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 .
Status of Claims
Claim1 has been cancelled and Claims 2-20 have been added; therefore, Claims 2-20 are currently pending in application 18/968,285.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the claims at issue are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The USPTO internet Web site contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit http://www.uspto.gov/forms/. The filing date of the application will determine what form should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
Claims 2-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-17 of U.S. Patent No. 11,288,683; and over claims 1-14 of U.S. Patent No. 12,205,125. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because both inventions disclose equivalent elements for authenticating a product.
18/968,285
US 11,288,683 (14/933674)
2. A computer device comprising: a capacitor pad including a plurality of capacitance sensors; at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer device to
sense a product package based on an activation of a subset of the plurality of capacitance sensors, determine whether the product package includes an electrically conductive shape based on which of the plurality of capacitance sensors were included in the subset and which of the plurality of capacitance sensors remained idle during the activation, determine, in response to a determination that the product package includes the electrically conductive shape, whether the electrically conductive shape corresponds to an authentication pattern, and initiate, in response to a determination that the electrically conductive shape corresponds to the authentication pattern, an internet browsing application.
4. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the capacitor pad includes an array of the plurality of capacitance sensors.
5. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the activation of the subset of the plurality of capacitance sensors includes a simultaneous activation of at least some of the plurality of capacitance sensors.
7. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the computer device to request an input of a package code; and send an input package code through the internet browsing application, and wherein the package code is configured to enable an authentication server to authenticate the product package.
9. The computer device of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computer device to send a location of the computer-device to the authentication server based on a determination, by the authentication server, that the input package code is invalid or that the input package code has been used before.
10. The computer device of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the computer device to end the internet browsing application in response to a determination, by the authentication server, that the input package code is invalid.
11. The computer device of claim 7, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the computer device to send a location of the computer device to the authentication server based on a receipt of confirmation that the authentication of the product package is valid.
12. The computer device of claim 2, further comprising: a display including the capacitor pad.
13. The computer device of claim 2, further comprising: a housing, the capacitor pad integrated into the housing.
3. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the electrically conductive shape includes an electrically conductive ink; and the plurality of capacitance sensors are configured to detect the electrically conductive ink based on a drop in voltage in a sensor of the plurality of capacitance sensors.
6. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the determine whether the electrically conductive shape corresponds to the authentication pattern includes compensating for an orientation of the electrically conductive shape.
8. The computer device of claim 7, wherein the authenticate the product package includes determining whether the input package code is in a database at the authentication server and whether the input package code has not been used before.
14. A product package comprising: a substrate; a conductive pattern on the substrate and comprising a conductive ink, the conductive pattern corresponding to an authentication pattern and configured to simultaneously activate a subset of an array of capacitor sensors included in a capacitor pad; and a package code in the product package.
9. A computing device comprising: a processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to,
trigger a first authentication process in response to sensing a conductive ink in proximity to the computing device, the conductive ink being printed on a surface of a product, the computing device including a capacitive pad having one or more sensors, sense a desired pattern of the conductive ink using the one or more sensors of the capacitive pad, initiate an internet browsing application on the computing device in response to triggering appropriate sensors of the one or more sensors of the capacitive pad, initiate a second authentication process, the second authentication process including, sending a code to a remote server, the code being printed on the surface of the product, receiving a product authentication determination from the remote server, the product authentication determination is valid when (i) the code is in a database at the remote server and (ii) the code has not been used before a present attempt, and in response to the product authentication determination indicating the code is excluded from the database or the code has been used before the present attempt, determining a location of the computing device, and sending the location of the computing device to the remote server for storage.
11. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the code includes a package code.
10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to: determine whether the conductive ink corresponds to an orientation of the one or more sensors.
15. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the first authentication process is based on a shape of the conductive ink.
16. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the first authentication process is based on a configuration of the conductive ink.
12. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to: end the application if the code is not found in the database.
13. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to: end the application if the remote server has determined the code has been used before the present attempt.
14. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to: receive from the remote server, based on the product authentication determination, (A) a product package history information, (B) access to product package vendor information, or both (A) and (B).
17. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive from the remote server, based on the product authentication determination, a coupon for the product.
1. A product authentication method comprising: triggering a first authentication process in response to sensing an electrically conductive ink in proximity to a computing device, the computing device including a capacitive pad having a one or more sensors, the conductive ink being printed on a surface of a product; sensing a desired pattern of the electrically conductive ink using the one or more sensors of the capacitive pad; initiating an internet browsing application on the computing device in response to triggering appropriate sensors of the one or more sensors of the capacitive pad; and performing a second authentication process via the initiated application, the second authentication process including, sending a package code to a remote server, the package code being printed on the surface of the product, and receiving a product authentication determination from the remote server, the product authentication determination is valid when (i) the package code is in a database at the remote server and (ii) the package code has not been used before a present attempt, and in response to the product authentication determination indicating the package code is excluded from the database or the package code has been used before the present attempt, determining a location of the computing device, and sending the location of the computing device to the remote server for storage.
18/968,285
US 12,205,125 (17/700869)
2. A computer device comprising: a capacitor pad including a plurality of capacitance sensors; at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer device to
sense a product package based on an activation of a subset of the plurality of capacitance sensors, determine whether the product package includes an electrically conductive shape based on which of the plurality of capacitance sensors were included in the subset and which of the plurality of capacitance sensors remained idle during activation, determine, in response to a determination that the product package includes the electrically conductive shape (pattern), whether the electrically conductive shape corresponds to an authentication pattern, and initiate, in response to a determination that the electrically conductive shape corresponds to the authentication pattern, an internet browsing application.
3. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the electrically conductive shape includes an electrically conductive ink; and the plurality of capacitance sensors are configured to detect the electrically conductive ink based on a drop in voltage in a sensor of the plurality of capacitance sensors.
4. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the capacitor pad includes an array of the plurality of capacitance sensors.
5. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the activation of the subset of the plurality of capacitance sensors includes a simultaneous activation of at least some of the plurality of capacitance sensors.
6. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the determine whether the electrically conductive shape corresponds to the authentication pattern includes compensating for an orientation of the electrically conductive shape.
7. The computer device of claim 2, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the computer device to request an input of a package code; and send an input package code through the internet browsing application, and wherein the package code is configured to enable an authentication server to authenticate the product package.
12. The computer device of claim 2, further comprising: a display including the capacitor pad.
13. The computer device of claim 2, further comprising: a housing, the capacitor pad integrated into the housing.
8. The computer device of claim 7, wherein the authenticate the product package includes determining whether the input package code is in a database at the authentication server and whether the input package code has not been used before.
9. The computer device of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the computer device to send a location of the computer-device to the authentication server based on a determination, by the authentication server, that the input package code is invalid or that the input package code has been used before.
10. The computer device of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the computer device to end the internet browsing application in response to a determination, by the authentication server, that the input package code is invalid.
11. The computer device of claim 7, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the computer device to send a location of the computer device to the authentication server based on a receipt of confirmation that the authentication of the product package is valid.
14. A product package comprising: a substrate; a conductive pattern on the substrate and comprising a conductive ink, the conductive pattern corresponding to an authentication pattern and configured to simultaneously activate a subset of an array of capacitor sensors included in a capacitor pad; and a package code in the product package.
16. The product package of claim 14, wherein the package code corresponds to a code stored at an authentication server.
17. The product package of claim 14, wherein the conductive pattern is configured to enable an authentication of the product package by an electronic device based on a comparison of the conductive pattern and the authentication pattern.
18. The product package of claim 17, wherein the authentication of the product package by the electronic device is a first authentication, and the package code corresponds to a code stored at an authentication server and allows a second authentication of the product package by the authentication server.
15. The product package as recited in claim 14, wherein the conductive ink comprises a color outside of a visible light spectrum range, and package code comprises a color inside the visible light spectrum range.
1./ 7. An authentication server having a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
receive confirmation from a computing device that a first authentication process is valid, the first authentication process including, sensing an electrically conductive ink in proximity to the computing device, the computing device including a capacitive pad having one or more sensors, the electrically conductive ink being printed on a surface of a product, sensing a desired pattern of the electrically conductive ink using the one or more sensors of the capacitive pad, and initiating an internet browsing application running on the computing device in response to triggering appropriate sensors of the one or more sensors of the capacitive pad; receive a package code from the computing device; refer to a non-transitory computer readable medium to determine whether the package code is present in the non-transitory computer readable medium; and provide the computing device with access to software stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium when the package code is present in the non-transitory computer readable medium.
8. The authentication server of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to: determine whether the package code is valid and send an error message to the computing device when the package code is invalid.
9. The authentication server of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to: receive a location of the computing device when the package code is not valid, and store the location of the computing device in the non-transitory computer readable medium.
10. The authentication server of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to: determine whether the package code is unused and send an error message to the computing device when the package code is unused.
11. The authentication server of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to: receive a location of the computing device when the package code is not unused, and store the location of the computing device in the non-transitory computer readable medium.
12. The authentication server of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to: send product package history information to the computing device when the package code is not unused, and provide the computing device with access to product package vendor information.
13. A product package comprising: a substrate; an ink on a surface of the substrate, the ink being electrically conductive and including in a pattern configured to trigger a first authentication process in a computing device when the pattern of the ink is proximate to a capacitive pad of the computing device having a plurality of sensors and when the pattern of the ink simultaneously triggers appropriate sensors of the plurality of sensors of the capacitive pad; and a package code on the surface of the substrate, the package code configured to trigger a second authentication process, wherein the second authentication process includes sending the package code to a remote server, receiving a product authentication determination from the remote server, the product authentication determination is valid when (i) the package code is in a database at the remote server and (ii) the package code has not been used before a present attempt, in response to the product authentication determination indicating the package code is excluded from the database or the package code has been used before the present attempt, determining a location of the computing device, and sending the location of the computing device to the remote server for storage.
14. The product package as recited in claim 13, wherein the ink comprises a color outside of a visible light spectrum range
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The rejection of Claims 14-20 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a), as failing to comply with the written description requirement, is withdrawn due to Applicant’s arguments.
Claim Rejections – 35 USC §101
35 U.S.C. § 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
The rejection of Claims 2-13 under 35 U.S.C. § 101, because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter, specifically an abstract idea, is withdrawn due to Applicant’s arguments and amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Verschuur et al. (US 2005/0006472 A1).
As per independent Claim 14 Verschuur discloses a product package (See at least Para 0124) comprising:
a substrate (See at least Para 0007);
a conductive pattern on the substrate and comprising a conductive ink (See at least Abstract, “A unique conductivity pattern is applied to printable articles to provide a "signature" for later verifying the authenticity of the printable articles. Preferably, the conductivity pattern is hidden from sight and differs from other conductivity patterns applied to other printable articles in an effectively random manner.”; Para 0007; and Para 0025), the conductive pattern corresponding to an authentication pattern and configured to simultaneously activate (read) a subset of an array of capacitor sensors included in a capacitor pad (See at least Abstract, “Capacitive sensors read the conductivity patterns, and the resulting data for recording the signatures reflects not only details of the conductivity patterns themselves but also the characteristics of the capacitive sensors and their use.”, "Conductive pattern on the substrate comprising a conductive ink" - This is the physical implementation of what the abstract refers to as the "unique conductivity pattern... applied to printable articles." "Authentication pattern" - This aligns directly with the explanation that the pattern is used to provide a "‘signature’ for later verifying the authenticity of the printable articles." "Simultaneously activate a subset of an array of capacitor sensors included in a capacitor pad" - This is a mechanical description of how the text's "capacitive sensors read the conductivity patterns". When the printed pattern is placed against a reader's sensor pad, its layout physically aligns with and triggers/ activates specific capacitive nodes beneath it simultaneously.; and Fig.4/ Para 0086, “The printed pattern 72 is divided into rows 80, 82, 84, and 86. One of the rows, such as the row 80, can be used to encode information in a conductive format that identifies the printed article, as well as other information concerning the source or use of the printed article 70. The other rows 82, 84, and 86 can encode additional information or express effectively random patterns of conductivity for defining unique signatures. While all of the rows 80, 82, 84, and 86 can be read, this would require multiple sensors or multiple readings. Our preference is for just one of the rows to be read upon dispensing by a single capacitive sensor 88 for acquiring the conductive signature, but different ones of the rows could be read at different times or locations.) (See also Para 0007, “According to one embodiment, a set of printable articles having conductivity signatures in accordance with the invention includes a plurality of printable substrates and a conductive material associated with each of the printable substrates. The conductive material is distributed among the printable substrates so that the conductive material contributes to the formation of individual conductivity patterns on the printable substrates. The conductivity patterns are detectable as unique signatures that differ from each other in an effectively random manner. Capacitive sensors, for example, can detect the conductivity signatures.”; Para 0008, “Preferably, the conductivity patterns are applied directly or indirectly to the substrates by printing with an electrically conductive medium, such as an electrically conductive ink. Variations in electrical conductivity with position provide a detectable signature. Thus, it is not necessary for the conductive medium to contain pigments for the purpose of forming a capacitive signature, although the conductive medium can contain pigments for the additional purpose of conveying visible information. Beyond the variations in electrical conductivity associated with the appearance of the printed patterns, the electrical conductivity characteristics can be further varied as a result of variations in the conductive medium or in the substrates as well as with variations in the relationship between the conductive medium and the substrates. Thus, merely reproducing the printed pattern of the conductive medium does not necessarily reproduce the conductivity pattern associated with the printed pattern.” - Capacitive Sensors disclosed in the prior art of Verschuur are equivalent to claimed “Capacitive Pad”; See also Para 0019, 0022, 0032-0035, 0039, 0060-0061, and 0069-0071); and
a package code in the product package (See at least Para 0039, “A method of evaluating the authenticity of printed articles in accordance with another embodiment of the invention includes reading a control code printed on one of the printed articles and detecting a unique signature from the one printed article expressed by a pattern of conductive material that varies in an effectively random manner between the printed articles.”; Para 0067, “Alternatively, either of the printed patterns 18 and 20 can encode meaningful information, such as barcode or other symbology that carries an identifying code.”; Para 0069; Para 0081; and Para 0124, “Media that can benefit from the application of unique signatures as described above include tags, tickets, labels, cards, coupons, currency, forms, game pieces, documents and other articles identified by or subject to printing. Some examples of use include product ID tags, passports, bankcards, drug labels, currency, logos, maintenance records, recording media, and other applications where verification of original materials is desired.”). Applicant is further pointed to Para 0068, which describes additional patents of Verschuur, “Examples of such capacitive sensors are described U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,080 to Verschuur et al. entitled Capacitive Method and Apparatus for Accessing Contents of Envelopes and Other Similarly Concealed Information and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,929 to Verschuur et al. entitled Capacitive Method and Apparatus for Accessing Information Encoded by a Differentially Conductive Pattern, which are both hereby incorporated by reference. The patents describe capacitive sensor systems for reading hidden barcode information inside sealed, opaque envelopes. Here a document, ticket, card, or other printable article in which the conductivity pattern can be hidden by a nonconductive, opaque layer or another substrate can replace the envelope. The conductivity pattern can be printed on a single face of a single substrate or can be printed on single or multiple faces of a plurality of substrates for spreading the conductivity pattern across and through multiple layers of an article.”
As per Claim 15 Verschuur discloses wherein the conductive ink comprises a color outside of a visible light spectrum range, and package code comprises a color inside the visible light spectrum range (See at least Para 0025, “As a further security enhancement, the conductivity signatures are preferably hidden from view. The conductive ink can be colorless or can be printed in a color that lacks contrast with the surrounding medium.”).
As per Claim 16 Verschuur discloses wherein the package code corresponds to a code stored at an authentication server (See at least Para 0081).
As per Claim 17 Verschuur discloses wherein the conductive pattern is configured to enable an authentication of the product package by an electronic device based on a comparison of the conductive pattern and the authentication pattern (See at least Para 0112, “Counterfeit cards or other media can be detected by comparing the signatures or lack thereof on the counterfeit cards with signatures stored in a database.”; See also Para 0113).
As per Claim 18 (17) Verschuur discloses wherein the authentication of the product package by the electronic device is a first authentication (See at least Para 0112), and the package code corresponds to a code stored at an authentication server and allows a second authentication of the product package by the authentication server (See at least Para 0069, “The collective conductivity pattern associated with the two printed patterns 18 and 20 of the ticket 10, whether regarded as containing meaningful information (e.g., a barcode) or not, serves as a permanent record of that ticket's signature and can be combined with other security features or systems to verify the authenticity of the ticket 10.”; Para 0081, “… Although the capacitive signature is derived from effectively random conductivity characteristics, the conductivity pattern can also encode additional information, such as information unique to a casino or other distributor in the form of a visible barcode or other symbology that can be decoded for further identifying the ticket 10. Alternatively, the additional information can be encoded separately from the conductivity pattern, such as by printing the code in a visible pattern or by writing the code on a magnetic stripe. The additional information, which can be acquired by a separate reader 36 (see FIG. 1), can be stored together with the unique signatures in the database 34, so that the signatures can be more readily accessed through the additional information that identifies ticket 10 in the database 34. For example, the additional information, such as an identification code, can take less storage space that the signatures themselves, and thus, are more readily searchable.”; See also Para 0032-0035, 0038-0039, and Para 0042).
As per Claim 19 Verschuur discloses wherein the conductive pattern is configured to be detectable from an exterior surface of the product package (See at least Para 0069 and Para 0081).
As per Claim 20 Verschuur discloses wherein the package code is on the substrate (See at least Para 0069 and Para 0081).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 rejection of Claims 2-13 under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Verschuur et al. (US 2005/0006472 A1) in view of Gutierrez (US 9,010,625 B2), is withdrawn due to Applicant’s arguments and amendments.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 9/8/2026, with respect to Claims 2-20, have been considered but are not persuasive. The Double Patenting rejection will remain as FINAL, based on the rejection above.
Applicant's arguments filed on 9/8/2026, with respect to Claims 14-20, have been considered but are not persuasive. The claimed limitations are found in the prior art as stated/mapped in the rejection above. The rejection will remain as FINAL, based on the rejection above.
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.
Applicant’s remaining arguments are addressed above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure can be found in the PTO-892 Notice of References Cited. The Examiner suggests the applicant review these documents before submitting any amendments.
Verschuur (US 6,168,080 B1) – Discloses a Capacitive Method And Apparatus For Accessing Contents Of Envelopes And Other Similarly Concealed Information (Incorporated by reference in Verschuur et al. (US 2005/0006472 A1)).
Verschuur (US 6,202,929 B1) – Discloses a Capacitive Method And Apparatus For Accessing Information Encoded By A Differentially Conductive Pattern (Incorporated by reference in Verschuur et al. (US 2005/0006472 A1)).
Irwin, Jr. (US 5,621,200 A) – Discloses a Electronic Verification Machine For Validating A Medium Having Conductive Material Printed Thereon (Sited in US 6,168,080 B1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN P OUELLETTE whose telephone number is (571)272-6807. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8am-6pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lynda C Jasmin can be reached on (571) 272-6782. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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October 14, 2026
/JONATHAN P OUELLETTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3629
