DETAILED ACTION
Summary
This Office Action is responsive to Applicant submission filed 02/04/2026.
Claims 1, 4, 6, 7, 10, 12, and 16 have been amended. Claims 1-18 are currently pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/04/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that ANDERSON fails to teach a “scanning module in operable communication with the at least one computing device to scan the wearable device”, “a user module to associate the wearable device with the user”, or “a display module to display the plurality of user information on a user interface upon scanning of the wearable device to display the plurality of user information to a third-party user”. The examiner respectfully disagrees.
As clarified below in the rejection, ANDERSON teaches the user device 12 is configured to interact with one or more computing devices 16 in paragraph [0058]. One example given is the user device is plugged into a USB port of a computing device or otherwise scanning/reading the user device. The computing device reads data of the user device via the USB port. Additionally, ANDERSON specifically teaches embodiments that include scanning of QR codes or RIFD/NFC tags when the user device includes QR codes or RFID/NFC tags. While ANDERSON does not explicitly detail the specific devices used to execute the scanning, such scanning devices are inherent to the discloser as scanning of QR codes or RFID codes is impossible without a scanning device.
With respect to the argument that ANDERSON does not teach a user module to associate the wearable device with the user, the examiner contends that the record software 14 disclosed by ANDERSON corresponds to the user module. Record software is used to associate the user device with a particular user.
With respect to the argument that ANDERSON does not teach a display module to display the plurality of user information to a third-party user, ANDERSON teaches the use of various computing devices to view the plurality of user information. Viewing information on a computing device requires a display. Furthermore, figure 2 clearly depicts a display on computing device 16.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by ANDERSON, US 2017/0140101.
Re claim 1:
ANDERSON teaches a system for associating user information with a wearable device (i.e., user device 12 may be a wearable device [0051]), the system comprising:
At least one computing device in operable communication with a user network (i.e., one or more computing devices 16 [0058] [0072] [Figure 2]);
An application server in operable communication with the user network, the application server configured to host an application program for associating user information with a wearable device [0059]-[0062], the application server in operable communication with:
An information processing module to receive a plurality of information input by a user [0060] [0077] [0079] [Figures 8 and 19];
A scanning module in operable communication with the at least one computing device to scan the wearable device (i.e., in the case that the user device 12 comprises a USB device, computing device 16 reads the wearable device via a USB port. Further, while not explicitly stated, QR and NFC scanning devices are inherent to the disclosure as the scanning of the QR or NFC tags on the user device detailed in the disclosure cannot be performed without such devices [0034] [0058] [0076] [Figures 2 and 15]);
A user module to associate the wearable device with the user (i.e., record software 14 is used to register the user device with the user [0060] [0072] [0078] [0079] [Figures 8 and 20]);
A display module to display the plurality of user information on a user interface upon scanning of the wearable device to display the plurality of user information to a third-party user (i.e., display screen of computing device 16 [0058] [0060] [0073] [0085] [Figure 2]).
Re claim 7:
ANDERSON teaches a system, comprising:
A device configured to be worn by a user (i.e., user device 12 may be a wearable device [0051] [Figure 2]);
A code displayed on the device (i.e., QR code);
At least one computing device (16) in operable communication with a user network (i.e., one or more computing devices 16 [0058] [0072] [Figure 2]);
An application server in operable communication with the user network, the application server configured to host an application program for associating user information with a wearable device [0060], the application server in operable communication with:
An information processing module to receive a plurality of information input by a user [0060] [0077] [0079] [Figures 8 and 19];
A scanning module in operable communication with the at least one computing device to scan the wearable device (i.e., While not explicitly stated, QR scanning devices are inherent to the disclosure as the scanning of the QR on the user device detailed in the disclosure cannot be performed without such devices [0034] [0058] [0076] [Figures 2 and 15]);
A user module to associate the wearable device with the user (i.e., record software 14 is used to register the user device with the user [0060] [0072] [0078] [0079] [Figures 8 and 20]);
A display module to display the plurality of user information on a user interface upon scanning of the wearable device to display the plurality of user information to a third-party user (i.e., display screen of computing device 16 [0058] [0060] [0073] [0085] [Figure 2]).
Wherein the third-party user utilizes a third-party computing device to scan the code on the device to access the plurality of information input by the user [0058] [0073] [0085] [Figure 2].
Re claims 2 and 8:
ANDERSON teaches the system of claims 1 and 7, further comprising a user database to store the plurality of information [0050] [0052] [0054] [0060] [0072].
Re claims 6 and 12:
ANDERSON teaches the system of claims 2 and 8, wherein the user database is operable to store at least one of the following: a location, a plurality of personal information, a plurality of medical information, a plurality of preferences, and a plurality of images [0052] [0054] [0076] [0079] [Figures 18-20].
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) 3, 4, 9, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ANDERSON et al, US 2017/0140101 in view of CHIN et al, US 10,043,152.
Re claims 3, 4, 9, and 10:
ANDERSON teaches the system of claims 1 and 8, but does not teach a product database to store a plurality of products and a plurality of codes associated with each of the plurality of products, wherein the plurality of codes are each a QR code each scannable by the computing device.
CHIN teaches an inventory registry system comprising an item inventory database (112), wherein the item inventory database stores a plurality of products and a plurality of codes associated with each of the plurality of codes (column 3, lines 34-50). The plurality of codes may each be a QR code (column 8, lines 64-67; column 9, lines 1-9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to further incorporate the teachings of CHIN in the method of ANDERSON such that the method further includes a product database to store a plurality of products and a plurality of codes associated with each of the plurality of products. Such incorporation would be for the purpose of providing users with the ability to manage an inventory of registered devices.
Claim(s) 5 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ANDERSON et al, US 2017/0140101 in view of PATEL, US 2016/0224736.
Re claims 5 and 11:
ANDERSON teaches the system of claims 1 and 7, but does not teach a scan history database to record each scan by the third-party user.
PATEL teaches a method for associating information with a smart wearable device, wherein a third-party user scans the wearable device to access a plurality of information [0032] [0033]. The method further includes keeping a record of each scan of the smart wearable device by the third-party user [0063].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to further incorporate the teachings of PATEL in the method of ANDERSON, in view of BISHOP and CHIN, such that a scan history database keeps record of each scan by the third-party user. Such incorporation would provide medical facilities with the ability to track a user through an appointment, to locate the user, or to ensure that all procedures associated with an appointment have been performed (PATEL [0063]).
Claim(s) 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ANDERSON et al, US 2017/0140101 in view of BISHOP, US 2024/0160879.
Re claim 13:
ANDERSON teaches a method for associating information with a smart wearable device (i.e., user device 12 may be a wearable device [0051]), comprising:
Accessing an application program associated with the wearable device [0074] [0075] [Figures 11 and 18];
Inputting a plurality of information associated with a user wearing a wearable device [0078] [0079] [Figures 11 and 18];
Associating the plurality of information with the wearable device [0078] [0079] [Figures 11 and 18]; and
Scanning, via a third-party user, the wearable device to access the plurality of information [Figure 15].
ANDERSON does not teach an initial scanning of the wearable device to access an application program associated with the wearable device.
BISHOP teaches a method for associating information with a smart wearable device, comprising: scanning a wearable device to access an application program associated with the wearable device (i.e., tag 10 comprises a pre-generated QR code 20 that, when scanned, provides users with access to a web application presenting a profile template in which the user can enter, edit, update or otherwise manage, data and information pertaining to the user [0019] [0021] [0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to further incorporate the teachings of BISHOP in the method of ANDERSON such that the wearable device is initially scanned to access an application program associated with the wearable device. Scanning a code to initiate an access to an application program is merely a common method of invoking the application on a computing device. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to include the scan to access to application to automate user access to the application program without needing to manually navigate to or download the application program.
Re claim 14:
ANDERSON, in view of BISHOP, teaches the method of claim 13, further comprising a user database to store the plurality of information [0052] [Figure 8].
Claim(s) 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ANDERSON et al, US 2017/0140101 in view of BISHOP, US 2024/0160879, as applied in claim 14, and further in view of CHIN et al, US 10,043,152.
Re claim 15-16:
ANDERSON, in view of BISHOP, teaches the method of claim 14, but does not teach a product database to store a plurality of products and a plurality of codes associated with each of the plurality of products, wherein the plurality of codes are each a QR code each scannable by the computing device.
CHIN teaches an inventory registry system comprising an item inventory database (112), wherein the item inventory database stores a plurality of products and a plurality of codes associated with each of the plurality of codes (column 3, lines 34-50). The plurality of codes may each be a QR code (column 8, lines 64-67; column 9, lines 1-9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to further incorporate the teachings of CHIN in the method of ANDERSON, in view of BISHOP, such that the method further includes a product database to store a plurality of products and a plurality of codes associated with each of the plurality of products. Such incorporation would be for the purpose of providing users with the ability to manage an inventory of registered devices.
Claim(s) 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ANDERSON et al, US 2017/0140101 in view of BISHOP, US 2024/0160879, and CHIN et al, US 10,043,152, as applied in claim 16, and further in view of PATEL, US 2016/0224736.
Re claim 17:
ANDERSON, in view of BISHOP and CHIN, teaches the method of claim 16, but does not teach a scan history database to record each scan by the third-party user.
PATEL teaches a method for associating information with a smart wearable device, wherein a third-party user scans the wearable device to access a plurality of information [0032] [0033]. The method further includes keeping a record of each scan of the smart wearable device by the third-party user [0063].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to further incorporate the teachings of PATEL in the method of ANDERSON, in view of BISHOP and CHIN, such that a scan history database keeps record of each scan by the third-party user. Such incorporation would provide medical facilities with the ability to track a user through an appointment, to locate the user, or to ensure that all procedures associated with an appointment have been performed (PATEL [0063]).
Re claim 18:
ANDERSON, in view of BISHOP, CHIN, and PATEL, teaches the method of claim 17, wherein the user database is operable to store at least one of the following: a location, a plurality of personal information, a plurality of medical information, a plurality of preferences, and a plurality of images [0052] [0054] [0076] [0079] [Figures 18-20].
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 LAURA A GUDORF whose telephone number is (571)270-7607. If the Examiner cannot be reached by telephone, she can be reached through the following e-mail address: laura.gudorf@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 6:00-4:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Lee, can be reached at telephone number (571)272-2398. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAURA A GUDORF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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