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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
It is noticed that there is no reference listed in the IDS filed on 08/29/2025. Applicant is suggested to file a new IDS listing reference(s) that need to be considered.
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).
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Claims 1-13 and 15-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-10, 14 and 15 of U.S. Patent No. 12,424,048. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1-10, 14 and 15 of U.S. Patent No. 12,424,048
cover and encompass the limitations of the respective claims 1-13 and 15-20 of the instant application. Moreover, because omission element(s) in the claims would make the claims in the instant application broader, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the claim(s) in the U.S. Patent No. 12,424,048 to as now recited in the instant application since it is just merely an obvious variation of the claims. Furthermore, it is well settled that omission of an element and it function is an obvious expedient if the remaining elements perform the same function as before. In re Karlson, 163 USPQ 184 (CCPA 1963). In light of the foregoing discussion, the broader claims 1-13 and 15-20 of the instant application are rejected as obvious double patenting over the narrower claims 1-10, 14 and 15 of U.S. Patent No. 12,424,048.
The corresponding claims as follow:
U.S Patent No. 12,424,048
Instant Application
Claim 1: A money handling apparatus, comprising:
a first storage unit and a second storage unit configured to store money therein;
a transport unit configured to transport money;
a recognition unit configured to recognize the money being transported by the transport unit; and a control unit configured to transport the money in the first storage unit by using the transport unit, recognize the money by using the recognition unit, transport a part of the money stored in the first storage unit to the second storage unit based on a result of recognition, so that the second storage unit stores money of predetermined denominations for which a quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance,
wherein the control unit detects a shortage denomination for which the quantity of money currently stored in the first storage unit is short, and allows to store money of the shortage denomination larger in quantity than the quantity set in advance for the shortage denomination, into the second storage unit
Claim 1: A money handling apparatus, comprising:
a first storage and a second storage which store money;
a transport which transports money;
a recognition sensor configured to recognize the money transported by the transport;
and a control circuit configured to control the transport to transport the money in the first storage, recognize the money based on a signal from the recognition sensor, and control the transport to transport a part of the money stored in the first storage to the second storage according to a result of recognition,
wherein the control circuit detects a shortage denomination for which a quantity of money currently stored in the first storage is short, and allows to store money of the shortage denomination larger in quantity than the quantity of money of the shortage denomination before detecting the shortage denomination into the second storage
Claim 2: wherein the control unit detects the shortage denomination, based on a ratio of a quantity of money of each denomination to a quantity of money of all denominations, stored in the first storage unit.
Claim 2: wherein the control circuit detects the shortage denomination, based on a ratio of a quantity of money of each denomination to a quantity of money of all denominations, stored in the first storage
Claim 3: wherein the control unit stores the money of the shortage denomination into the second storage unit until the quantity of the money of the shortage denomination stored in the second storage unit reaches an upper-limit quantity set for the shortage denomination, and stores the money of the shortage denomination into the first storage unit after reaching the upper-limit quantity.
Claim 3: wherein the control circuit stores the money of the shortage denomination into the second storage until the quantity of the money of the shortage denomination stored in the second storage reaches an upper-limit quantity set for the shortage denomination, and stores the money of the shortage denomination into the first storage after reaching the upper-limit quantity.
Claim 6: wherein the control unit stores money for dispensing, which is to be dispensed in a dispensing process, into the second storage unit
Claim 4: wherein the control circuit stores money for dispensing, which is to be dispensed in a dispensing process, into the second storage.
Claim 7: wherein while the shortage denomination is not detected, the control unit stores money deposited in a depositing process into the first storage unit regardless of denomination, and after detecting the shortage denomination, the control unit stores the money of the shortage denomination among the money deposited in the depositing process into the second storage unit, and stores money of denominations other than the shortage denomination into the first storage unit.
Claim 5: wherein while the shortage denomination is not detected, the control circuit stores money deposited in a depositing process into the first storage regardless of denomination, and after detecting the shortage denomination, the control circuit stores the money of the shortage denomination among the money deposited in the depositing process into the second storage, and stores money of denominations other than the shortage denomination into the first storage.
Claim 8: wherein when performing a process in which the control unit sequentially feeds out money from the first storage unit, recognizes the money by using the recognition unit, transports a part of the money stored in the first storage unit to the second storage unit based on a result of recognition, so that the second storage unit stores the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance, after completing storage of the money of the predetermined denominations into the second storage unit, in a case where the shortage denomination has not been detected, the control unit returns all money that has already been fed out from the first storage unit, into the first storage unit, and in another case where the shortage denomination has been detected, the control unit stores the money of the shortage denomination among the money that has already been fed out from the first storage unit, into the second storage unit, and returns money of denominations other than the shortage denomination into the first storage unit.
Claim 6: wherein when performing a process in which the control circuit sequentially feeds out money from the first storage,
recognizes the money via the recognition sensor, transports a part of the money stored in the first storage to the second storage based on a result of recognition, so that the second storage stores the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance, after completing storage of the money of the predetermined denominations into the second storage,
in a case where the shortage denomination has not been detected, the control circuit returns all money that has already been fed out from the first storage, into the first storage, and in another case where the shortage denomination has been detected, the control circuit stores the money of the shortage denomination among the money that has already been fed out from the first storage, into the second storage, and returns money of denominations other than the shortage denomination into the first storage.
Claim 10: wherein the control unit, performs a depositing process in which deposited money is stored into the first storage unit, and performs a dispensing process in which money is dispensed from the second storage unit that stores therein the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance, and after detecting the shortage denomination, the control unit, performs the depositing process in which the money of the shortage denomination is stored into the second storage unit and money of denominations other than the shortage denomination is stored into the first storage unit, and performs the dispensing process in which the money of the shortage denomination is dispensed from the second storage unit and the money of the other denominations is dispensed from the first storage unit.
Claim 7: wherein the control circuit performs a depositing process in which deposited money is stored into the first storage, and performs a dispensing process in which money is dispensed from the second storage that stores therein the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination, and after detecting the shortage denomination, the control circuit performs the depositing process in which the money of the shortage denomination is stored into the second storage and money of denominations other than the shortage denomination is stored into the first storage, and performs the dispensing process in which the money of the shortage denomination is dispensed from the second storage and the money of the other denominations is dispensed from the first storage.
Claim 14: wherein the control unit detects the shortage denomination from among target denominations that are part of denominations of money stored in the first storage unit.
Claim 8: wherein the control circuit detects the shortage denomination from among target denominations that are part of denominations of money stored in the first storage.
Claim 1: A money handling apparatus, comprising:
a first storage unit and a second storage unit configured to store money therein;
a transport unit configured to transport money;
a recognition unit configured to recognize the money being transported by the transport unit; and a control unit configured to transport the money in the first storage unit by using the transport unit, recognize the money by using the recognition unit, transport a part of the money stored in the first storage unit to the second storage unit based on a result of recognition, so that the second storage unit stores money of predetermined denominations for which a quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance,
wherein the control unit detects a shortage denomination for which the quantity of money currently stored in the first storage unit is short, and allows to store money of the shortage denomination larger in quantity than the quantity set in advance for the shortage denomination, into the second storage unit
Claim 9: A money handling apparatus, comprising:
a first storage which stores money; a second storage which stores money for a dispensing process;
a transport which moves money from the first storage to the second storage;
a recognition sensor configured to recognize money; and
a control circuit configured to control the transport to move a part of the money in the first storage to the second storage, and recognize the part of the money based on a signal from the recognition sensor in order to prepare, in the second storage, money to be used for the dispensing process before starting the dispensing process,
wherein the control circuit detects a shortage denomination for which a quantity of money currently stored in the first storage is short, and allows to store, in the second storage, money of the shortage denomination larger than a quantity of money of the shortage denomination stored in the second storage before detecting the shortage denomination
Claim 2: wherein the control unit detects the shortage denomination, based on a ratio of a quantity of money of each denomination to a quantity of money of all denominations, stored in the first storage unit.
Claim 10: wherein the control circuit detects the shortage denomination, based on a ratio of a quantity of money of each denomination to a quantity of money of all denominations, stored in the first storage
Claim 3: wherein the control unit stores the money of the shortage denomination into the second storage unit until the quantity of the money of the shortage denomination stored in the second storage unit reaches an upper-limit quantity set for the shortage denomination, and stores the money of the shortage denomination into the first storage unit after reaching the upper-limit quantity.
Claim 11: wherein the control circuit stores the money of the shortage denomination into the second storage until the quantity of the money of the shortage denomination stored in the second storage reaches an upper-limit quantity set for the shortage denomination, and stores the money of the shortage denomination into the first storage after reaching the upper-limit quantity.
Claim 4: wherein the control unit, detects that a total quantity of the money of the shortage denomination stored in the first storage unit and the second storage unit is increased while performing money handing and a shortage state of the money of the shortage denomination is resolved, and restores to a state in which the second storage unit stores the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance.
Claim 12: wherein the control circuit detects that a total quantity of the money of the shortage denomination stored in the first storage and the second storage is increased while performing money handing and a shortage state of the money of the shortage denomination is resolved, and restores to a state in which the second storage stores the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance.
Claim 5: wherein the control unit, detects that the money handling apparatus is replenished with the money of the shortage denomination supplied from outside the apparatus, and restores to a state in which the second storage unit stores the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance.
Claim 13: wherein the control circuit detects that the money handling apparatus is replenished with the money of the shortage denomination supplied from outside the apparatus, and restores to a state in which the second storage stores the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance.
Claim 7: wherein while the shortage denomination is not detected, the control unit stores money deposited in a depositing process into the first storage unit regardless of denomination, and after detecting the shortage denomination, the control unit stores the money of the shortage denomination among the money deposited in the depositing process into the second storage unit, and stores money of denominations other than the shortage denomination into the first storage unit.
Claim 15: wherein while the shortage denomination is not detected, the control circuit stores money deposited in a depositing process into the first storage regardless of denomination, and after detecting the shortage denomination, the control circuit stores the money of the shortage denomination among the money deposited in the depositing process into the second storage, and stores money of denominations other than the shortage denomination into the first storage.
Claim 8: wherein when performing a process in which the control unit sequentially feeds out money from the first storage unit, recognizes the money by using the recognition unit, transports a part of the money stored in the first storage unit to the second storage unit based on a result of recognition, so that the second storage unit stores the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance, after completing storage of the money of the predetermined denominations into the second storage unit, in a case where the shortage denomination has not been detected, the control unit returns all money that has already been fed out from the first storage unit, into the first storage unit, and in another case where the shortage denomination has been detected, the control unit stores the money of the shortage denomination among the money that has already been fed out from the first storage unit, into the second storage unit, and returns money of denominations other than the shortage denomination into the first storage unit.
Claim 16: wherein when performing a process in which the control circuit sequentially feeds out money from the first storage, recognizes the money via the recognition sensor, transports a part of the money stored in the first storage to the second storage based on a result of recognition, so that the second storage stores the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance, after completing storage of the money of the predetermined denominations into the second storage, in a case where the shortage denomination has not been detected, the control circuit returns all money that has already been fed out from the first storage, into the first storage, and in another case where the shortage denomination has been detected, the control circuit stores the money of the shortage denomination among the money that has already been fed out from the first storage, into the second storage, and returns money of denominations other than the shortage denomination into the first storage.
Claim 9: wherein when performing a process in which the control unit sequentially feeds out money from the first storage unit, recognizes the money by using the recognition unit, transports a part of the money stored in the first storage unit to the second storage unit based on a result of recognition, so that the second storage unit stores the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance, in a case where the shortage denomination has been detected, the control unit continues to stores the money of the shortage denomination into the second storage unit even after the quantity of the money of the shortage denomination in the second storage unit reaches the quantity set in advance for the shortage denomination, during a period from when the process is started to when storage of the money of all predetermined denominations into the second storage unit is completed.
Claim 17: wherein when performing a process in which the control circuit sequentially feeds out money from the first storage, recognizes the money via the recognition sensor, transports a part of the money stored in the first storage to the second storage based on a result of recognition, so that the second storage stores the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance, andin a case where the shortage denomination has been detected, the control circuit continues to stores the money of the shortage denomination into the second storage even after the quantity of the money of the shortage denomination in the second storage reaches the quantity set in advance for the shortage denomination, during a period from when the process is started to when storage of the money of all predetermined denominations into the second storage is completed.
Claim 10: wherein the control unit, performs a depositing process in which deposited money is stored into the first storage unit, and performs a dispensing process in which money is dispensed from the second storage unit that stores therein the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance, and after detecting the shortage denomination, the control unit, performs the depositing process in which the money of the shortage denomination is stored into the second storage unit and money of denominations other than the shortage denomination is stored into the first storage unit, and performs the dispensing process in which the money of the shortage denomination is dispensed from the second storage unit and the money of the other denominations is dispensed from the first storage unit.
Claim 18: wherein the control circuit performs a depositing process in which deposited money is stored into the first storage, andperforms a dispensing process in which money is dispensed from the second storage that stores the money of the predetermined denominations for which the quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance, and after detecting the shortage denomination, the control circuit performs the depositing process in which the money of the shortage denomination is stored into the second storage and money of denominations other than the shortage denomination is stored into the first storage, and performs the dispensing process in which the money of the shortage denomination is dispensed from the second storage and the money of the other denominations is dispensed from the first storage.
Claim 14: wherein the control unit detects the shortage denomination from among target denominations that are part of denominations of money stored in the first storage unit.
Claim 19: wherein the control circuit detects the shortage denomination from among target denominations that are part of denominations of money stored in the first storage.
Claim 15: A money handling method performed by a money handling apparatus, the method comprising:
feeding out money from a first storage unit in which money is stored, and
recognizing the fed-out money with a recognition unit;
transporting a part of the money stored in the first storage unit to a second storage unit based on a result of recognition, so that the second storage unit stores money of predetermined denominations for which a quantity of money of each denomination is set in advance;
detecting a shortage denomination for which the quantity of money stored in the first storage unit is short; and storing, upon detecting the shortage denomination, money of the shortage denomination larger in quantity than the quantity set in advance for the shortage denomination, into the second storage unit.
Claim 20: A money handling method performed by a money handling apparatus, the money handling method comprising:
feeding out money from a first storage in which money is stored;
recognizing the fed-out money with a recognition sensor;
transporting a part of the money stored in the first storage to a second storage based on a result of the recognizing;
detecting a shortage denomination for which a quantity of money stored in the first storage is short; and storing, upon detecting the shortage denomination, money of the shortage denomination larger in quantity than the quantity of money of the shortage denomination before detecting the shortage denomination, into the second storage.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 14 is 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
References: Haishima (US 11,568,699); Folk (US 2010/0236996); Chen (US 2021/0134102); Tagashira (US 2022/0230501) and Nomura (US 2014/0072696) are cited because they are related to money handling apparatus.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tuyen Kim Vo whose telephone number is (571)270-1657. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs: 8AM-6:30PM.
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/TUYEN K VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876