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 .
This office action is responsive to the application filed 12/19/2025 which claims 1-20 have been presented for examination.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 12/19/2025 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(1), which requires the following: (1) a list of all patents, publications, applications, or other information submitted for consideration by the Office; (2) U.S. patents and U.S. patent application publications listed in a section separately from citations of other documents; (3) the application number of the application in which the information disclosure statement is being submitted on each page of the list; (4) a column that provides a blank space next to each document to be considered, for the examiner’s initials; and (5) a heading that clearly indicates that the list is an information disclosure statement. The information disclosure statement has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 9-12, 14-15, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Higashiyama et al. (US 9,058,709) (hereinafter “Higashiyama”).
Re claims 1 and 2, Higashiyama discloses a media handling system, comprising:
a first media handling module (12) including:
a casing (100a) (see figs. 2 and 4),
an inlet (110a) through which a medium is taken into the casing (see figs. 2 and 4; and col. 9, lines 40-43),
an outlet (120a) through which the medium is discharged to outside of the casing (see figs. 2 and 4; and col. 9, lines 44-45), and
a transport (130a) that is connected to the inlet (110a) and the outlet (120a) and that transports the medium within the casing (see fig. 4; and col. 9, line 64 to col. 10, line 5);
a second media handling module (13) disposed adjacent to the first media handling module (12) (see fig. 2); and
a tablet that is portable and that wirelessly communicates with the first media handling module, wherein the tablet is usable remotely from the first media handling module (12) ((figs. 6 and 7 shows a register 40 including a control unit 412 and a communication unit 410; col. 15, lines 44-49 describes register 40 that communicates with the cash settlement device (11) which includes a first and second media handling module (12, 13)); and (col. 24, lines 9-19; col. 26, lines 23-29; and col. 27, lines 8-17 describes a cash management device (25), which may be the same as that of a general personal computer, that communicates via a LAN or the like with the cash settlement device (11), wherein the cash settlement device (11) includes a first and second media handling module (12, 13)));
wherein the first media handling module (12) includes a storage (150a, 160a) that stores the medium which is recognized during transport by the transport (see fig. 4; and col. 10, lines 12-25), and
wherein the storage (150a, 160a) includes a first storage, a second storage, a third storage, and a fourth storage which are arranged in a single column in a vertical direction (see fig. 4).
Re claim 3, Higashiyama further discloses the media handling system of claim 2, wherein the first media handling module includes a wireless communication interface for wireless communication with the tablet (col. 24, lines 9-19; col. 26, lines 23-29; and col. 27, lines 8-17 describes a cash management device (25), which may be the same as that of a general personal computer, that communicates via a LAN or the like with the cash settlement device (11), wherein the cash settlement device (11) includes a first and second media handling module (12, 13)).
Re claims 4 and 5, Higashiyama further discloses wherein the first media handling module determines a destination of the medium based on a command from the tablet, wherein the first media handling module changes the destination of the medium based on a command from the tablet (col. 17, lines 42-52 describes a clerk using a keyboard 404 of register 40 to input instructions regarding a destination of the cash inserted into the deposit unit 110, for example, the return of all the money or money except for the counterfeit note or the suspect note inserted into the deposit unit 110). (See also figs. 11 and 12; and col. 18, lines 1-67)
Re claim 6, Higashiyama further discloses the media handling system of claim 5, wherein the first media handling module transmits, to the tablet, information regarding media handling performed by the media handling system, and the tablet receives the information (see figs. 11 and 12; and col. 18, lines 1-67).
Re claim 9, Higashiyama further discloses the media handling system of claim 1, wherein the first media handling module (12) is disposed so as to be in contact with the second media handling module (13), and a height of an upper surface of the first media handling module is equal to a height of an upper surface of the second media handling module (see fig. 2).
Re claim 10, Higashiyama further discloses the media handling system of claim 1, wherein the inlet (110a) and the outlet (120a) are aligned in the vertical direction, and the inlet is configured such that a placement region for the medium is exposed from the casing (see fig. 2).
Re claim 11, Higashiyama further discloses the media handling system of claim 1, wherein the outlet (120a) has a structure different from a structure of the inlet (110a) and is provided with a plate that prevents the medium from being flung out (see fig. 2).
Re claim 12, Higashiyama further discloses the media handling system of claim 1, wherein a medium placement space of the inlet (110a) is larger than a medium placement space of the outlet (120a) (see fig. 4).
Re claim 14, Higashiyama further discloses the media handling system of claim 1, wherein the transport (130a) includes a region inclining against the vertical direction between the inlet (110a) and the storage (150a, 160a) (see fig. 4).
Re claim 15, Higashiyama further discloses the media handling system of claim 1, wherein the transport (130a) branches, at a position downstream of where the medium is recognized during transport, into a first region toward the outlet (120a) and a second region toward the storage (150a, 160a) (see fig. 2).
Re claim 19, Higashiyama further discloses the media handling system of claim 1, wherein the storage (150a) stores the medium such that a face of the medium is not parallel to a horizontal direction (see fig. 4).
Re claim 20, Higashiyama further discloses the media handling system of claim 1, wherein the second media handling module (13) and a third media handling module (register 40) that is different from the second media handling module (13) are connected to the first media handling module (12) (col. 8, lines 21-25; col. 14, line 28 to col. 15, line 35).
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) 7 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Higashiyama.
Re claim 7, Higashiyama further discloses wherein the tablet includes a touch-screen display having a square shape (see fig. 6; and col. 13, lines 24-29 describes register 40 having a display unit 402 that may be configured by a touch panel).
Higashiyama fails to specifically teach wherein the tablet is rectangular shape with long sides and short sides, and a length of each short side is less than a length of the inlet in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction in which the medium is taken in at the inlet and that is parallel to a horizontal direction.
However, it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to change the shape of the tablet to a rectangular shape having the claimed features, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
Re claim 8, Higashiyama further discloses wherein the tablet includes a touch-screen display having a square shape (see fig. 6; and col. 13, lines 24-29 describes register 40 having a display unit 402 that may be configured by a touch panel).
Higashiyama fails to specifically teach wherein the tablet is rectangular shape with long sides and short sides, and a length of each long side is less than a length of the casing in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction in which the medium is taken in at the inlet and that is parallel to a horizontal direction.
However, it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to change the shape of the tablet to a rectangular shape having the claimed features, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
Claim(s) 13 and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Higashiyama in view of Doi et al. (US 2013/0001041) (hereinafter “Doi”). The teachings of Higashiyama have been discussed above.
Re claim 13, Higashiyama fails to specifically teach the media handling system of claim 1, further comprising: a stacker that is different from the first storage, the second storage, the third storage, the fourth storage, the inlet, and the outlet, wherein the outlet and the stacker are located above a center of the casing in the vertical direction.
Doi teaches a banknote handling apparatus comprising: a stacker (28) that is different from a first storage (25), a second storage (25), a third storage (25), a fourth storage (25), an inlet (21), and an outlet (22), wherein the outlet (22) and the stacker (28) are located above a center of a casing (20a) in a vertical direction (see fig. 4; and para. 0044).
In view of Doi’s teachings, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate a stacker within Higashiyama’s apparatus in order to collect reject banknotes to be removed by an authorized entity.
Re claims 16 and 17, Higashiyama fails to specifically teach the media handling system of claim 1, further comprising: a container having a structure different from a structure of the storage, the container being incorporated into the media handling system, wherein the storage stores a first medium, and the transport transports, to the container, a second medium that is recognized and handled differently from the first medium.
Doi teaches a banknote handling apparatus comprising: a container (26) having a structure different from a structure of a storage (25), the container being incorporated into the apparatus (see fig. 4), wherein the storage stores a first medium, and a transport (23) transports, to the container (26), a second medium that is recognized and handled differently from the first medium (see para. 0043).
In view of Doi’s teachings, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate a container within Higashiyama’s apparatus in order to store a banknote whose denomination is not allocated to any of the storage unit (para. 0043).
Re claim 18, Higashiyama as modified by Doi discloses the media handling system of claim 16, wherein the first storage (25), the second storage (25), the third storage (25), and the fourth storage (25) are arranged in this order from top to bottom in the vertical direction, and a length of a portion of the transport (23) that is from the inlet (21) to the container (26) is greater than a length of a portion of the transport (23) that is from the inlet (21) to the first storage (25) (see Doi, fig. 4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ina et al. (US 2004/0182678) discloses a bill handling machine.
Mizuno (US 2016/0350995) discloses a medium transaction device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to APRIL A TAYLOR whose telephone number is (571)272-2403. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday between 9am-6pm.
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/APRIL A TAYLOR/Examiner, Art Unit 2876
/STEVEN S PAIK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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