DETAILED ACTION
1. This is the first action on the merits relating to U.S. Application Serial No. 19/297,089 filed on August 12, 2025. Currently claims 1-5 remain in the examination.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
3. Applicant’s disclosure of related application information as described in the first paragraph of the specification is acknowledged.
Double Patenting
4. 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 filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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5. Claims 1-6 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 4, and 7 of U.S. Patent No. 12,406,319 B2 to Otani et al. (hereinafter “319 patent”). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other as the following claim comparison would show.
Instant Application
319 patent
Claim 1
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program executable by a computer to perform processing comprising:
acquiring passport information on a user from a first terminal employed in a first procedure that a passenger performs regarding the boarding process;
acquiring a first biometric information on the user from the first terminal; acquiring boarding reservation information on the user; and
issuing a token ID associated with the passport information, the biometric information, and the boarding reservation information,
wherein the token ID after being issued, is identified by matching the second biometric information of the user acquired by a second terminal used for the second procedure related to the boarding process with the first biometric information, and
wherein the identified token ID is used to determine, based on the passport information and boarding reservation information associated with the token ID, whether the user can carry out the second procedure at the second terminal.
Claim 1
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program executable by a computer to perform processing comprising:
acquiring passport information on a user from a first terminal employed in a first procedure that a passenger performs regarding the boarding process;
acquiring a first biometric information on the user from the first terminal; acquiring boarding reservation information on the user; and
issuing a token ID associated with the passport information, the biometric information, and the boarding reservation information,
wherein the token ID is invalidated in a case in which the user boards an aircraft,
wherein the token ID after being issued, is identified by matching the second biometric information of the user acquired by a second terminal used for the second procedure related to the boarding process with the first biometric information, and
wherein the identified token ID is used to determine, based on the passport information and boarding reservation information associated with the token ID, whether the user can carry out the second procedure at the second terminal.
Claim 2
The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the token ID is invalidated in a case in which the user boards an aircraft.
Claim 3
An information processing apparatus comprising:
a memory storing instructions; and a processor configured to execute the instructions to:
acquire passport information on a user from a first terminal employed in a first procedure that a passenger performs regarding the boarding process;
acquire a first biometric information on the user from the first terminal; acquire boarding reservation information on the user; and
issue a token ID associated with the passport information, the biometric information, and the boarding reservation information,
wherein the token ID after being issued, is identified by matching the second biometric information of the user acquired by a second terminal used for the second procedure related to the boarding process with the first biometric information, and
wherein the identified token ID is used to determine, based on the passport information and boarding reservation information associated with the token ID, whether the user can carry out the second procedure at the second terminal.
Claim 4
An information processing apparatus comprising:
a memory storing instructions; and a processor configured to execute the instructions to:
acquire passport information on a user from a first terminal employed in a first procedure that a passenger performs regarding the boarding process;
acquire a first biometric information on the user from the first terminal; acquire boarding reservation information on the user; and
issue a token ID associated with the passport information, the biometric information, and the boarding reservation information,
wherein the token ID is invalidated in a case in which the user boards an aircraft,
wherein the token ID after being issued, is identified by matching the second biometric information of the user acquired by a second terminal used for the second procedure related to the boarding process with the first biometric information, and
wherein the identified token ID is used to determine, based on the passport information and boarding reservation information associated with the token ID, whether the user can carry out the second procedure at the second terminal.
Claim 4
The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the token ID is invalidated in a case in which the user boards an aircraft.
Claim 5
An information processing method performed by a computer and comprising:
acquiring passport information on a user from a first terminal employed in a first procedure that a passenger performs regarding the boarding process;
acquiring a first biometric information on the user from the first terminal; acquiring boarding reservation information on the user; and issuing a token ID associated with the passport information, the biometric information, and the boarding reservation information,
wherein the token ID after being issued, is identified by matching the second biometric information of the user acquired by a second terminal used for the second procedure related to the boarding process with the first biometric information, and
wherein the identified token ID is used to determine, based on the passport information and boarding reservation information associated with the token ID, whether the user can carry out the second procedure at the second terminal.
Claim 7
An information processing method performed by a computer and comprising:
acquiring passport information on a user from a first terminal employed in a first procedure that a passenger performs regarding the boarding process;
acquiring a first biometric information on the user from the first terminal; acquiring boarding reservation information on the user; and issuing a token ID associated with the passport information, the biometric information, and the boarding reservation information,
wherein the token ID is invalidated in a case in which the user boards an aircraft,
wherein the token ID after being issued, is identified by matching the second biometric information of the user acquired by a second terminal used for the second procedure related to the boarding process with the first biometric information, and
wherein the identified token ID is used to determine, based on the passport information and boarding reservation information associated with the token ID, whether the user can carry out the second procedure at the second terminal.
Claim 6
The information processing method according to claim 5, wherein the token ID is invalidated in a case in which the user boards an aircraft.
As shown in claim comparison above, claim 1 of the instant application and claim 1 of 319 patent are verbatim identical except for the underlined portion. This underlined limitation is in fact shown in claim 2 of the instant application. Accordingly, claims 1 and 2 of the instant application is fully shown in claim 1 of 319 patent.
Claim 3 is limited to the information processing apparatus, and the limitation of claims 3 and 4 of the instant application is fully shown in claim 4 of 319 patent.
Claim 5 is limited to the information processing method, and the limitation of claims 5 and 6 of the instant application is fully shown in claim 7 of 319 patent.
In view of the above, the subject matter of the claims 1-6 of the instant application and claims 1, 4, 7 of 319 patent claim the same subject matter, not warranting two separate patents.
Conclusion
The pertinent prior arts made of record but not relied are listed in the attached form PTO-892. These are considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure. Applicant is respectfully suggested to carefully review these references.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ahshik Kim whose telephone number is (571)272-2393. The examiner can normally be reached between the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday thru Friday. Examiner’s fax phone number is (571)273-2393.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Michael G. Lee, can be reached on (571)272-2398. The fax phone number for this Group is (571)273-8300.
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/AHSHIK KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
February 21, 2026
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