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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 7/31/2025 and 12/15/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 (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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-10 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Al-Hmalan et al. (US 8957787 B1; cited by Applicant IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Al-Hmalan discloses (Fig. 1) a system and method for disabled parking spot enforcement comprising:
a monitoring assembly 10 disposed in communicating relation with a monitored parking area (col. 2, lines 11-35),
said monitoring assembly comprising a presence detector 20 (col. 2, lines 11-19; col. 2, lines 36-43), identification capabilities (col. 2, lines 19-28; col. 2, lines 36-43), an indicator assembly (col. 2, lines 29-35) and a processor 28 (col. 3, lines 13-31),
said presence detector operative to detect occupancy of a vehicle in the monitored parking area (col. 2, lines 11-19),
said identification capabilities configured to determine authorized usage of the monitored parking area, by a vehicle, (col. 2, lines 51-57; Claim 1) and
said indicator assembly communicating with said identification capabilities and operative to indicate valid and invalid vehicle occupancy of the monitored parking area, via said processor (col. 2, lines 29-32).
Regarding claim 2, Al-Hmalan discloses the apparatus of claim 1 above and further discloses wherein said presence detector is connected to said identification capabilities and operative, via said processor, to provide on-off activation thereof (col. 3, lines 13-31).
Regarding claim 3, Al-Hmalan discloses the apparatus of claim 2 above and further discloses wherein said presence detector comprises a camera disposed on said monitoring assembly in observable relation to vehicles within the monitored parking area (col. 2, lines 36-43).
Regarding claim 4, Al-Hmalan discloses the apparatus of claim 2 above and further discloses wherein said identification capabilities comprise a reader disposed in visual communication with a vehicle within the monitored parking area (col. 2, lines 36-43) and configured to determine identification data associated with vehicles within the monitored parking area (col. 2, lines 19-28).
Regarding claim 5, Al-Hmalan discloses the apparatus of claim 4 above and further discloses wherein said reader is configured to read identification data on RFID components disposed on vehicles within the monitored parking area (col. 2, lines 19-28).
Regarding claim 6, Al-Hmalan discloses the apparatus of claim 4 above and further discloses wherein said reader is configured to read identification data stored on transponder components mounted on vehicles within the monitored parking area (col. 2, lines 19-28).
Regarding claim 7, Al-Hmalan discloses the apparatus of claim 4 above and further discloses wherein said presence detector comprises a camera disposed on said monitoring assembly in observable relation to vehicles within said monitored parking area (col. 2, lines 36-43).
Regarding claim 8, Al-Hmalan discloses the apparatus of claim 4 above and further discloses wherein said indicator assembly comprises visually observable indicators connected to said reader and operative, via activation by said processor, to indicate valid and non-valid occupancy of a vehicle within the monitored parking area (col. 2, lines 29-35).
Regarding claim 9, Al-Hmalan discloses the apparatus of claim 4 above and further discloses wherein said processor comprises communication capabilities configured to establish communicative links located internally and externally relative to the monitored parking area (col. 3, lines 13-31; col. 4, lines 11-14).
Regarding claim 10, Al-Hmalan discloses the apparatus of claim 9 above and further discloses wherein said processor is communicative, via an external communication link, with external authoritative entities for citation generation against vehicles demonstrating invalid occupancy of the monitored parking area (col. 4, lines 11-17).
Regarding claim 13, Al-Hmalan discloses the apparatus of claim 1 above and further discloses wherein said processor comprises storage facilities configured to maintain transactional log data, including vehicle entry and exit data, associated with the monitored parking area (col. 3, line 57 – col. 4, line 3; col. 4, lines 36-41).
Claim(s) 1-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stefik et al. (US 8799037 B2; cited by Applicant IDS).
Regarding claim 1, Stefik discloses (Fig. 2) a parking lot monitoring system comprising:
a monitoring assembly 21 disposed in communicating relation with a monitored parking area (col. 7, lines 8-12),
said monitoring assembly comprising a presence detector 22 (col. 7, lines 8-12), identification capabilities (col. 10, lines 11-16), an indicator assembly 23 (col. 7, lines 62 - col. 8, line 12) and a processor (Claim 1),
said presence detector operative to detect occupancy of a vehicle in the monitored parking area (col. 7, lines 8-12),
said identification capabilities (col. 10, lines 11-16) configured to determine authorized usage of the monitored parking area, by a vehicle, (col. 31, lines 18-31) and
said indicator assembly communicating with said identification capabilities and operative to indicate valid and invalid vehicle occupancy of the monitored parking area, via said processor (col. 8, lines 52 – col. 9, line 4).
Regarding claim 2, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 1 above and further discloses wherein said presence detector is connected to said identification capabilities and operative, via said processor, to provide on-off activation thereof (col. 7, lines 8-27; col. 10, lines 11-16; col. 31, lines 18-31).
Regarding claim 3, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 2 above and further discloses wherein said presence detector comprises a camera disposed on said monitoring assembly in observable relation to vehicles within the monitored parking area (col. 10, lines 11-16).
Regarding claim 4, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 2 above and further discloses wherein said identification capabilities comprise a reader disposed in visual communication with a vehicle within the monitored parking area and configured to determine identification data associated with vehicles within the monitored parking area (col. 10, lines 11-16).
Regarding claim 5, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 4 above and further discloses wherein said reader is configured to read identification data on RFID components disposed on vehicles within the monitored parking area (col. 10, lines 11-16).
Regarding claim 6, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 4 above and further discloses wherein said reader is configured to read identification data stored on transponder components mounted on vehicles within the monitored parking area (col. 10, lines 11-16).
Regarding claim 7, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 4 above and further discloses wherein said presence detector comprises a camera disposed on said monitoring assembly in observable relation to vehicles within said monitored parking area (col. 10, lines 11-16).
Regarding claim 8, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 4 above and further discloses wherein said indicator assembly comprises visually observable indicators connected to said reader and operative, via activation by said processor, to indicate valid and non-valid occupancy of a vehicle within the monitored parking area (col. 8, line 52 – col. 9, line 4).
Regarding claim 9, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 4 above and further discloses wherein said processor comprises communication capabilities configured to establish communicative links located internally and externally relative to the monitored parking area (col. 7, lines 8-15).
Regarding claim 10, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 9 above and further discloses wherein said processor is communicative, via an external communication link, with external authoritative entities for citation generation against vehicles demonstrating invalid occupancy of the monitored parking area (col. 16, lines 32-42; col. 28, lines 49 – col. 29, line 6).
Regarding claim 11, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 9 above and further discloses wherein said processor is connected to said reader and configured to determine validation of said identification data via a communication link with external authoritative entities (col. 12, lines 20-29; col. 30, lines 45-60).
Regarding claim 12, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 9 above and further discloses a software communication application including transceiver capabilities, said communicative links including contact with mobile communication devices associated with vehicles within the monitored parking area, via said software communication application (col. 6, lines 47-64; col. 7, lines 28-43).
Regarding claim 13, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 1 above and further discloses wherein said processor comprises storage facilities configured to maintain transactional log data, including vehicle entry and exit data, associated with the monitored parking area (col. 13, lines 55-65; col. 14, lines 22-33).
Regarding claim 14, Stefik discloses:
a stanchion disposed adjacent a monitored parking area (Fig. 2),
a monitoring assembly 21 mounted on said stanchion and disposed in visual communicating relation with the monitored parking area (col. 7, lines 8-12),
said monitoring assembly comprising a control unit including a presence detector 22 (col. 7, lines 8-12), a reader (col. 10, lines 11-16) and a processor (Claim 1),
said presence detector operative to detect occupancy of a vehicle in the monitored parking area (col. 7, lines 8-12),
said reader (col. 10, lines 11-16) configured to determine authorized usage of a vehicle, via a reading of identification data associated with vehicles within the monitored parking area (col. 31, lines 18-31), and
an indicator assembly 23 mounted on said stanchion in communicating with said reader (col. 7, lines 62 - col. 8, line 12), via said processor, said indicator assembly operative to indicate valid and invalid vehicle occupancy of the monitored parking area (col. 8, lines 52 – col. 9, line 4).
Regarding claim 15, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 14 above and further discloses wherein said reader is configured to read identification data stored either on RFID components or on transponder components mounted on vehicles within the monitored parking area (col. 10, lines 11-16).
Regarding claim 16, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 14 above and further discloses wherein said processor is communicative, via an external communication link, with external authoritative entities for citation generation against vehicles demonstrating invalid occupancy of the monitored parking area (col. 16, lines 32-42; col. 28, lines 49 – col. 29, line 6).
Regarding claim 17, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 16 above and further discloses wherein said processor is connected to said reader and configured to determine validation of said identification data via a communication link with external authoritative entities (col. 12, lines 20-29; col. 30, lines 45-60).
Regarding claim 18, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 14 above and further discloses wherein said presence detector comprises a camera disposed on said monitoring assembly in observable relation to vehicles within the monitored parking area (col. 10, lines 11-16).
Regarding claim 19, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 14 above and further discloses a software communication application, including transceiver capabilities, operative for two-way communication with mobile communication devices associated with vehicles within the monitored parking area, via said software communication application (col. 6, lines 47-64; col. 7, lines 28-43; col. 10, lines 5-10).
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stefik in view of Hudson et al. (US 10121172 B2; cited by Applicant IDS).
Regarding claim 20, Stefik discloses the apparatus of claim 19 above and further discloses identification information (a parking code 46) transmitted to a processor, via transceiver capabilities, and representative of identification information associated with the vehicle (col. 12, lines 25-29).
Stefik does not explicitly disclose the identification information for the monitored parking area is observably disposed on said stanchion, said identification information captured by the mobile communication device.
Hudson teaches (Fig. 1) a parking lot monitoring system comprising: A QRS picture can also be displayed on the meter's screen for the user to scan with their phone to submit payment with an appropriate application on their phone enabling such payment method (col. 6, lines 22-25).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide the parking device of Stefik with the presented and scannable parking device identification of Hudson by applying a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results of establishing communication via scannable parking device identification in order to handle interaction between a user’s mobile device and the parking device.
Conclusion
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/TOAN C LY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876