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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This communication is in response to application No. 18/992,553, filed on 02/05/2025. Claims 1-15 are currently pending and have been examined. Claims 1-15 have been rejected as follow,
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged. Applicant has not complied with one or more conditions for receiving the benefit of an earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. Applicant filed certified patent document, Application number 10-2022-0084229 on 01/08/2025. However, a translation of said application has not been made of record in accordance with 37 CFR 1.55. See MPEP §§ 215 and 216.
Claim Objections
As to claims 1-15, Independent claims 1 and 15: they contain the acronym "CUID”. Acronyms must be defined in plain terminology within the claim before the acronym can be used. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding to Claim 5, it appears that the claim is dependent of claim 1. Claim 5 is objected to because under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claim 4. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m). Appropriate correction is required.
As to claims 2-14, they depend from claim 1 and do not cure the deficiencies set forth above.
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.
Claims 1- 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Claims 1-15 are not compliant with 101, according with the last “2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance” (2019 PEG), published in the MPEP 2103 through 2106.07(c). The claims has been amended and Examiner’s analysis is presented below in all the claims.
Claim 1: Step 1 of 2019 PGE, does the claim fall within a Statutory Category? Yes. The claim recites a method.
Step 2A - Prong 1: Is a Judicial Exception recited in the claim? Yes. The claim recites the limitations of “generating and providing a CUID; calling … that will collect reusable or disposable containers … on the basis of the recovery information; and updating recycling history of the reusable or disposable container on the basis of a result of product inspection on the reusable or disposable container collected …”
The “generating, calling and updating ” limitations, as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitations as certain methods of organizing human activity, advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors. The method for managing reusable or disposable containers. Thus, the claim recites an abstract idea.
Step 2A - Prong 2: Integrated into a Practical Application? No. The claim recites additional limitations, such as,
“receiving recovery information including the CUID”. These are limitations toward accessing or receiving data (gathering data).
The Examiner analyses other supplementary elements in the claim in view of the instant disclosure: “by a computing device; from a container recovery apparatus; a collection company; through the collection company”. These elements are recited in a very generic way. The collection company is an extrinsic agent or computer. The collection company is not part of the computer device performing this claimed method.
The Examiner gives the broadest reasonable interpretation to the above elements. They are insignificant extra-solution activity. See MPEP 2106.05(g).
The combination of these additional elements can also be considered no more than mere instructions “to apply” the exception, See MPEP 2106.05(f).
Accordingly, even in combination, these additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea.
The claim as a whole does not integrate the method of organizing human activity into a practical application. Thus, the claim is ineligible because is directed to the recited judicial exception (abstract idea).
Step 2B : claim provides an inventive concept? No.
As discussed with respect to Step 2A Prong Two, the additional elements in the claim,
“by a computing device; from a container recovery apparatus; a collection company; through the collection company”, amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception. i.e., mere instructions to apply an exception using generic hardware and software cannot integrate a judicial exception into a practical application at Step 2A or provide an inventive concept in Step 2B.
Under the 2019 PEG, a conclusion that an additional element is insignificant extra-solution activity in Step 2A should be re-evaluated in Step 2B.
Here, the limitations: “by a computing device; from a container recovery apparatus; a collection company; through the collection company” were considered to be extra-solution activity in Step 2A, and thus it is re-evaluated in Step 2B to determine if it is more than what is well-understood, routine, conventional activity in the field.
Other limitations in the claim, such as:
“receiving recovery information including the CUID”. These are limitations toward accessing or receiving data (gathering data). Accessing or transmitting data is very well understood, routine and conventional computer task activity; It represents insignificant extra solution activity. Mere data-gathering step[s] cannot make an otherwise nonstaturory claim statutory In re Grams,888 F.2d 835, 840 (Fed. Cir. 1989) (quoting In re Meyer, 688 F.2d 789, 794 (CCPA 1982)).
Further, the instant specification does not provide any indication that the elements
“by a computing device; from a container recovery apparatus; a collection company; through the collection company” are anything other than generic software and very high level hardware, and the OIP Techs., Inc., v. Amazon.com, Inc., 788 F.3d 1359, 1363, 115 USPQ2d 1090, 1093 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (sending messages over a network); and v. Presenting offers and gathering statistics, OIP Techs., 788 F.3d at 1362-63, 115 USPQ2d at 1092-93; court decisions cited in MPEP 2106.05(d)(II) indicate that merely computer receives and sends information over a network and presenting or displaying information, is a well‐understood, routine, conventional function when it is claimed in a merely generic manner (as it is here).
Accordingly, a conclusion that the “by a computing device; from a container recovery apparatus; a collection company; through the collection company” limitations (pointed above) are well-understood, routine, conventional activity is supported under Berkheimer Option 2. The claim is ineligible.
Claim 15: Step 1 of 2019 PGE, does the claim fall within a Statutory Category? Yes. The claim recites a system.
Step 2A - Prong 1: Is a Judicial Exception recited in the claim ? Yes. Because the same reasons pointed above.
Step 2A - Prong 2: Integrated into a Practical Application? No. Because the same reasons pointed above.
Step 2B : claim provides an inventive concept? No. Because the same reasons pointed above. The claim is ineligible.
Dependent claims 2-14, the claims recite elements such as “further comprising the step of receiving stock information including the CUID from a store terminal when the reusable or disposable container including the CUID is stocked in the store”, etc. These elements do not integrate the system of organizing human activity into a practical application. The claims are ineligible.
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 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 of this title, 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 1-8 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR20210069167A (Kim) in view of US PG. Pub. No. 20160371738 (BERRY).
As to claims 1 and 15, Kim discloses a method of managing reusable or disposable containers, the method performed by a computing device and comprising the steps of:
a) generating and providing a CUID;
(“… an operating method thereof, and more particularly, by using a container equipped with an identification tag to transmit and receive information on the container to and from the management server. …”, paragraph 1.
“[0012] The container according to an embodiment includes at least one or more recognition tags, and at least one or more container parts to which the at least one or more recognition tags are attached, respectively, and assembled in a detachable manner to form a predetermined shape, wherein the container includes the at least one The current location is monitored by the management server by the container identification information in which at least one or more recognition tag information for one or more recognition tags is reflected, and container identification information is given by the content supplier and delivered to the customer, or from the customer to the central location …”, paragraph 12.
“[0122] Referring to FIG. 2 , the management server 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an ID generation unit 201…”, paragraphs 122-123
“[0146] Referring to FIG. 4 , in the operation method of the container management system, in step 401 , a content supplier may generate container identification information by combining recognition tags of container parts”, paragraph 146);
b) receiving recovery information including the CUID from a container recovery apparatus when a reusable or disposable container including the CUID is recovered in the container recovery apparatus;
(“[0030] The management server according to an embodiment, when the container corresponding to the re-recognized container identification information is recovered in the central recovery/separation/washing/assembly system, the re-recognized container identification information is recovered by the central recovery/separation/washing/ Received from the assembly system terminal, the status of the container may be updated to completion of recovery.
c) calling [a collection company] that will collect reusable or disposable containers loaded in the container recovery apparatus on the basis of the recovery information;
(“container delivery/recovery system 502”, paragraph 165, Fig. 5 and associated disclosure.
“…it is possible to communicate with the management server 503 using an application installed in the customer terminal 501 . Therefore, the customer terminal 501 may be an application installed in the user terminal”, paragraph 170 and Fig. 5
See also “[0140] The call command unit 302 may transmit a call command to distribute the containers to the predicted delivery location. [0166] The customer terminal 501 may transmit a call command for content delivery. [0171] The call order includes at least one of the type of contents, the address of the delivery destination, the restaurant address, the restaurant name, the contents information of the container, and the specification of the food container, but is not limited thereto, and may include various information not described”, paragraphs 140, 166 and 171); and
d) updating recycling[ history] of the reusable or disposable container on the basis of a result of product inspection on the reusable or disposable container collected [through the collection company].
(“[0074] Accordingly, the management server 101 may map the collected container identification information and the identification information of the delivery person 105 to update the current state of the container 102 to receive completion”, paragraph 74.
“update the current state of the container 102” , paragraph 76.
“…the status of the container corresponding to the re-recognized container identification information may be updated as the recovery progresses….”, paragraphs 84, 87.
“[0141] The update unit 303 may collect the inventory information of the container, and may store the collected inventory information.
[0142] The update unit 303 may update the expected delivery demand and the container inventory amount corresponding to the delivery expected location based on the database.”, paragraph 141-142).
Kim does not expressly disclose But BERRY discloses
a collection company
(“[0018] Within the context of this invention, the Complete Unit of Advertising and Reuse (CUAR) is explained as follows. Durable and non-durable consumer goods transitioning after use from consumer units are packaged in purpose-specific unique containers. The purpose-specific unique container is called a CUAR, a Complete Unit of Advertising and Reuse. The CUAR is designed to display brand-with-image partner messaging while reusable materials move efficiently and productively through the restorative materials trade market. The physical structure of the CUAR is a basic container, box or bag, durable enough to hold several pounds and survive shipping. The exterior of the CUAR is printed with insignia representing sponsoring partnered advertisers. In addition, insignia on the exterior identifies the (intended) contents of the CUAR. Content representational insignia might identify, but not limited to; Textiles, Metal, Plastics, Paper, Electronics, Batteries, Non-perishable Food, Compostable Waste. The content representational insignia might also include an average estimated weight of a filled CUAR. Thus, a scan of the CUAR content insignia would read, for example; Contents: Paper; Weight: 25 lbs. The system centralizes the trading of these purpose-specific containers or CUARS and directs the contents of these containers for restorative use. Some examples of restorative uses are, but not limited to, donations of goods to non-profit organizations, donation of goods for social and disaster relief, durable material recycling, durable material collection for reuse, and waste used to generate energy”, paragraph 18.
“ …The system of this invention is an innovative response to latent consumer demands for making more sense out of waste, and environmental and social well-being. The system defines what consumers are looking for and shapes system participation criteria while revolutionizing post-consumption material handling. Access to the system, an innovative, new wealth market, makes the existing post-consumption material handling model obsolete. Using existing infrastructure, the system centralizes trading of CUARs … post-consumption materials management companies and grants wealth credits for the trades”, paragraph 26).
history of the reusable or disposable container
(“…Processing a container of re-usable material includes determining an objective value of the re-usable materials based on current market value for the re-usable materials and a user quality appraisal factor that is derived from an assessment of the user's history with regard to quality and type of re-usable material placed in the containers”, abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate BERRY’s teaching with the teaching of Kim. One would have been motivated to provide functionality to calling or contacting a collection company and providing history of a container in order to “include historical data regarding quantity and quality of processed CUARs” in order to support “fully or partially automated system and associated method for generating revenue”, (see BERRY abstract).
As to claim 15, it comprise the same limitation than claim 1 above, therefore is rejected in similar manner.
Further, the claim comprises
a processor; (Kim discloses element 503 in Fig. 5 and associated disclosure);
a memory that loads a computer program executed by the processor (Kim paragraph 188);
and a storage for storing the computer program, wherein the computer program includes instructions for executing (Kim paragraphs 187-188);
As to claim 2, Kim discloses further comprising the step of
receiving stock information including the CUID from a store terminal when the reusable or disposable container including the CUID is stocked in the store.
(“[0141] The update unit 303 may collect the inventory information of the container, and may store the collected inventory information”, paragraph 141.
“[0142] The update unit 303 may update the expected delivery demand and the container inventory amount corresponding to the delivery expected location based on the database”, paragraph 142).
As to claim 3, Kim discloses
wherein the step of receiving stock information including the CUID includes the step of updating the recycling history of the reusable or disposable container on the basis of the stock information.
(“[0012] The container according to an embodiment includes at least one or more recognition tags, and at least one or more container parts to which the at least one or more recognition tags are attached, respectively, and assembled in a detachable manner to form a predetermined shape, wherein the container includes the at least one The current location is monitored by the management server by the container identification information in which at least one or more recognition tag information for one or more recognition tags is reflected, and container identification information is given by the content supplier and delivered to the customer, or from the customer to the central location”, paragraph 12.
“[0074] Accordingly, the management server 101 may map the collected container identification information and the identification information of the delivery person 105 to update the current state of the container 102 to receive completion.
“[0142] The update unit 303 may update the expected delivery demand and the container inventory amount corresponding to the delivery expected location based on the database”, paragraphs 74 and 142).
As to claim 4, Kim discloses
wherein the step of receiving recovery information including the CUID (paragraphs 12, 74 and 142) includes the steps of:
Kim does not disclose but BERRY discloses
a) calculating a recovery reward corresponding to the reusable or disposable container on the basis of the CUID;
(berry teaches advertisement “…providing the user with a container for collecting and storing a predetermined type of re-usable material, wherein the container includes identifying indicia regarding the contents of the container, and wherein the container further includes advertising for at least one product or service…”, paragraph 5.
“[0007] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an automated method for creating and enhancing advertising opportunity based on the collection of processing of reusable and/or recyclable material, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention”, paragraph 7.
“[0015] A system and method are described for calculating User (Profile) Value in determining advertising pricing based on a User (Profile) transformed by the Complete Reuse System (CRS) trade experience. A purpose-specific unique container bearing brand-with-image partner messaging is the advertising delivery mechanism….The system distributes wealth credits to the User from the proceeds of the CUAR trade. Some of these wealth credits might be, but not limited to, monetary, environmental, and self-actualization valuations quantified programmatically by way of the system administrator. The User's realization of these values results in measurable effects of the User's system experience; effects that are valued by advertisers….”, paragraph 15.
“[0039] After the traded CUAR has been processed and appraised, and reported to the system by the trade recipient, the (absolute) objective values of the true contents of the CUAR are programmatically calculated by the system administrator. These (absolute) objective values might be, but not limited to, monetary and environmental wellness (sustainability). Post-trade the Monetary values of the true contents of the CUAR are credited to the User's system account. The Monetary values might include, but are not limited to: Currency value from the trade revenue (payment for goods at the highest value use), a dollar representation of the free container, and free shipping, a dollar representation of time saved and disposal charge reductions, an account of coupons and/or discounts offered by the sponsoring advertiser as a results of the CUAR trade process, and if appropriate, tax deduction receipt accounting valuation issued….”, paragraph 39.
“…The User's metabolic effects are measured as relative to the awareness of the “granted” (earned) wealth credits and subjective values are re-calculated”, paragraph 40.
“0044] Objective values are important to the advertiser. The objective values of the User's system experience relevant to the advertiser are calculated based on User behavior by way of the system administrator and are represented to the advertiser as tallied reach and frequency; referrals; life-time value of new customer activity; validated target market membership; specific zip+4 code margins/results; or a combination thereof. Additionally, the advertiser and the image partner are notified by the system administrator of the progress of the CUAR trade. This gives the advertiser and or image partner a signal to contact the User. The system monitors these contacts for evidence of message acceptance and “Premium User Behavior”. Some of these behaviors, commencing by way of the system administrator, might be redemption of a discount or rebate offered by the advertiser; responding to an advertiser's offer to open a credit account; downloading the advertiser's or image partner's APP; accessing the advertiser's website; click-through to purchase; and/or purchasing a customized offer based on the User profile. These communications between the User and the advertiser equates to a higher value User Profile”, paragraph 44.
“…By linking to the Internal Revenue Service, step 436, the giving calculator function at step 434, informs the system of the tax credits to be granted should the CUAR contents or the trade proceeds …”, paragraph 50 and Fig. 4).
and b) transmitting reward information to the container recovery apparatus on the basis of the calculated recovery reward.
(“…Other information includes options for distributing currency value credits accumulated as a function of the User Account such as payment to User by way of deposit to a bank account, issuance of (bank, gift) card, forwarding currency value to the User's choice of a non-profit as the beneficiary of trade proceeds. ..”, paragraph 17.
“ties incentives and grants user rewards “, paragraphs 25, 27 and 28.
“0044] Objective values are important to the advertiser. The objective values of the User's system experience relevant to the advertiser are calculated based on User behavior by way of the system administrator and are represented to the advertiser as tallied reach and frequency; referrals; life-time value of new customer activity; validated target market membership; specific zip+4 code margins/results; or a combination thereof. Additionally, the advertiser and the image partner are notified by the system administrator of the progress of the CUAR trade. This gives the advertiser and or image partner a signal to contact the User. The system monitors these contacts for evidence of message acceptance and “Premium User Behavior”. Some of these behaviors, commencing by way of the system administrator, might be redemption of a discount or rebate offered by the advertiser; responding to an advertiser's offer to open a credit account; downloading the advertiser's or image partner's APP; accessing the advertiser's website; click-through to purchase; and/or purchasing a customized offer based on the User profile. These communications between the User and the advertiser equates to a higher value User Profile”, paragraph 44.
“…By linking to the Internal Revenue Service, step 436, the giving calculator function at step 434, informs the system of the tax credits to be granted should the CUAR contents or the trade proceeds …”, paragraph 50 and Fig. 4).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate BERRY’s teaching with the teaching of Kim. One would have been motivated to provide functionality to calculate recovery rewards or incentives in order to support a “method for generating revenue from targeted advertising based on user-determined processing of recyclable or reusable materials” (see BERRY abstract).
As to claim 5, it comprise the same limitation than claim 4 above, therefore is rejected in similar manner.
As to claims 6 and 7, Kim does not disclose but BERRY discloses
Claim 6:
wherein the recovery reward is calculated differently according to a reward accumulation means.
(“…Other information includes options for distributing currency value credits accumulated as a function of the User Account such as payment to User by way of deposit to a bank account, issuance of (bank, gift) card, forwarding currency value to the User's choice of a non-profit as the beneficiary of trade proceeds. Subjective criteria based on individual preferences include personal values, personal interests, likes and dislikes, important social causes, important environmental causes, philanthropic memberships, approbation (sanctioning) of call-to-action campaigns.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate BERRY’s teaching with the teaching of Kim. One would have been motivated to provide functionality to calculate recovery rewards or incentives in order to support a “method for generating revenue from targeted advertising based on user-determined processing of recyclable or reusable materials” (see BERRY abstract).
Claim 7:
wherein the step of receiving recovery information including the CUI D further includes the step of paying the recovery reward according to a reward accumulation means selected by a user.
(“…Other information includes options for distributing currency value credits accumulated as a function of the User Account such as payment to User by way of deposit to a bank account, issuance of (bank, gift) card, forwarding currency value to the User's choice of a non-profit as the beneficiary of trade proceeds. Subjective criteria based on individual preferences include personal values, personal interests, likes and dislikes, important social causes, important environmental causes, philanthropic memberships, approbation (sanctioning) of call-to-action campaigns.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate BERRY’s teaching with the teaching of Kim. One would have been motivated to provide functionality to calculate recovery rewards or incentives in order to support a “method for generating revenue from targeted advertising based on user-determined processing of recyclable or reusable materials” (see BERRY abstract).
As to claim 8, Kim discloses
wherein the step of receiving recovery information including the CUID further includes the step of updating the recycling [history]
(“[0074] Accordingly, the management server 101 may map the collected container identification information and the identification information of the delivery person 105 to update the current state of the container 102 to receive completion”, paragraph 74.
“update the current state of the container 102” , paragraph 76.
“…the status of the container corresponding to the re-recognized container identification information may be updated as the recovery progresses….”, paragraphs 84, 87.
“[0141] The update unit 303 may collect the inventory information of the container, and may store the collected inventory information.
[0142] The update unit 303 may update the expected delivery demand and the container inventory amount corresponding to the delivery expected location based on the database.”, paragraph 141-142).
Kim does not disclose but BERRY discloses
updating the recycling history of the reusable or disposable container on the basis of the recovery information.
(“…Processing a container of re-usable material includes determining an objective value of the re-usable materials based on current market value for the re-usable materials and a user quality appraisal factor that is derived from an assessment of the user's history with regard to quality and type of re-usable material placed in the containers”, abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate BERRY’s teaching with the teaching of Kim. One would have been motivated to provide functionality to calling or contacting a collection company and providing history of a container in order to “include historical data regarding quantity and quality of processed CUARs” in order to support “fully or partially automated system and associated method for generating revenue”, (see BERRY abstract).
As to claim 13, Kim discloses
wherein the recovery information includes identification information of a container box provided in the container recovery apparatus,
(“[0091] The container 130 is made of a combination of one or more container parts, the main body 111, the content container (food container, product container, waste container) 112 consisting of various compartments according to the type of content, the cover 121, It consists of container parts such as a compression pad (not shown), and a recognition tag 114 is attached or inserted on one side or inside of each container part. In addition, one container identification information is given to the container in their combined state, and is stored and maintained in the management server”, paragraph 91 and Fig. 1b.
“[0181] When an event of loading or returning a container [a container box] occurs, the unmanned container delivery/recovery system 502 may provide container identification information about the container together with the event to the management server 503”, paragraph 181).
and the CUID of the reusable or disposable container is mapped to the identification information of the container box.
(“…the collection and loading system, and collect the container identification information. In addition, the current location of the container may be updated [is mapped ] by using the collected information…”, paragraph 182).
As to claim 14, Kim discloses
wherein the recycling history of the reusable or disposable container is updated in connection with the management history of the container box.
(“[0026] The management server according to an embodiment, when collecting the container identification information read by the deliveryman terminal of the deliveryman who receives the container containing the content from the content supplier, the status of the registered container of the deliveryman It can be updated with receipt completion by mapping with identification information.
[0027] The management server according to an embodiment, when the container is completed delivery to the customer, according to the input from the delivery man terminal can be updated to complete delivery”, paragraph 26-27. See also paragraph 181).
Claims 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
KR20210069167A (Kim) in view of US PG. Pub. No. 20160371738 (BERRY) and in view of US PG. Pub. No. 20170221017 (Gonen).
As to claim 9, Kim discloses
wherein the step of calling a collection company includes the steps of:
a) determining a container loading state of the container recovery apparatus on the basis of the recovery information; and
(“[0074] Accordingly, the management server 101 may map the collected container identification information and the identification information of the delivery person 105 to update the current state of the container 102 to receive completion”, paragraph 74.
“update the current state of the container 102” , paragraph 76.
“…the status of the container corresponding to the re-recognized container identification information may be updated as the recovery progresses….”, paragraphs 84, 87.
“[0141] The update unit 303 may collect the inventory information of the container, and may store the collected inventory information.
[0142] The update unit 303 may update the expected delivery demand and the container inventory amount corresponding to the delivery expected location based on the database.”, paragraph 141-142).
b) calling [a collection company] to collect reusable or disposable containers loaded in the container recovery apparatus when the container [ loading state satisfies a first condition].
(“container delivery/recovery system 502”, paragraph 165, Fig. 5 and associated disclosure.
“…it is possible to communicate with the management server 503 using an application installed in the customer terminal 501 . Therefore, the customer terminal 501 may be an application installed in the user terminal”, paragraph 170 and Fig. 5
See also “[0140] The call command unit 302 may transmit a call command to distribute the containers to the predicted delivery location. [0166] The customer terminal 501 may transmit a call command for content delivery. [0171] The call order includes at least one of the type of contents, the address of the delivery destination, the restaurant address, the restaurant name, the contents information of the container, and the specification of the food container, but is not limited thereto, and may include various information not described”, paragraphs 140, 166 and 171);
Kim does not expressly disclose But BERRY discloses
a collection company
(“[0018] Within the context of this invention, the Complete Unit of Advertising and Reuse (CUAR) is explained as follows. Durable and non-durable consumer goods transitioning after use from consumer units are packaged in purpose-specific unique containers. The purpose-specific unique container is called a CUAR, a Complete Unit of Advertising and Reuse. The CUAR is designed to display brand-with-image partner messaging while reusable materials move efficiently and productively through the restorative materials trade market. The physical structure of the CUAR is a basic container, box or bag, durable enough to hold several pounds and survive shipping. The exterior of the CUAR is printed with insignia representing sponsoring partnered advertisers. In addition, insignia on the exterior identifies the (intended) contents of the CUAR. Content representational insignia might identify, but not limited to; Textiles, Metal, Plastics, Paper, Electronics, Batteries, Non-perishable Food, Compostable Waste. The content representational insignia might also include an average estimated weight of a filled CUAR. Thus, a scan of the CUAR content insignia would read, for example; Contents: Paper; Weight: 25 lbs. The system centralizes the trading of these purpose-specific containers or CUARS and directs the contents of these containers for restorative use. Some examples of restorative uses are, but not limited to, donations of goods to non-profit organizations, donation of goods for social and disaster relief, durable material recycling, durable material collection for reuse, and waste used to generate energy”, paragraph 18.
“ …The system of this invention is an innovative response to latent consumer demands for making more sense out of waste, and environmental and social well-being. The system defines what consumers are looking for and shapes system participation criteria while revolutionizing post-consumption material handling. Access to the system, an innovative, new wealth market, makes the existing post-consumption material handling model obsolete. Using existing infrastructure, the system centralizes trading of CUARs … post-consumption materials management companies and grants wealth credits for the trades”, paragraph 26).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate BERRY’s teaching with the teaching of Kim. One would have been motivated to provide functionality to calling or contacting a collection company and providing history of a container in order to support “fully or partially automated system and associated method for generating revenue”, (see BERRY abstract).
Kim discloses “….When a customer returns the container through a delivery person or a collection merchant, the delivery person or the collection merchant recognizes the container with a container recognition terminal and registers with the management server that the occupant has changed to a delivery person or a collection merchant. If there is a part(s), all related matters are recorded in the management server and processed according to the rules set for each case …”, paragraph 94.
Kim does not expressly disclose But Gonen discloses
loading state satisfies a first condition.
(“wherein the processor is further configured to generate the categorizations of the plurality of collected waste resources based on conditions of the plurality of collected …. Resources”, claim 2.
“13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of: assessing a condition of the plurality of collected … resources; and selecting the categorization based upon the assessed condition”, claim 13.
“[0044] Embodiments may wait a predetermined amount of time between collection runs in order for a sufficient number of requests to arrive within a predefined service area. …. Cargo capacity criteria may include weight, volume, interior dimensions, exterior dimensions (e.g., trailer size, roof rack size, etc.), or any combination of criteria. …”, paragraph 44.
See also “rules within scheduling module of resource management system 106”, paragraph 60)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Gonen’s teaching with the teaching of Kim. One would have been motivated to provide functionality to establish a container state or category and rules or conditions or criteria to process container category in order to support “recycling processes and encourage consumers to recycle more and more … resources” (see Gonen paragraph 6).
As to claim 10, Kim does not disclose but Gonen discloses
wherein the collection company is determined on the basis of [a priority calculated according to a distance] between the container recovery apparatus and the collection company and a service fee of the collection company.
(Gonen teaches a routing module and service fee base in distance, “[0041] Next, customer 102 may submit, and resource management system 106 may receive, the collection request for the waste resources from customer 102. For purpose of routing a collection vehicle, each pickup address from customer 102 is a separate destination. A routing module of resource management system 106 may determine a relatively efficient route for the collection of the waste resources from the plurality of customers 102 who have submitted a collection request within a given period of time. Given a list of destinations and the cost to travel between each pair of destinations (cost as measured by, e.g., distance, time to travel, tolls, multivariate function thereof, etc.), the routing module determines a low-cost route (i.e., ideally the least costly route) that visits each destination once and upon conclusion goes to a predetermined location (e.g., a depot to unload the collection vehicle, or a designated waiting location, etc.…”, paragraph 41).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Gonen’s teaching with the teaching of Kim. One would have been motivated to provide functionality to establish a container state or category and rules or conditions to process container category in order to support “recycling processes and encourage consumers to recycle more and more … resources” (see Gonen paragraph 6).
Kim does not teach
a priority calculated according to a distance
but from Goner teaching of cost based in distance and determining a low-cost route (Goner paragraph 41) and “categorization based upon the assessed condition”, Goner claim 13 and “rules within scheduling module of resource management system 106”, Goner paragraph 60. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Gonen’s teaching with the teaching of Kim to arrive to the rule or condition or criteria of give priority or categorization based in conditions such as distance between the container recovery apparatus and the collecting company and the results would have been predictable.
As to claim 11, Kim does not disclose but Gonen discloses,
priority is determined
(“categorizations of the plurality of collected … resources”, paragraph 11).
calculates a weighted sum of the distance and the service fee
(“cost as measured by, e.g., distance, time to travel, paragraph 41.
“…in some circumstances when one route may reduce a first metric (e.g., distance traveled) but another route may reduce a second metric (e.g., time to travel) at a cost of a higher first metric, a weighting may be applied (e.g., dollars per hour and dollars per mile) in order to determine an efficient route taking into account multiple metrics…”, paragraph 43)
conditions or rules or criteria
(“wherein the processor is further configured to generate the categorizations of the plurality of collected waste resources based on conditions of the plurality of collected …. Resources”, claim 2.
“13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of: assessing a condition of the plurality of collected … resources; and selecting the categorization based upon the assessed condition”, claim 13.
“[0044] Embodiments may wait a predetermined amount of time between collection runs in order for a sufficient number of requests to arrive within a predefined service area. …. Cargo capacity criteria may include weight, volume, interior dimensions, exterior dimensions (e.g., trailer size, roof rack size, etc.), or any combination of criteria. …”, paragraph 44.
See also “rules within scheduling module of resource management system 106”, paragraph 60)
Kim does not disclose but Gonen discloses,
[wherein the priority is determined on the basis of a calculation formula that calculates a weighted sum of the distance and the service fee,
wherein in the calculation formula, a first weight applied to the distance or a second weight applied to the service fee is determined differently when the container loading state is the first condition and a second condition]
but from Goner teaching of cost based in distance and determining a low-cost route (Goner paragraph 41) and “categorization based upon the assessed condition”, Goner claim 13 and “rules within scheduling module of resource management system 106” and cargo capacity criteria, Goner paragraphs 44 and 60. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Gonen’s teaching with the teaching of Kim to arrive to the rule or condition or criteria of “the priority is determined on the basis of a calculation formula that calculates a weighted sum of the distance and the service fee, wherein in the calculation formula, a first weight applied to the distance or a second weight applied to the service fee is determined differently when the container loading state is the first condition and a second condition, and the results would have been predictable.
As to claim 12, Kim discloses
wherein the step of calling a collection company further includes the step of [granting a right to access the container recovery apparatus to the collection company].
(Kim discloses in Fig. 3 an embodiment in which big data processing is performed internally…0137] The big data unit 300 includes a prediction unit 301 , a call command unit 302 , an update unit 303 , a call update unit 304”, paragraphs 136 -137.
“[0140] The call command unit 302 may transmit a call command to distribute the containers to the predicted delivery location. [0141] The update unit 303 may collect the inventory information of the container, and may store the collected inventory information. [0142] The update unit 303 may update the expected delivery demand and the container inventory amount corresponding to the delivery expected location based on the database”, paragraphs 140-142.
“…The processing device may also access, store, manipulate, process, and generate data in response to execution of the software. For convenience of understanding, although one processing device is sometimes described as being used, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the processing device includes a plurality of processing elements and/or a plurality of types of processing elements. It can be seen that may include For example, the processing device may include a plurality of processors or one processor and one controller. Other processing configurations are also possible, such as parallel processors”, paragraph 186.
Kim also discloses
“[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a container management system for constructing big data by transmitting and receiving information to and from a management server through recognition tags provided in container parts, and predicting expected demand through the built big data, and an operating method thereof.
[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a container management system capable of efficiently managing containers by interworking with a management server [examiner interprets as granting a right to access ] in real time through recognition tags provided in container parts, and a method for operating the same”, paragraphs 9-10 and “big data unit 300” paragraphs 134-136).
Kim does not disclose
granting a right to access the container recovery apparatus to the collection company
but from Kim teaching of “The big data unit 300 includes …, a call command unit 302 , an update unit 303 , a call update unit 304”, paragraphs 136 -137. “The update unit 303 may collect the inventory information of the container”, paragraphs 140-142. “… access, store, manipulate, process, and generate data in response to execution of the software”, paragraph 186. “provide a container management system capable of efficiently managing containers by interworking with a management server”, paragraphs 9-10)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Kim’s teaching to arrive to the claimed limitation “granting a right to access the container recovery apparatus to the collection company” and the results would have been predictable in order to “…provide a container management system for constructing big data by transmitting and receiving information to and from a management server through recognition tags provided in container parts, and predicting expected demand through the built big data” (Kim paragraph 9).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
“Internet of Things for a sustainable food packaging ecosystem insights from a business perspective”. IEEE. 2019
This article discloses “Managing waste in a sustainable way is a challenge in our symbiotic society. This study focuses on developing a sustainable solution for the waste management of disposable food packaging. For the proposed solution, the designed model is an amalgam of the Internet of Things technologies together with alternative methodologies for managing in a sustainable manner the disposable food containers. Meanwhile, the solution promotes the development of localized socio-economic ecosystems for a circular economy. A blueprint has been developed based on systematic analysis of the acquired qualitative and quantitative data in addition to a pilot run in the city of Uppsala, Sweden for verifying its viability. It is found that the proposed model although tested on small scale is feasible upon consideration of the local society's habitual gestures and peculiarities.”
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/MARIA V VANDERHORST/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3621 12/12/2025