Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 19/170,345

TERMINAL BREACH PROTECTION METHODS AND DEVICES

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Apr 04, 2025
Priority
Jul 22, 2019 — divisional of 12/326,033
Examiner
HOROWITZ, NOAH NMN
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
NCR Atleos Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
73%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 8m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 73% — above average
73%
Career Allowance Rate
136 granted / 187 resolved
+12.7% vs TC avg
Strong +28% interview lift
Without
With
+27.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 0m
Avg Prosecution
24 currently pending
Career history
210
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
72.9%
+32.9% vs TC avg
§102
23.2%
-16.8% vs TC avg
§112
3.6%
-36.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 187 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . Claim Objections Claim(s) 19 objected to because of the following informalities: claim(s) should be amended to recite “wherein [[an]] the force absorption element is configured to reduce a peak force experienced by the ATM during a breaching attempt.” Appropriate correction or clarification is required. 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. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1-7 and 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jeong (KR-20060117403-A). With regards to claim 1, Jeong discloses a terminal baseplate assembly (Figure 3) comprising: a top plate (300 Figure 3) mountable to a terminal bottom (interpreted as a statement of intended use, Jeong’s device is usable in the claimed manner); a bottom plate (200 Figure 3) mountable to a surface where a terminal is to be located (interpreted as a statement of intended use, Jeong’s device is usable in the claimed manner); and at least one movement restriction device (100 Figure 2) positioned between the top plate and the bottom plate (as shown Figure 3) to absorb and restrict movement between the top plate and the bottom plate (Pg. 11 Para. 1). With regards to claim 2, Jeong discloses the terminal baseplate assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one movement restriction device (100 Figure 2) includes at least one spring (130 Figure 3). With regards to claim 3, Jeong discloses the terminal baseplate assembly of claim 1, claim 2, wherein the top plate (300 Figure 3) includes channels sized to engage with rails on a terminal bottom (interpreted as a statement of intended use, Jeong’s device is usable in the claimed manner) to restrict movement in at least one direction (Figure 3 shows the rails and channels that restrict the top plate to movement in the left/right direction). With regards to claim 4, Jeong discloses the terminal baseplate assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom plate (200 Figure 3) includes channels through which rails on a terminal bottom (30 Figure 1) extend, the channels sized to allow movement between the bottom plate and the top plate (300 Figure 3) in at least one direction (Figure 3 shows the rails and channels that restrict the top plate to movement in the left/right direction). With regards to claim 5, Jeong discloses the terminal baseplate assembly of claim 1, wherein the terminal baseplate assembly is mountable to a terminal that includes a safe with a door (interpreted as a statement of intended use, Jeong’s device is usable in the claimed manner), and wherein the at least one movement restriction device (100 Figure 2) restricts movement in a direction that is perpendicular to a door opening direction in which the door opens (Figure 3 shows the rails and channels that restrict the top plate to movement in the left/right direction). With regards to claim 6, Jeong discloses the terminal baseplate assembly of claim 1, wherein the top plate (300 Figure 3) includes at least one void sized to hold the at least one movement restriction device (Figure 2 shows the at least one void sized to hold the at least one movement restriction device 100). With regards to claim 7, Jeong discloses the terminal baseplate assembly of claim 1, wherein the bottom plate (200 Figure 3) includes at least one void sized to hold the at least one movement restriction device (Figure 2 shows the at least one void sized to hold the at least one movement restriction device 100). With regards to claim 9, Jeong discloses the terminal baseplate assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one movement restriction device (100 Figure 2) is biased between an upper mount on the top plate (300 Figure 3) and a lower mount on the bottom plate (200 Figure 3)(as shown Figure 2). With regards to claim 10, Jeong discloses the terminal baseplate assembly of claim 1, wherein the top plate (300 Figure 2) and bottom plate (200 Figure 2) are configured to slidably engage on a linear path (in the left/right direction of Figure 3) with sliding limited by the at least one movement restriction device (100 Figure 2). Claim(s) 11-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gould (US-20090314921-A1). With regards to claim 11, Gould discloses a baseplate assembly (Figure 24) for a self-service terminal (SST) (93 Figure 24), comprising: a first plate (92 Figure 24) attachable to the SST (Para. 0083); a second plate (91 Figure 24) attachable to a mounting surface (“anchorage surface”, Para. 0083); and a dampening mechanism (120 Figure 24) positioned between the first plate and the second plate and configured to absorb forces applied to the SST (Para. 0101). With regards to claim 12, Gould discloses the baseplate assembly of claim 11, wherein the dampening mechanism (120 Figure 24) includes a resilient member (bends in 120 shown Figure 29). With regards to claim 13, Gould discloses the baseplate assembly of claim 11, wherein the first plate (92 Figure 24) includes at least one guide channel (112 Figure 24) configured to engage with a corresponding structure (116 Figure 24) on the SST (93 Figure 24). With regards to claim 14, Gould discloses the baseplate assembly of claim 11, wherein the second plate (91 Figure 24) includes at least one elongated opening (98 Figure 24) allowing limited movement of the SST (93 Figure 24) relative to the mounting surface (as shown Figure 29). With regards to claim 15, Gould discloses the baseplate assembly of claim 11, wherein the first plate (92 Figure 24) and the second plate (91 Figure 24) are configured to move relative to each other in response to a force applied to the SST (Figure 29, Para. 0101). With regards to claim 16, Gould discloses the baseplate assembly of claim 11, wherein the dampening mechanism (120 Figure 24) is positioned within aligned voids (125, 98 Figure 24) in the first plate (92 Figure 24) and the second plate (91 Figure 24). With regards to claim 17, Gould discloses the baseplate assembly of claim 11, wherein the dampening mechanism (120 Figure 24) includes a sacrificial material (124 Figure 27) that collapses to absorb force (Figure 27, Para. 0085). With regards to claim 18, Gould discloses the baseplate assembly of claim 11, wherein the first plate (92 Figure 24) and the second plate (91 Figure 24) are configured to distribute a peak force applied to the SST (93 Figure 24) over a longer period of time (Figure 29, Para. 0101). With regards to claim 19, Gould discloses a security baseplate (Figure 24) for an automated teller machine (ATM) (93 Figure 24) comprising: a lower mounting structure (91 Figure 24) attachable to a fixed surface (“anchorage surface”, Para. 0083); and at least one force absorption element (120 Figure 24) positioned between an upper mounting structure (92 Figure 24) and the lower mounting structure, wherein the upper mounting structure and the lower mounting structure are configured to move relative to each other within a predetermined range of motion when an external force is applied to the ATM (Figure 29, Para. 0101). With regards to claim 20, Gould discloses the security baseplate of claim 19, wherein an force absorption element (120 Figure 24) is configured to reduce a peak force experienced by the ATM (93 Figure 24) during a breaching attempt (Figure 29, Para. 0101). 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. Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong in view of Kim (US-9805559-B2). With regards to claim 8, Jeong discloses the terminal baseplate assembly of claim 1. Jeong does not disclose wherein the at least one movement restriction device (100 Figure 2) includes an air shock. However, Kim discloses a related terminal assembly (100 Figure 2) wherein a shock absorbing movement restriction device is a gas spring (900 Figure 2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to replace Jeong’s coil spring shock absorber with Kim’s gas spring shock absorber, with a reasonable expectation of success. One would have been motivated to use a gas spring for its adjustability and constant force applied throughout the spring stroke. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US-4861049-A: A related terminal baseplate arrangement. US-10273098-B2: A related terminal baseplate arrangement. US-6146057-A: A related terminal baseplate arrangement. US-8496172-B2: A related terminal baseplate arrangement. US-6955293-B1: A related terminal baseplate arrangement. CN-107882471-A: A related terminal baseplate arrangement. GB-2517601-A: A related terminal baseplate arrangement. DE-10347797-A1: A related terminal baseplate arrangement. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Noah Horowitz, whose telephone number is (571)272-5532. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 11:00AM - 7:00 PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina Fulton, can be reached at (571) 272-7376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /NOAH HOROWITZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3675
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Prosecution Timeline

Apr 04, 2025
Application Filed
Jun 29, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
73%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+27.9%)
3y 0m (~1y 8m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 187 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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