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
The following is a Non-Final Office Action in response to applicant’s filing on 04/18/2025. Claim 11 was canceled. Claims 1-10 are pending, of which claims 1, 9 and 10 are in independent form.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 04/18/2025, 05/30/2025, 07/02/2026 and 09/11/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
The abstract is not presented as a single paragraph. Applicant is required to amend the abstract so that appears in one continuous paragraph on a separate sheet.
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: The language “a system ID for managing the user on own apparatus” is grammatically incomplete. It does not identify whose “own apparatus” is intended the claimed server apparatus, the service provider server or the user’s terminal. Appropriate correction is required.
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 conflicting claims 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); 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 nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) 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 www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
Claims 1-10 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-8 of Co-pending Application 19/122,787.
Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because:
The patent claims include all of the limitations of the instant application claims, respectively. The patent claims also include additional limitations. Hence, the instant application claims are generic to the species of invention covered by the respective patent claims. As such, the instant application claims are anticipated by the patent claims and are therefore not patentably distinct therefrom. (See Eli Lilly and Co. v. Barr Laboratories Inc., 58 USPQ2D 1869, "a later genus claim limitation is anticipated by, and therefore not patentably distinct from, an earlier species claim", In re Goodman, 29 USPQ2d 2010, "Thus, the generic invention is 'anticipated' by the species of the patented invention" and the instant “application claims are generic to species of invention covered by the patent claim, and since without terminal disclaimer, extant species claims preclude issuance of generic application claims”).
Instant application (19/122,381)
Co-pending Application (19/122,787)
1.A server apparatus, comprising: at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions to:authentication, acquires original biometric information that serves as an original of authentication information to be used for the biometric authentication.
2.The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to: transmit information to a terminal of the user to log in to an account of the service provider selected by the user, acquire the original biometric information from the terminal by requesting the terminal to provide the original biometric information that serves as the original of authentication information used for the biometric authentication in response to receiving a biometric information providing request from a server that manages the account of the users, and transmit the acquired original biometric information to the server.
3.The server apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to transmit a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for redirection embedded with a system ID for managing the user on own apparatus to the terminal as the information for the user to log in to the account.
8. The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the original biometric information is a face image.
9. A system, comprising: a terminal possessed by a user; and a server apparatus, wherein the server apparatus, comprising: at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions to: enable the user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication; and perform control so that the service provider selected by the user, the service provider having accounts for managing customers and using operation information required to provide the services to the customers in biometric authentication, acquires original biometric information that serves as an original of authentication information to be used for the biometric authentication, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to: transmit information to a terminal of the user to log in to an account of the service provider selected by the user; acquire the original biometric information from the terminal by requesting the terminal to provide the original biometric information that serves as the original of authentication information used for the biometric authentication in response to receiving a biometric information providing request from a server that manages the account of the user, and
transmit the acquired original biometric information to the server.
10. A control method of a server apparatus, the control method comprising: enabling a user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication; and performing control so that the service provider selected by the user, the service provider having accounts for managing customers and using operation information required to provide the services to the customers in biometric authentication, acquires original biometric information that serves as an original of authentication information to be used for the biometric authentication.
1.A server apparatus, comprising: at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions to: enable a user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication; and perform control so that the service provider selected by the user, the service provider having accounts for managing customers and repeatedly using operation information required to provide services to the customers in biometric authentication, acquires original biometric information that serves as an original of authentication information to be used for the biometric authentication.
2.The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to: transmit information to a terminal of the user to log in to the account of the service provider selected by the user, acquires the original biometric information from the terminal by requesting the terminal to provide the original biometric information that serves as the original of authentication information used for the biometric authentication in response to receiving a biometric information providing request from a server that manages the account of the user; and transmit the acquired original biometric information to the server.
3.The server apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to transmit a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for redirection embedded with a system ID for managing the user on own apparatus to the terminal as the information for the user to log in to the account.
6. The server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the original biometric information is a face image.
7. A system, comprising: a terminal possessed by a user; and a server apparatus, wherein the server apparatus, comprising: at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions to: enable the user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication; and perform control so that the service provider selected by the user, the service provider having accounts for managing customers and repeatedly using operation information required to provide services to the customers in biometric authentication, acquires original biometric information that serves as an original of authentication information to be used for the biometric authentication wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to: transmit information to a terminal of the user to log in to an account of the service provider selected by the user, acquire the original biometric information from the terminal by requesting the terminal to provide the original biometric information that serves as the original of authentication information used for the biometric authentication in response to receiving a biometric information providing request from a server that manages the account of the user, and transmit the acquired original biometric information to the server.
9. A control method of a server apparatus, the control method comprising: enabling a user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication; and performing control so that the service provider selected by the user, the service provider having accounts for managing customers and repeatedly using operation information required to provide services to the customers in biometric authentication, acquires original biometric information that serves as an original of authentication information to be used for the biometric authentication.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably
indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
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 1-10 are 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 is rejected as being indefinite. The limitation “using operation information required to provide the services to the customers in biometric authentication” as recited in claim 1 in not definite. It is unclear whether the services are provided by biometric authentication, the operation information is used during biometric authentication or both the operation information and the services are associated with biometric authentication. Accordingly, the relationship among the operation information, the provision of services, and biometric authentication cannot be determined with reasonable certainty, rendering the metes and bounds of claim unclear.
As a result, independent claims 9 and 10 and dependent claims 3-8 are similarly rejected due to inherited dependencies.
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 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Analysis
Step 1 (Statutory Categories) — 2019 PEG pq. 53
Claim 10 is directed to the statutory categories of invention.
Step 2A, Prong 1 (Do the claims recite an abstract idea?) — 2019 PEG pq. 54
Claim 10 recites the following types of subject matter that are judicial exceptions: Abstract idea — certain method of organizing human activity, including commercial interactions and managing relationship between customers and service providers:
“…enable a user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication...”.
These limitations recite concepts relating to a customer picks a vendor, and that vendor obtains what it needs to enroll the customer. This limitation constitutes certain methods of organizing human activity, including commercial interactions and customer-account management. Accordingly, claim 10 is directed to an abstract idea.
Step 2A, Prong 2 (Does the claim recite additional elements that integrate the judicial exception into a practical application?) - 2019 PEG pq. 54
Claim 10 does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application.
The additional elements include: “the server apparatus…performing control … provide the services to the customers in biometric authentication”. These elements merely use generic computer and networking technology as tools to implement the abstract idea. The claim does not recite any improvement to computer or authentication technology, any benefit to biometric authentication technology or business benefit.
Therefore, claim 10 is directed to an abstract idea and is not integrated into a practical application under Step 2A.
Step 2B (Does the claim recite additional elements that amount to significantly more than
the judicial exception?) - 2019 PEG pq. 56
Claim 10 does not recite additional element that amount to significantly more than the judicial exception.
A generic server performing routine selection, account-management, and control functions constitute conventional computer implementation and there is no specific unconventional technical solution. The claim therefore amounts to applying an abstract idea using generic computer components which does not constitute significantly more.
Accordingly, under Step 2B of the PEG, claim 10 is not patent eligible.
Claim 1 includes all the limitations of claim 10. Therefore, claim 1 recites the same abstract idea of 10. Claim 1 recites the additional limitation “a server apparatus …at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions”, which in Step 2A, Prong 2, the limitations are merely elaborating on the abstract idea, by further specifying an additional limitation at a high-level of generality, therefore, does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
Claim 2 depends from claim 1 and includes all the limitations of claim 1. Therefore, claim 2 recites the same abstract idea of claim 1. Claim 2 recites the additional limitation “a server apparatus …at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions”, which in Step 2A, Prong 2, the limitation is merely elaborating on the abstract idea, by further specifying an additional limitation at a high-level of generality, therefore, does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
Claim 3 depends from claim 2 and includes all the limitations of claim 2. Therefore, claim 3 recites the same abstract idea of claim 2. Claim 3 recites the additional limitation “a server apparatus …at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions”, which in Step 2A, Prong 2, the limitation is merely elaborating on the abstract idea, by further specifying an additional limitation at a high-level of generality, therefore, does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
Claim 4 depends from claim 3 and includes all the limitations of claim 3. Therefore, claim 4 recites the same abstract idea of claim 3. Claim 4 recites the additional limitation “a server apparatus …at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions”, which in Step 2A, Prong 2, the limitation is merely elaborating on the abstract idea, by further specifying an additional limitation at a high-level of generality, therefore, does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
Claim 5 depends from claim 4 and includes all the limitations of claim 4. Therefore, claim 5 recites the same abstract idea of claim 4. Claim 5 recites the additional limitation “a server apparatus …at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions”, which in Step 2A, Prong 2, the limitation is merely elaborating on the abstract idea, by further specifying an additional limitation at a high-level of generality, therefore, does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
Claim 6 depends from claim 5 and includes all the limitations of claim 5. Therefore, claim 6 recites the same abstract idea of claim 5. Claim 6 recites the additional limitation “a server apparatus …at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions”, which in Step 2A, Prong 2, the limitation is merely elaborating on the abstract idea, by further specifying an additional limitation at a high-level of generality, therefore, does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
Claim 7 depends from claim 6 and includes all the limitations of claim 6. Therefore, claim 7 recites the same abstract idea of claim 6. Claim 7 recites the additional limitation “a server apparatus …at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions”, which in Step 2A, Prong 2, the limitation is merely elaborating on the abstract idea, by further specifying an additional limitation at a high-level of generality, therefore, does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
Claim 8 depends from claim 1 and includes all the limitations of claim 1. Therefore, claim 8 recites the same abstract idea of claim 1. Claim 8 recites the additional limitation “a server apparatus …at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions”, which in Step 2A, Prong 2, the limitation is merely elaborating on the abstract idea, by further specifying an additional limitation at a high-level of generality, therefore, does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
Claim 9 includes all the limitations of claim 10. Therefore, claim 9 recites the same abstract idea of 10. Claim 9 recites the additional limitation “a system, a terminal… a server apparatus …at least one memory storing a set of instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions”, which in Step 2A, Prong 2, the limitations are merely elaborating on the abstract idea, by further specifying an additional limitation at a high-level of generality, therefore, does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea.
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.
Claims 1-2, and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harding (US 2016/0226868 A1), hereinafter Harding in view of Mann et al. (US 6,119,096 A), hereinafter Mann.
Regarding claim 1, Harding discloses a server apparatus (Harding, Fig. 4 and fig. 5), comprising:
at least one memory storing a set of instructions (Harding, Para. 0047, Memory 308 includes a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device 310 which may store information and instructions for execution by central processing unit (CPU) 312); and
at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions to (Harding, Para. 0047, Memory 308 includes a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device 310 which may store information and instructions for execution by central processing unit (CPU) 312):
the service provider having accounts for managing customers and using operation information required to provide the services to the customers in biometric authentication (Harding, Para. 0072, Method 500 for out-of-band biometric enrollment using interactive messaging may start when a SAML service provider requests 502 to a SAML identity provider for one or more clients' enrollment in order to allow access to the services and/or products offered by the service provider) and (Harding, Para. 0073, the identity provider may subsequently check 504 if the client information is already included in the list of users within the identity provider's database. If the information is not included within the identity provider's database, service provider requests 506 the user information to subsequently submit 508 the user information to a biometric engine, through the identity provider),
acquires original biometric information that serves as an original of authentication information to be used for the biometric authentication (Harding, Para. 0075, once a username has been selected, the application requests to capture 518 one or more biometric probes. The client employs the mobile device to capture 518 one or more biometric probes and subsequently submit the generated information (e.g., username, password, biometric probes, mobile device's ID) to the biometric engine for enrollment) and (Harding, Para. 0077, a web application server 602 uses a mobile access gateway 604 to send to a mobile device 606 an interactive message 608 requesting biometric probes to perform a user enrollment).
Harding does not explicitly disclose enable a user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication; and
perform control so that the service provider selected by the user,
However, Mann teaches enable a user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication (Mann, Fig. 4, Col. 12, and Lines 45-53, the user may register a single account which is then usable at multiple locations, such as a plurality of different transit networks and companies, multiple stadiums, arenas, and event halls, and other locations. In this embodiment, an intermodal transportation payment and identification scheme is provided, whereby a user can readily fly, ride mass transit, take trains, busses, ferries, taxis, etc. in a variety of cities and even nations, without the need to carry money or identification) and (Mann, Col. 17, and Lines 1-7, in FIG. 6. To make a reservation, the user first identifies himself or herself as a registered customer using an account number or other identifying information, such as name and address, or preferably a biometric scan, as shown in Block 602. Next, the reservation information is received (Block 604) and the reservation information is recorded in conjunction with identification of the relevant user account (Block 606)); and
perform control so that the service provider selected by the user (Mann, Col. 8, and Lines 53-59, turnstiles 102 may be provided both at the user's entry point and at an exit point, similar to the placement of conventional farecard readers in the Washington D.C. Metrorail transit system, so that scan control and accounting computer 104 can record the entry point in database 106 and then later learn the exit point, to calculate the correct fare to be deducted from the user's account based on distance traveled),
Harding and Mann are considered to be analogous to the claim invention because they are in the same field of biometric enrollment systems that bind an original biometric to a service provider customer account so the provider can authenticate the user when delivering the services. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified Harding to incorporate the teachings of Mann to include enable a user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication (Mann, Fig. 4, Col. 12, and Lines 45-53) and (Mann, Col. 17, and Lines 1-7); and perform control so that the service provider selected by the user (Mann, Col. 8, and Lines 53-59). Doing so would aid to provide a biometric access control and accounting System which is electronically connected to a financial network to facilitate charging users for ingress and/or egress to areas or Systems (Mann, Col. 03, Lines 40-44).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Harding in view of Mann teaches the server apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to (Kumnick, Para. 0046, the host server computer 120 comprising a processor and a computer-readable storage medium coupled to the processor. The computer readable storage medium comprising code executable by the processor for implementing a method):
transmit information to a terminal of the user to log in to an account of the service provider selected by the user (Harding, Para. 0065, Service provider 306 requests the enrollment of user 312 before being able to approve any transaction. For example, service provider 306 may be a bank, an online retailer, a cloud-based application, a store, a webpage, or a service company requiring the authentication of user 312 who may be using a credit card for acquiring goods or services);
acquire the original biometric information from the terminal by requesting the terminal to provide the original biometric information that serves as the original of authentication information used for the biometric authentication in response to receiving a biometric information providing request from a server that manages the account of the users (Harding, Para. 0075, once a username has been selected, the application requests to capture 518 one or more biometric probes. The client employs the mobile device to capture 518 one or more biometric probes and subsequently submit the generated information (e.g., username, password, biometric probes, mobile device's ID) to the biometric engine for enrollment) and (Harding, Para. 0077, a web application server 602 uses a mobile access gateway 604 to send to a mobile device 606 an interactive message 608 requesting biometric probes to perform a user enrollment); and
transmit the acquired original biometric information to the server (Kumnick, Para. 0070, at s4, the biometric details are sent by the authentication host 155 to the authentication server computer 160 for verification) and (Kumnick, Para. 0081, after capturing the fingerprint, the user selects the option to send the biometric probe and the generated data is sent to the web application server 602. The web application server 602 then associates the captured biometric probe with the user profile and the device employed to log in, while a biometric engine may convert the biometric probe(s) into corresponding biometric template(s)).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Harding in view of Mann teaches the server apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the original biometric information is a face image (Harding, Para. 0007, authenticate the identity of individuals include face (2D or 3D), hand geometry, fingerprint, finger geometry, iris, finger vein, retina, DNA (using segments from DNA), ear, odor, palm, gait, signature, and voice among others).
Regarding claim 9, Harding discloses a system, comprising: a terminal possessed by a user; and a server apparatus (Harding, Fig. 4 and fig. 5), wherein the server apparatus, comprising: at least one memory storing a set of instructions (Harding, Para. 0047, Memory 308 includes a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device 310 which may store information and instructions for execution by central processing unit (CPU) 312); and at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions to (Harding, Para. 0047, Memory 308 includes a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device 310 which may store information and instructions for execution by central processing unit (CPU) 312):
the service provider having accounts for managing customers and using operation information required to provide the services to the customers in biometric authentication (Harding, Para. 0072, Method 500 for out-of-band biometric enrollment using interactive messaging may start when a SAML service provider requests 502 to a SAML identity provider for one or more clients' enrollment in order to allow access to the services and/or products offered by the service provider) and (Harding, Para. 0073, the identity provider may subsequently check 504 if the client information is already included in the list of users within the identity provider's database. If the information is not included within the identity provider's database, service provider requests 506 the user information to subsequently submit 508 the user information to a biometric engine, through the identity provider), acquires original biometric information that serves as an original of authentication information to be used for the biometric authentication (Harding, Para. 0075, once a username has been selected, the application requests to capture 518 one or more biometric probes. The client employs the mobile device to capture 518 one or more biometric probes and subsequently submit the generated information (e.g., username, password, biometric probes, mobile device's ID) to the biometric engine for enrollment) and (Harding, Para. 0077, a web application server 602 uses a mobile access gateway 604 to send to a mobile device 606 an interactive message 608 requesting biometric probes to perform a user enrollment), wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to (Kumnick, Para. 0046, the host server computer 120 comprising a processor and a computer-readable storage medium coupled to the processor. The computer readable storage medium comprising code executable by the processor for implementing a method): transmit information to a terminal of the user to log in to an account of the service provider selected by the user (Harding, Para. 0065, Service provider 306 requests the enrollment of user 312 before being able to approve any transaction. For example, service provider 306 may be a bank, an online retailer, a cloud-based application, a store, a webpage, or a service company requiring the authentication of user 312 who may be using a credit card for acquiring goods or services); acquire the original biometric information from the terminal by requesting the terminal to provide the original biometric information that serves as the original of authentication information used for the biometric authentication in response to receiving a biometric information providing request from a server that manages the account of the user (Harding, Para. 0075, once a username has been selected, the application requests to capture 518 one or more biometric probes. The client employs the mobile device to capture 518 one or more biometric probes and subsequently submit the generated information (e.g., username, password, biometric probes, mobile device's ID) to the biometric engine for enrollment) and (Harding, Para. 0077, a web application server 602 uses a mobile access gateway 604 to send to a mobile device 606 an interactive message 608 requesting biometric probes to perform a user enrollment); and transmit the acquired original biometric information to the server (Kumnick, Para. 0070, at s4, the biometric details are sent by the authentication host 155 to the authentication server computer 160 for verification) and (Kumnick, Para. 0081, after capturing the fingerprint, the user selects the option to send the biometric probe and the generated data is sent to the web application server 602. The web application server 602 then associates the captured biometric probe with the user profile and the device employed to log in, while a biometric engine may convert the biometric probe(s) into corresponding biometric template(s)).
Harding does not explicitly disclose enable the user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication; and
perform control so that the service provider selected by the user,
However, Mann teaches enable the user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication (Mann, Fig. 4, Col. 12, and Lines 45-53, the user may register a single account which is then usable at multiple locations, such as a plurality of different transit networks and companies, multiple stadiums, arenas, and event halls, and other locations. In this embodiment, an intermodal transportation payment and identification scheme is provided, whereby a user can readily fly, ride mass transit, take trains, busses, ferries, taxis, etc. in a variety of cities and even nations, without the need to carry money or identification) and (Mann, Col. 17, and Lines 1-7, in FIG. 6. To make a reservation, the user first identifies himself or herself as a registered customer using an account number or other identifying information, such as name and address, or preferably a biometric scan, as shown in Block 602. Next, the reservation information is received (Block 604) and the reservation information is recorded in conjunction with identification of the relevant user account (Block 606)); and perform control so that the service provider selected by the user (Mann, Col. 8, and Lines 53-59, turnstiles 102 may be provided both at the user's entry point and at an exit point, similar to the placement of conventional farecard readers in the Washington D.C. Metrorail transit system, so that scan control and accounting computer 104 can record the entry point in database 106 and then later learn the exit point, to calculate the correct fare to be deducted from the user's account based on distance traveled),
Harding and Mann are considered to be analogous to the claim invention because they are in the same field of biometric enrollment systems that bind an original biometric to a service provider customer account so the provider can authenticate the user when delivering the services. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified Harding to incorporate the teachings of Mann to include enable the user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication (Mann, Fig. 4, Col. 12, and Lines 45-53) and (Mann, Col. 17, and Lines 1-7) and perform control so that the service provider selected by the user (Mann, Col. 8, and Lines 53-59). Doing so would aid to provide a biometric access control and accounting System which is electronically connected to a financial network to facilitate charging users for ingress and/or egress to areas or Systems (Mann, Col. 03, Lines 40-44).
Regarding claim 10, Harding discloses a control method of a server apparatus, the control method comprising: the service provider having accounts for managing customers and using operation information required to provide the services to the customers in biometric authentication, acquires original biometric information that serves as an original of authentication information to be used for the biometric authentication (Harding, Para. 0075, once a username has been selected, the application requests to capture 518 one or more biometric probes. The client employs the mobile device to capture 518 one or more biometric probes and subsequently submit the generated information (e.g., username, password, biometric probes, mobile device's ID) to the biometric engine for enrollment) and (Harding, Para. 0077, a web application server 602 uses a mobile access gateway 604 to send to a mobile device 606 an interactive message 608 requesting biometric probes to perform a user enrollment).
Harding does not explicitly disclose enabling a user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication; and performing control so that the service provider selected by the user,
However, Mann teaches enabling a user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication (Mann, Fig. 4, Col. 12, and Lines 45-53, the user may register a single account which is then usable at multiple locations, such as a plurality of different transit networks and companies, multiple stadiums, arenas, and event halls, and other locations. In this embodiment, an intermodal transportation payment and identification scheme is provided, whereby a user can readily fly, ride mass transit, take trains, busses, ferries, taxis, etc. in a variety of cities and even nations, without the need to carry money or identification) and (Mann, in FIG. 6. To make a reservation, the user first identifies himself or herself as a registered customer using an account number or other identifying information, such as name and address, or preferably a biometric scan, as shown in Block 602. Next, the reservation information is received (Block 604) and the reservation information is recorded in conjunction with identification of the relevant user account (Block 606)); and performing control so that the service provider selected by the user (Mann, Col. 8, and Lines 53-59, turnstiles 102 may be provided both at the user's entry point and at an exit point, similar to the placement of conventional farecard readers in the Washington D.C. Metrorail transit system, so that scan control and accounting computer 104 can record the entry point in database 106 and then later learn the exit point, to calculate the correct fare to be deducted from the user's account based on distance traveled),
Harding and Mann are considered to be analogous to the claim invention because they are in the same field of biometric enrollment systems that bind an original biometric to a service provider customer account so the provider can authenticate the user when delivering the services. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified Harding to incorporate the teachings of Mann to include enabling a user to select a service provider from which the user wishes to receive a service from among a plurality of service providers that provide services using biometric authentication (Mann, Fig. 4, Col. 12, and Lines 45-53) and (Mann, Col. 17, Lines 1-7, in FIG. 6. To make a reservation, the user first identifies himself or herself as a registered customer using an account number or other identifying information, such as name and address, or preferably a biometric scan, as shown in Block 602. Next, the reservation information is received (Block 604) and the reservation information is recorded in conjunction with identification of the relevant user account (Block 606)); and performing control so that the service provider selected by the user (Mann, Col. 8, and Lines 53-59). Doing so would aid to provide a biometric access control and accounting System which is electronically connected to a financial network to facilitate charging users for ingress and/or egress to areas or Systems (Mann, Col. 03, Lines 40-44).
Claims 3-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harding (US 2016/0226868 A1), hereinafter Harding in view of Mann et al. (US 6119096 A), hereinafter Mann and further in view of Carlson et al. (US 2016/0323259 A1), hereinafter Carlson.
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Harding in view of Mann does not explicitly teach the server apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to transmit a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for redirection embedded with a system ID for managing the user on own apparatus to the terminal as the information for the user to log in to the account.
However, Carlson teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to transmit a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for redirection embedded with a system ID for managing the user on own apparatus to the terminal as the information for the user to log in to the account (Carlson, Para. 0053, the partner system (e.g., the merchant aggregator (221)) is configured to provide certain information about the user (101) using a query string via redirecting the point of interaction (107) of the user (101) to visit the portal (143) using the query string. Information provided by the partner system can be used to pre-fill some fields in a page provided by the portal (143), saving effort for the user (101) in using the page (e.g., for enrolling in a program to receive messages delivered in real time with the processing of the transactions by the transaction handler (103))), (Carlson, Para. 0075, in FIG. 14 allows a secure redirecting of a user from the merchant aggregator (221) to the portal (143)) and (Carlson, Paras. 0063-0064, the mobile application is configured to insert the received EUID into the query string at the appropriate location specified by the query string interface for the EUID) it is noted that “a query string” corresponds to “URL”. Harding, Mann and Carlson are considered to be analogous to the claim invention because they are in the same field of biometric enrollment systems that bind an original biometric to a service provider customer account so the provider can authenticate the user when delivering the services. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified Harding, Mann to incorporate the teachings of Carlson to include wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to transmit a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for redirection embedded with a system ID for managing the user on own apparatus to the terminal as the information for the user to log in to the account (Carlson, Para. 0053), (Carlson, Para. 0075) and (Carlson, Paras. 0063-0064). Doing so would aid to allow the portal (143) unambiguously verify that the request associated with the inbound query string is originated from the specific partner (e.g., merchant aggregator (221)), and to prevent unauthorized use of the mobile enrollment web page that is designed for activities associated with the respective partner (Carlson, Para. 0052).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Harding and Mann in view of Carlson teaches the server apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to receive the biometric information providing request from the server after the server has acquired the operation information from the user (Harding, Fig. 5 and Para. 0072, method 500 for out-of-band biometric enrollment using interactive messaging may start when a SAML service provider requests 502 to a SAML identity provider for one or more clients' enrollment in order to allow access to the services and/or products offered by the service provider) and (Harding, Para. 0080, a user used to log in with username and password credentials. However, the service provider may have implemented biometric authentication into the security policy for protecting the user's identity and enhancing security).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Harding and Mann in view of Carlson teaches the server apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the operation information is information related to a ticket (Mann, Fig. 2 and Col. 10, Lines 1-5, in the first step (block 202), registration station 108 receives information from the user or from an attendant about the type of purchase desired by the user (for example, a certain number of a selected class of tickets to a particular event, or a predetermined credit toward transit fares to be incurred)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified Harding and Carlson to incorporate the teachings of Mann to include the server apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the operation information is information related to a ticket (Mann, Fig. 2 and Col. 10, Lines 1-5). Doing so would aid to provide a biometric access control and accounting System which is electronically connected to a financial network to facilitate charging users for ingress and/or egress to areas or Systems (Mann, Col. 03, Lines 40-44).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Harding and Mann in view of Carlson teaches the server apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the ticket is a ticket that is limited to a single use or a ticket that is used a plurality of times.
However, Mann teaches wherein the ticket is a ticket that is limited to a single use or a ticket that is used a plurality of times (Mann, Col. 18, Lines 25-31, the System preferably provides Special codes in the database for recording that a user has paid for access to a particular event, Such as a concert or movie, or on a particular date, in the case of access to a theme park or other location where a Single daily fee is paid for the right to come and go at will during that period). Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified Harding and Carlson to incorporate the teachings of Mann to include wherein the ticket is a ticket that is limited to a single use or a ticket that is used a plurality of times (Mann, Col. 18, Lines 25-31). Doing so would aid to provide a biometric access control and accounting System which is electronically connected to a financial network to facilitate charging users for ingress and/or egress to areas or Systems (Mann, Col. 03, Lines 40-44).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Harding and Mann in view of Carlson teaches the server apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the ticket that is used the plurality of times is a tour ticket or a commuter pass (Mann, Col. 11, Lines 25-27, this method is particularly useful in transit applications where the user may incur regular Small charges in daily commuting). Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified Harding and Carlson to incorporate the teachings of Mann to include the server apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the ticket that is used the plurality of times is a tour ticket or a commuter pass (Mann, Col. 11, Lines 25-27). Doing so would aid to provide a biometric access control and accounting System which is electronically connected to a financial network to facilitate charging users for ingress and/or egress to areas or Systems (Mann, Col. 03, Lines 40-44).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kumnick (US 2018/0341949 A1), teaches a methods and system of hosted thin-client payment authorization and authentication services for processing payments for value-added service (VAS) providers is described. A method, performed by a host server operating a thin-client device, includes receiving transaction request data at a host server computer from a thin-client device, where the transaction request data can include financial account data and biometric data. The host-server transmits a verification request message to a VAS provider and receives an indication that it is a valid merchant. The host-server transmits an authorization request message comprising the biometric data to a payment processing network (PPN), where the PPN communicates with an authentication server computer to validate the biometric data, sends the authorization request message to an issuer and receives an authorization response message from the issuer. The host-server receives the authorization response message from the PPN and sends a service fulfillment request to the VAS provider.
Spector (US 2023/0403562 A1), teaches systems and methods for using device data to validate a mobile user are disclosed. In accordance with aspects, a method may include receiving, at a backend processing infrastructure of a third party and from a backend processing infrastructure of a mobile application provider, a first copy of location information and an IP address, wherein the location information and the IP address are associated with a mobile device; receiving, at the backend processing infrastructure of the third party and from a mobile application provided by the third party, a second copy of the location information and the IP address, wherein the mobile application provided by the third party is executed on the mobile device; and verifying, by the backend processing infrastructure of the third party, that the first copy of the location information and the IP address matches the second copy of the location information and the IP address.
Prahlad (US-12321592-B2), teaches data storage operations, including content-indexing, containerized deduplication, and policy-driven storage, are performed within a cloud environment. The systems support a variety of clients and cloud storage sites that may connect to the system in a cloud environment that requires data transfer over wide area networks, such as the Internet, which may have appreciable latency and/or packet loss, using various network protocols, including HTTP and FTP. Methods are disclosed for content indexing data stored within a cloud environment to facilitate later searching, including collaborative searching. Methods are also disclosed for performing containerized deduplication to reduce the strain on a system namespace, effectuate cost savings, etc. Methods are disclosed for identifying suitable storage locations, including suitable cloud storage sites, for data files subject to a storage policy. Further, systems and methods for providing a cloud gateway and a scalable data object store within a cloud environment are disclosed, along with other features.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GITA FARAMARZI whose telephone number is (571)272-0248. The examiner can normally be reached Monday- Friday 9:00 am- 6:00 pm.
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/GITA FARAMARZI/Examiner, Art Unit 2496
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