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 .
Continuation Data
2. This application claims priority to PCT/US2022/079831, filed November 4, 2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The Information Disclosure Statements filed on April 22, 2025, August 28, 2025, October 31, 2025, and June 3, 2026 have been considered. Initialed copies of the Form 1449 are enclosed herewith.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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.
5. Claims 1, 6, 12, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koeppel (2021/0224763).
With respect to claims 1 and 17, Koeppel teaches a payment card (figure 4: transaction card 400 having embedded microprocessor chip 402, paragraph 0091 discloses the transaction card interacting with a PCD/user device), the payment card comprising: a charging coil (paragraph 0091: antenna 406 is for communication and power) configured to generate electrical energy in response to a magnetic field generated by a corresponding charging coil of a computing device (paragraph 0091: transaction card and PCD behave like a transformer, AC passes through the PCD antenna, creating an electromagnetic field, which induces a current in antenna 406 of the transaction card; the PCD may be a user device similar to user device 140, has an antenna through which AC passes to create and electromagnetic field); and a wireless communication component electrically coupled to the charging coil (card includes microprocessor chip 402, paragraph 0091: antenna 406 is used for communication and power with the microprocessor/card; paragraph 0095: the EMV chip may be coupled to antenna 406 to enable contactless communication), wherein the charging coil is configured to power the wireless communication circuit (paragraph 0091: antenna 406 is for communication and power and teaches the current s induced in antenna 406 by the PCD’s electromagnetic field) to communicate with the computing device (paragraph 0091: user device establishes connection and communication with the transaction card and that a contactless interface is created between the PCD and transaction card) via a wireless communication protocol (paragraph 0091: contactless/NFC communication, PCD could establish BLE connection to the transaction card).
With respect to claims 2 and 17, Koeppel teaches the payment card 400, with chip 402, and antenna 406 (paragraphs 0006 and 0091), further comprising a programmable component (paragraphs 0006 and 0014: reprogramming capabilities), wherein the charging coil is configured to power the wireless communication circuit (paragraph 0091) to receive a configuration update from the computing device (paragraphs 0014 and 0090-0092) via a wireless communication protocol (paragraph 0014, 0046, 0091: BLE, NFC), and wherein the programmable component is reconfigurable in accordance with the configuration update (paragraphs 0014 and 0092: deletes stored transaction card data in response to deletion instructions and stores new transaction card data in response to instructions to store it; also, reprogramming).
With respect to claim 6, Koeppel teaches the payment card, wherein the charging coil of the payment card is further configured to be inductively coupled to the corresponding charging coil of the computing device when the charging coil of the payment card is aligned (paragraph 0044) with the corresponding charging coil of the computing device (paragraph 0091). Antenna 406 of the transaction card and antenna of the user device are inductively coupled when positioned relative to one another.
With respect to claim 12, Koeppel teaches the payment card, wherein the wireless communication protocol is a Bluetooth low-energy protocol (paragraph 0091).
Koeppel fails to expressly teach that the charging coil is configured to power the wireless communication circuit with the computing device via the wireless communication protocol.
However, Koeppel teaches with respect to claims 1 and 17, that antenna 406 of the transaction card is used for both communication and power and that an electromagnetic field generated by the antenna of the PCD induces current in antenna 406 of the transaction card.
Therefore, in view of Koeppel’s own teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to use the electrical energy generated by the induced current to power the wireless communication circuitry of the transaction card. One would be motivated to do so in order to enable wireless communication between the transaction card and the PCD.
6. Claims 3, 4, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koeppel in view of Lovgren (2023/0359839).
Koeppel’s teachings are discussed above. Koeppel however fails to specifically teach the payment card, wherein the configuration update comprises an Application Protocol Data Unit (“APDU”) command.
With respect to claims 3 and 20, Lovgren teaches in paragraphs 0010 and 0026, that establishing wireless communication comprises sending a command APDU, from the card reader to the payment card and receiving a response APDU from the payment card.
With respect to claim 4, Lovgren teaches in paragraphs 0010 and 0026, the payment, wherein the programmable component is further configured to generate an APDU response configured to respond to the APDU command, and wherein the wireless communication component is configured to transmit the generated APDU response to the computing device via the wireless communication protocol.
In view of Lovgren’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to configure the communication/instructions transmitted by the computing device of Koeppel to the payment card to comprise an APDU command, as taught by Lovgren. One would be motivated to do so in order to enable the computing device to issue commands for execution by the IC of the payment card.
7. Claims 5 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koeppel in view of Li (2024/0220748).
Koeppel’s teachings are discussed above. Koeppel however fails to specifically teach the computing device comprising a portable electronic device configured for reverse wireless charging.
With respect to claim 5, Li teaches in paragraph 0029, the card wherein the computing device comprises a portable electronic device configured for reverse wireless charging.
With respect to claim 11, Li teaches in paragraphs 0034 and 0052-0054, the payment card of claim 1, further comprising a wireless charging component configured to regulate electrical energy generated by the charging coil of the payment card (wireless charging circuit 10 is configured to regulate electrical energy generating by a charging coil).
In view of Li’ teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to enable the portable electronic device of Koeppel to provide reverse wireless charging as is taught by Li. One would be motivated to provide reverse wireless charging in order to enable the electronic device to wirelessly supply power to the payment card without requiring a separate power source.
8. Claims 7-10, 13, 14, 18, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koeppel in view of Karanikos et al (2022/0045527), hereinafter Karanikos.
Koeppel’s teachings are discussed above. Koeppel however fails to specifically teach the alignment component.
With respect to claims 7, 13, and 18, Karanikos teaches the payment card, wherein an alignment component is configured to align the charging coil of the payment card and the corresponding charging coil of the computing device (paragraphs 0015-0016).
With respect to claims 8, 14, and 19, Karanikos teaches the payment card, wherein the alignment component comprises a ferromagnetic component (paragraphs 0012 and 0015).
With respect to claim 9, Karanikos teaches the payment card, wherein the alignment component comprises a sleeve configured to be adhesively attached to the computing device (paragraphs 0014 and 0082).
With respect to claim 10, Karanikos teaches the payment card, wherein the alignment component comprises a case configured to protect the computing device (paragraph 0011).
In view of Karanikos’ teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the magnetic alignments features of Karanikos into the inductively coupled charging arrangement of Koeppel. One would be motivated to do so in order to improve inductive coupling between the charging coil of the payment card and the corresponding charging coil of the computing device, thereby improving wireless power transfer between the devices.
9. Claims 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koeppel in combination with Karanikos and in further view of Lovgren.
Koeppel’s teachings in combination with the teachings of Karanikos are discussed above. The combination however fails to specifically teach the payment card, wherein the configuration update comprises an Application Protocol Data Unit (“APDU”) command.
With respect to claim 15, Lovgren teaches in paragraphs 0010 and 0026, that establishing wireless communication comprises sending a command APDU, from the card reader to the payment card and receiving a response APDU from the payment card.
With respect to claim 16, Lovgren teaches in paragraphs 0010 and 0026, the payment, wherein the programmable component is further configured to generate an APDU response configured to respond to the APDU command, and wherein the wireless communication component is configured to transmit the generated APDU response to the computing device via the wireless communication protocol.
In view of Lovgren’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to configure the communication/instructions transmitted by the computing device of Koeppel to the payment card to comprise an APDU command, as taught by Lovgren. One would be motivated to do so in order to enable the computing device to issue commands for execution by the IC of the payment card.
Conclusion
10. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure: See attached PTO form 892, Refence Cited.
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Allyson N. Trail whose telephone number is (571) 272-2406. The examiner can normally be reached between the hours of 7:30AM to 4:00PM Monday thru Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Pham, can be reached on (571) 272-3689. The fax phone number for this Group is (571) 273-8300.
Communications via Internet e-mail regarding this application, other than those under 35 U.S.C. 132 or which otherwise require a signature, may be used by the applicant and should be addressed to [allyson.trail@uspto.gov].
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/ALLYSON N TRAIL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
September 3, 2026
