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 .
Applicant’s response dated 2/20/26 is acknowledged and entered. Claims 1-20 are pending.
This action is non-final.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-9 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li, et al. (US 11,875,259, herein Li).1 2 Regarding claims 1 and 19-20, Li teaches a method, system, and computer readable medium for processing symbols, the method comprising: accessing an image of a symbol comprising embedded information (column 8, lines 13-15: step 210); inputting the image of the symbol into a deep learning module (column 8, lines 17-23: step 230); and generating, with the deep learning module (column 8, lines 46-58), predicted embedded information based on the image of the symbol (column 8, lines 24-34: enhanced barcode 250). Regarding claim 2, Li teaches generating the embedded information based on the predicted embedded information (column 8, lines 24-34: enhanced barcode 250). Regarding claim 3, Li teaches generating the embedded information comprises determining errors in the predicted embedded information (column 8, lines 24-34: step 270, see also column 9, lines 22-46). Regarding claim 4, Li teaches generating the embedded information comprises correcting any determined errors in the predicted embedded information (column 10, lines 16-38). Regarding claim 5, Li teaches the predicted embedded information comprises a plurality of codewords or intermediate digital representations of the plurality of codewords (column 5, lines 4-25). Regarding claim 6, Li teaches generating the embedded information comprises determining errors in the plurality of codewords (column 8, lines 24-34: step 270, see also column 9, lines 22-46). Regarding claim 7, Li teaches generating the embedded information comprises correcting any determined errors in the plurality of codewords (column 9, lines 50-64). Regarding claim 8, Li teaches generating a candidate barcode region in the image of the symbol (column 9, lines 50-64); and cropping the candidate barcode region from the image of the symbol (column 9, lines 50-64). Regarding claim 9, Li teaches generating, with the deep learning module, the predicted embedded information comprises: determining whether the candidate barcode region is a barcode region or a non-barcode region (column 9, lines 50-64); and if it is determined that the candidate barcode region is a barcode region, determining a type and/or symbology of a barcode in the barcode region (column 9, lines 50-64).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 2/20/26, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-8 and 19-20 under Yoda (“Learning Moderately Input-Sensitive Functions: A Case Study in QR Code Decoding”, published in arXiv on June 21, 2025, previously cited),3 have been fully considered and are persuasive.4 Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of Li. See above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW MIKELS whose telephone number is (571)270-5470. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 7:00 AM ET - 4:30 PM ET, Friday 7:00 AM ET - 11:00 AM ET, the Examiner is on central time.5
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael G Lee can be reached at 571-272-2398. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW MIKELS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
1 In addition to the cited portions, please see also the associated figures.
2 Note the publication date of Li is 1/16/24. The provisional application priority date for the instant application is 7/3/24. Note also that even if the § 102(a)(1) is incorrect, the filing date of Li is 10/4/23, making Li eligible as prior art under § 102(a)(2) as well. The rationale supporting the rejection in either case would be the same, as discussed herein.
3 See Non-patent literature dated 12/23/25.
4 Yoda did not antedate the priority date of the instant application.
5 The Examiner can also be reached at matthew.mikels@uspto.gov.
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