DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
Claims 1-13 are pending.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-2, 6-7, 10-11, and 13 are objected to because of the following informalities:
“the switch” in claims 1, 2, 7, 10, 11 should read “the physical bistable switch”.
“an inactive mode position” and “the inactive mode position” in claims 2, 7, 11 should read “the position corresponding to the inactive mode”.
“an active mode position” and “the active mode position” in claims 2, 7, and 11 should read “the position corresponding to the active mode”.
“its first or second input” in claims 6, 13 should read “the first input or the second input”.
“the multiplexer provides to the display device display data” in claims 6, 13 should read “the multiplexer provides to the display device the display data”.
“the information related to the transaction” in claim 7 should read “the information about the transaction”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3-5 and 12 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claims 3 and 12 recite the limitation “the input device bus”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims. Claims 4-5 depend from claim 3 and thus also have this issue.
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 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.
Claims 1, 6, 8-10, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wasily (WO 2024072824) in view of Khan (US 20150348007).
1. Wasily discloses An electronic terminal, comprising, in a same housing:
an application processor configured to execute at least one transaction via a connection to the internet network or to a local network, (e.g. fig. 4, ¶39: a method 500 may include a user entering a cryptocurrency transaction on a smartphone application running on the smartphone baseband processor of a smartphone (block 502)…The smartphone application receives the signed transaction and publishes the signed transaction to a blockchain to complete a transaction ( block 520).)
a secure element connected to the application processor by a wired bus, configured to, at a request of the application processor, perform at least one cryptographic calculation necessary for completing the transaction and using a secret held by the secure element, and provide a result of the cryptographic calculation to the application processor, (e.g. fig. 4, ¶34, 39: in response to the interaction, the secure element may sign the cryptotransaction using a private key and forward the signed transaction to the smartphone baseband processor via the communication interface (block 516).)
a transaction validation device actionable by a user and exclusively accessible by the secure element, the secure element being configured to perform the cryptographic calculation after validation of the transaction by the user by means of the transaction validation device, (e.g. fig. 4, ¶38-39: The sensor 216 may be controlled directly by the secure element 206. The sensor 216 may operate to sense biometric data. For instance, the sensor 216 may be a touch sensor to detect a fingerprint or other unique physiological feature of a user. The sensor 216 may be an optical sensor to detect features of a user’s face or other unique physiological features of a user. In various embodiments, the sensor 216 is not directly connected to the secure element 206 but is a component of a phone display 104 such as a touch screen digitizer, or existing sensor of the smartphone 200. The secure element 206 may use the sensor 216 to verify an identity of a user interacting with the secure element 206 In this manner, unauthorized use of the secure element 206 may be prevented. This further reduces a risk that a PIN code or other information be leaked. In various embodiments, the sensor 216 is a button that is pressed by a user. In further embodiments, the sensor 216 is a touch screen aspect of the phone display 104 and receives entry by a user of a PIN code…The user may interact with the sensor to confirm that the visual representation of the transaction on the phone display is accurate (block 514). This interaction may take various forms. For instance, a user may press a button. The user may enter a PIN code on the phone display 104 via a touch screen of the phone display 104. The user may provide biometric information such touching the sensor to confirm a fingerprint or looking at the sensor to confirm facial recognition. In response to the interaction, the transaction is confirmed as accurate, and in various embodiments, the identity of the user is confirmed as authorized. Thus, in response to the interaction, the secure element may sign the cryptotransaction using a private key and forward the signed transaction to the smartphone baseband processor via the communication interface (block 516).)
Wasily does not appear to explicitly disclose but Khan discloses
a physical bistable switch actionable by the user and exclusively accessible by the secure element, the physical bistable switch being arranged to connect an input/output pin of the secure element to a logical low level in a first position or connect the input/output pin of the secure element to a logical high level in a second position, and in that the secure element is configured to, in one of said first and second positions of the switch, enter an active mode where the secure element responds to cryptographic calculation commands from the application processor received via the wired bus, and, in the other of said first and second positions of the switch, enter an inactive mode where the secure element does not receive or does not respond to commands from the application processor. (e.g. fig. 4, ¶62, 64, 68, 75, 92, 97, 100: input-output devices 210 may include user interface devices, data port devices, and other input-output components. Input-output devices 210 may include buttons, biometric sensors (e.g., a fingerprint sensor, a retinal sensor, a palm sensor, a signature-identification sensor, etc.), touch screens, displays without touch sensor capabilities, joysticks, click wheels, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, cameras, speakers, status indicators, light sources, audio jacks and other audio port components, digital data port devices, light sensors, motion sensors (accelerometers), capacitance sensors, proximity sensors, etc…Consider another scenario in which secure element 202 is normally placed in an inactive state. In response to detecting input from the user that is indicative of the desire to perform a financial transaction (sometimes referred to as a “payment activation input” or a “payment initiation input”), one or more components in devices 210 may send a signal to PMU 220 via path 254, which in turn directs PMU 220 to send a wakeup signal to secure element 202 via path 260. Once the secure element 202 has been awakened, other operations can subsequently be performed to complete the financial transaction…Still referring to FIG. 4, secure element (SE) 202 may be provided with one or more applications or “applets” that run as part of the operating system of secure element 202 (e.g., as a plug-in to a Java runtime environment executing on SE 202). For example, secure element 202 may include an authentication applet 204 that provides contactless registry services (CRS), encrypts/decrypts data that is sent to and received from a trusted processor, sets one or more control flags in the operating system of secure element 202, and/or manages one or more associated payment applets 206 (e.g., payment applets 206-1, 206-2, etc.) on secure element 202…Still referring to FIG. 4, the CRS applet 204 may also include one or more control flags for use in activating payment applets 206 on the secure element 202. For example, CRS applet 204 may include a “button pressed” flag 236. The button pressed flag 236 may be used to indicate whether the user has pushed a button 17 on user device 102 (see, FIG. 2B). For example, the default value for the button pressed flag is ‘0.’ When device 102 has detected that a user has pressed button 17, the button pressed flag may be set to a value of ‘1’ (i.e., the button pressed flag may be asserted). In one suitable arrangement, the button pressed flag may only be set to ‘1’ if the user double presses button 17. In another suitable arrangement, the button pressed flag may only be asserted if the user triple presses a button 17. In yet another suitable arrangement, the button pressed flag may only be asserted if the user holds down button 17 for more than one second, for more than two seconds, for more than three seconds, etc. The combination of 220 and 202 corresponds to a secure element)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features described by Khan into the invention of Wasily for the purpose of preventing unintentional or malicious initiation of a financial transaction thereby improving security of the system.
6. Wasily-Khan discloses The terminal according to claim 1, comprising a display device and wherein the application processor and the secure element are connected to the display device by means of a multiplexer controlled by the secure element, the multiplexer comprising a first input receiving display data provided by the application processor, a second input receiving display data provided by the secure element, and an output providing to the display device display data received on its first or second input, the secure element being configured to control the multiplexer such that: when the secure element is in the inactive mode, the multiplexer provides to the display device display data provided by the application processor, and when the secure element is in the active mode, the multiplexer provides to the display device display data provided by the secure element. (Wasily, e.g. fig. 4, ¶26, 36)
8. Wasily-Khan discloses The terminal according to claim 1, wherein: the application processor is integrated in a system-on-chip mounted on an interconnection support, and the secure element is integrated in a system-in-package mounted on the interconnection support. (Wasily, e.g. fig. 4, ¶33-34)
9. Wasily-Khan discloses The terminal according to claim 1, forming a mobile phone, wherein the secure element is configured to form a hardware wallet for cryptoasset accounts and the application processor is configured to execute an application program allowing transactions to be performed on cryptoasset accounts. (Wasily, e.g. fig. 4, ¶33-34, 39)
10. This claim is rejected for similar reasons as in claim 1.
13. This claim is rejected for similar reasons as in claim 6.
Claims 3-5 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wasily (WO 2024072824) in view of Khan (US 20150348007) and further in view of Faure (US 20170171738).
3. Wasily-Khan discloses The terminal according to claim 1, further comprising: an input device controlled by a corresponding bus, and a multiplexer controlled by the secure element, the secure element being configured to: when the secure element is in the inactive mode, connect the input device bus to the application processor, and when the secure element is in the active mode, connect the input device bus to the secure element. (Wasily, e.g. ¶26, 36)
Although Wasily-Khan discloses a multiplexer controlled by the secure element (see above), the combination does not appear to explicitly disclose but Faure discloses a demultiplexer controlled by the secure element (e.g. fig. 1, ¶31).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features described by Faure into the invention of Wasily-Khan for the purpose of enabling the secure element to demultiplex incoming data received through the communication interface (Faure, ¶31).
4. Wasily-Khan-Faure discloses The terminal according to claim 3, wherein the input device is a touchpad and the transaction validation device is a virtual button on the touchpad in the active mode. (Wasily, e.g. ¶26, 38-29)
5. Wasily-Khan-Faure discloses The terminal according to claim 3, wherein the transaction validation device is a physical button. (Wasily, e.g. fig. 4, ¶38-39)
12. This claim is rejected for similar reasons as in claim 3.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 7, and 11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten (a) in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims and (b) to overcome the claim objections set forth above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Lee (US 20210026983) discloses An electronic device according to an embodiment includes: a memory configured to store encryption information, a processor, and a switch configured to electrically disconnect the processor from the memory in a first state and to electrically connect the processor and the memory in a second state. The processor is configured to receive a user input for switching the switch from the first state to the second state, provide the encryption information stored in the memory to a secure application executing only in a second execution environment through a secure operating system of the second execution environment, when the switch is switched from the first state to the second state to generate an electrical path between the memory and the processor, acquire signature information for a transaction based on the encryption information, and provide the signature information acquired based on the encryption information to a signature request application.
Zhang (WO 2015124088 A1) discloses a secure financial system (01) for a mobile terminal (02), comprising: a security element (SE) (11), for protecting data security in electronic transactions; a secure display unit (12) controlled by the SE (11) for displaying transaction information; and a physical confirmation button (13), used as an input unit of the SE (11). The SE (11) is connected to a processor (21) of the mobile terminal (02). A housing of the mobile terminal (02) is provided with openings matching the secure display unit (12) and the physical confirm button (13) respectively. The secure display unit (12) and the physical confirmation button (13) are connected to the housing by means of the openings matching the secure display unit (12) and the physical confirm button (13) respectively. By means of the connection to the mobile terminal (02) of the secure transaction system (01) and the secure display unit (12) and physical confirmation button (13) thereof, critical transactional data and user input/output are carried through the SE (11) and the secure display unit (12) and physical confirmation button (13) controlled by same, and are not required to pass through the general-purpose operating system of the mobile terminal (02). Security of electronic transactions carried out by the user of the mobile terminal (02) is thus effectively guaranteed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRONG NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7312. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, GELAGAY SHEWAYE can be reached on (571)272-4219. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TRONG H NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2436
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