange between server 12, vehicle and mobile information terminal 11), completion of exchange of a temporary key generated in the vehicle and a temporary key generated in the mobile information terminal, and completion of exchange of mutual authentication data generated in the vehicle using the temporary key that is exchanged, and mutual authentication data generated in the mobile information terminal using the temporary key that is exchanged; and registration of the digital key is completed in accordance with the vehicle and the mobile information terminal each completing generation of an encryption key using the mutual authentication data that is exchanged, the encryption key being used for mutual authentication between the vehicle and the mobile information terminal when the digital key is used.
Claim(s) 3, 6 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM (US Pub. 2022/0297634) and KATO (US Patent 8,751,065) in view of MATSUSHITA (US Pub. 2024/0227733).
Regarding claims 3 and 6,
KIM teaches the vehicle according to claim 1, but fails to expressly teach that the processor is configured to transmit, to the management server, log information of an event that occurred in the vehicle when the digital key is deleted.
MATSUSHITA teaches a vehicular digital key system comprising a processor which is configured to transmit, to a management server, log information of an event that occurred in a vehicle when the digital key is deleted ([0268] and [0269] teach, with regard to the vehicular ECU 4, deletion of data related to the service key from the vehicle side memory 45. When the data deletion from the vehicle side memory 45 is completed, the authentication ECU 4 transmits a deletion completion notification signal indicating that the service key deletion sequence is completed to the DKS (Digital Key Server) 3; claim 5 teaches a vehicular device configured to: delete all the service keys from a predetermined vehicle-side memory device in which the service keys are stored; and transmit a deletion completion notification to the server indicating that a deletion sequence of all the service keys has been completed.)
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to modify the system of KIM in view of the teachings of MATSUSHITA such that the vehicle of KIM is configured to transmit information to a server regarding the deletion of a digital key. This modification would have offered clear security and operational advantages by providing system-wide confirmation that unauthorized access is permanently removed.
Regarding claim 7,
The information management device according to claim 6, wherein: the data storage is configured to store information related to the digital key (Kim teaches in [0055] that server 12 generates and stores mobile key issuance of generation algorithm for issuing or generating a mobile key upon request; [0063] teaches server 12 stores information for managing a key); and
the processor is configured to delete a part of information relating to the digital key from the data storage in response to the completion of deleting the encryption key being recorded as the log information ([0268] and [0269] teach, with regard to the vehicular ECU 4, deletion of data related to the service key from the vehicle side memory 45. When the data deletion from the vehicle side memory 45 is completed, the authentication ECU 4 transmits a deletion completion notification signal indicating that the service key deletion sequence is completed to the DKS (Digital Key Server) 3; claim 5 teaches a vehicular device configured to: delete all the service keys from a predetermined vehicle-side memory device in which the service keys are stored; and transmit a deletion completion notification to the server indicating that a deletion sequence of all the service keys has been completed.)
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to modify the system of KIM in view of the teachings of MATSUSHITA such that the vehicle of KIM is configured to transmit information to a server regarding the deletion of a digital key. This modification would have offered clear security and operational advantages by providing system-wide confirmation that unauthorized access is permanently removed.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 DIONNE PENDLETON whose telephone number is (571)272-7497. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9a-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Davetta Goins can be reached at 571-272-2957. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DIONNE PENDLETON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689
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