Appeal No. 2006-1874
Reexamination Control No. 90/006,351
Marks discloses an automatic ledger account maintenance system for use with a double
entry bookkeeping or accounting system. (Column 3, lines 56-58). It provides an accounting
system for performing double-entry recordkeeping tasks and providing information concerning
the ledger accounts “of the entity whose accounts are maintained with the system” (Column 3,
lines 28-31). It is important to note that all of the ledger accounts involved in the double entry
bookkeeping are those of the same entity using the automated account maintenance system,
albeit that many entities may use the system. We agree with the following description of Marks
which appears on page 9 of the patent owner’s appeal brief:
Marks, U.S. Patent 5,117,356 discloses an automated accounting package
which uses traditional double entry bookkeeping in a software package, and
which is provided with an authorization code control means to provide means for
tracking changes to data records and for prevent posting of data by unauthorized
personnel. The Marks patent is intended for use as a bookkeeping system to be
used by a company to keep its accounts. It does not provide any sort of vehicle
for executing a payment, much less a system for making a payment among
account holding system members. It does not disclose a system for remote access
where a user might connect to the system via a network to request a payment
transaction to another person who has an account within the system. The
disclosure of Marks is concerned solely with creating and maintaining data
records which comprise the general ledger and subledgers of a company. It does
not disclose or suggest any payment system or any other system for transfer of
consideration between different entities.
The examiner incorrectly found that Marks discloses creating a deposit account data file
for each of a plurality of persons where each deposit account data file identifies a person. The
portions of Marks cited by the examiner are directed to the ledger and subledger accounts of the
same entity. Similarly, the examiner incorrectly found that Marks discloses entering transaction
records including identification of a person who will receive a debit, a person who will receive a
credit, and the amounts of such debit and credit. The portions of Marks cited by the examiner
are directed to the ledger and subledger accounts of the same entity. Also, the examiner
6
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007