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 .
Response to Amendments
The amendments filed on 08/04/2025 have been received, to which the Applicant is thanked. Claims 2-3 and 11-20 have been cancelled. The Applicant has overcome the 112b rejection of record, and it has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
The arguments have been fully considered, but have not been found to be persuasive.
In response to Applicants arguments,
The examiner respectfully responds the Applicants arguments are directed to new amendments to the claim language, which have been addressed in the rejection below.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 recites the limitations:
“a bypass leg connected to the mixer;
a bypass leg connected to the mixer;”,
to which while this is a specific claim limitation, it simply appears to be the exact statement previously made on the line directly above; an exact repeat. However, in light of there being no discernable difference between the two statements, the Examiner is interpreting the issue as a simple clerical error, which to obviate the claim objection, the Examiner would suggest removing one of the two statements; failure to do this will result in a 112(b) rejection if it is to purposefully remain. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-6, & 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eike et al (US 5,531,264), hereinafter referred to as Eike, in view of Mackin (US 2013/0037234).
Regarding claim 1, Eike (US 5,531,264) shows a vehicle cabin air temperature controller comprising:
a mixer (see Annotated Figure 1);
a cabin air heat exchanger connected to the mixer and that receives liquid from the mixer (see Annotated Figure 1);
a cooling leg (see Annotated Figure 1) that includes a cooling heat exchanger (10a, Fig. 6) configured to cool a received liquid and provide it to the mixer (see Annotated Figure 1);
a bypass leg connected to the mixer (see Annotated Figure 1);
a bypass leg connected to the mixer (see claim objection above);
a two-position (Fig. 7) three-way (Fig. 7) solenoid valve (31a, Fig. 6) with one inlet (see Annotated Figure 1) configured to take in coolant (Col. 6, Lines 36-53 – cooling water) from a pump (26, Fig. 6), a first outlet (see Annotated Figure 1) configured to supply the cooling leg (see Annotated Figure 1), and a second outlet (see Annotated Figure 1) configured to supply the bypass leg (see Annotated Figure 1);
wherein the cooling heat exchanger is connected between the solenoid valve (31a, Fig. 6) and mixer (see Annotated Figure 1);
a controller (35, Col. 7, Lines 13-25) configured to control flow of the coolant via the first outlet and the second outlet of the solenoid valve based on a temperature of air in a vehicle cabin connected to the cabin air heat exchanger (see Annotated Figure 1, Col. 7, Lines 59-67 / Col. 8, Lines 1-2 / Col. 5, Lines 54-67/Col6, Lines 1-2 – the controller is configured to control flow of the coolant, via the first outlet and the second outlet of the solenoid 31a, based on a temperature of air in a vehicle cabin connected to the heat exchanger, as the temperature of the air in the vehicle cabin front compartment is what operates the solenoid 31a to facilitate the ongoing cooling process through the heat exchangers fundamentally).
However, Eike lacks showing the cabin air heat exchanger providing cooled cabin air to the vehicle cabin.
Mackin (US 2013/0037234), a vehicle climate control system, is in the same field of endeavor as Eike which is a vehicle climate control system.
Mackin teaches the cabin air heat exchanger (154, ¶0033) providing cooled cabin air to the vehicle cabin (¶0033 – the cabin heat exchanger can be mounted in any location, including the cabin).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the vehicle and the cabin air heat exchanger of Eike to incorporate the teachings of the vehicle and the cabin air heat exchanger of Mackin, which would provide a mobile means for cooling the various aircraft systems when the aircraft is on the ground and the ambient air temperature is relatively high (¶0006).
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Annotated Figure 1
Regarding claim 4, Eike shows wherein the mixer is configured to mix the cooled coolant obtained via the cooling leg and the coolant obtained via the bypass leg over a predefined period to obtain a mixture and to provide the mixture as the input coolant (Fig. 6 – the mixer is configured to mix the cooled coolant obtained from the cooling leg and the coolant obtained from the bypass leg over a predefined period, a period of time defined by the relative structure of the system, to obtain a mixture and to provide the mixture as the input coolant).
Regarding claim 5, Eike shows wherein the cabin air heat exchanger is arranged to obtain warm air from the vehicle storage and to cool the warm air with the input coolant to provide the cooled storage air (Col. 6, Lines 36-53 – the cabin air heat exchanger is arranged to obtain warm air from the vehicle cabin and to cool the warm air with the input coolant to provide the cooled cabin).
However, Eike lacks showing the area being cooled is to be a vehicle cabin.
Mackin teaches the area being cooled is to be a vehicle cabin (¶0033 – the cabin heat exchanger can be mounted in any location, including the cabin).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the vehicle and the cabin air heat exchanger of Eike to incorporate the teachings of the vehicle and the cabin air heat exchanger of Mackin, which would provide a mobile means for cooling the various aircraft systems when the aircraft is on the ground and the ambient air temperature is relatively high (¶0006).
Regarding claim 6, Eike shows further comprising a temperature sensor (33, Fig. 3) configured to measure a temperature of the warm air from the vehicle storage provided to the cabin air heat exchanger (Fig. 3 – the temperature sensor 33 is configured to measure a temperature of the warm air from the vehicle storage, provided to the cabin air heat exchanger) and to provide the temperature of the warm air to the controller as a basis for subsequent control of the first outlet and the second outlet (Col. 5, Lines 54-65).
However, Eike lacks showing the cooled space is a vehicle cabin.
Mackin teaches the area being cooled is to be a vehicle cabin (¶0033 – the cabin heat exchanger can be mounted in any location, including the cabin).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the vehicle and the cabin air heat exchanger of Eike to incorporate the teachings of the vehicle and the cabin air heat exchanger of Mackin, which would provide a mobile means for cooling the various aircraft systems when the aircraft is on the ground and the ambient air temperature is relatively high (¶0006).
Regarding claim 9, Eike shows wherein the cabin air heat exchanger is also configured to obtain warmed air resulting from generating the cooled storage air (Fig. 6 – the cabin air heat exchanger is configured to obtain warmed air resulting from generating the cooled cabin air, as the cabin air heat exchanger is a heat exchanger to exchange air temperature and is located in the drivers cabin) and to provide the warmed air to the pump (Fig. 6 – the cabin air heat exchanger is configured to provide warmed coolant to the pump 26 after being run through the cycle, which includes running the coolant through the hot engine; see 112(b) rejection above).
However, Eike lacks showing the cooled space is a vehicle cabin.
Mackin teaches the area being cooled is to be a vehicle cabin (¶0033 – the cabin heat exchanger can be mounted in any location, including the cabin).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the vehicle and the cabin air heat exchanger of Eike to incorporate the teachings of the vehicle and the cabin air heat exchanger of Mackin, which would provide a mobile means for cooling the various aircraft systems when the aircraft is on the ground and the ambient air temperature is relatively high (¶0006).
Regarding claim 10, Eike shows elements of the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1 including the vehicle cabin (Col. 6, Line 46).
However, Eike lacks showing the vehicle cabin is an aircraft cabin.
Mackin teaches the vehicle cabin (36, Fig. 1) is an aircraft cabin (Fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the vehicle of Eike to incorporate the teachings of the vehicle of Mackin, which would provide a means for cooling the various aircraft systems when the aircraft is on the ground and the ambient air temperature is relatively high (¶0006).
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eike et al (US 5,531,264), hereinafter referred to as Eike, in view of Mackin (US 2013/0037234), in further view of Mountain (US 2002/0161276).
Regarding claim 7, Eike shows elements of the claimed invention as stated above in claim 6 including the controller and the three-way solenoid valve.
However, Eike lacks showing wherein the controller includes a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller and a pulse width modulator to provide a pulse width modulation control signal to the three-way solenoid valve.
Mountain (US 2002/0161276), an air temperature control system, is in the same fiend of endeavor as Eike which is an air temperature control system.
Mountain teaches wherein the controller (150, ¶0042) includes a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller and a pulse width modulator (¶0042) to provide a pulse width modulation control signal to the device (¶0042 – the dual hierarchy PID controlled pulse width modulator receives air temperature signals from the air temperature sensor 136).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the controller of Eike to incorporate the teachings of the controller of Mountain, which would provide a means to regulate personal comfort and reduce the amount of time it takes for the enclosure to reach the desired temperature (¶0013, Lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 8, Eike shows elements of the claimed invention as stated above in claim 7 including the vehicle, the controller and the signals generated by the controller.
However, Eike lacks showing wherein the pulse width modulation control signal is based on a difference between a desired temperature for the vehicle cabin and the temperature of the warm air.
Mountain teaches wherein the pulse width modulation control signal is based on a difference between a desired temperature for the cabin (126, ¶0030, Lines 1-7) and the temperature of the warm air (¶0042 – the dual hierarchy PID controlled pulse width modulator receives air temperature signals from an air temperature sensor 136, to which, the error signal for the second stage PD controller, of the PID controller, is obtained by comparing the PI generated air temperature set point to the air temperature).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the controller of Eike to incorporate the teachings of the controller of Mountain, which would provide a means to regulate personal comfort and reduce the amount of time it takes for the enclosure to reach the desired temperature (¶0013, Lines 1-4).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN L FAULKNER whose telephone number is (469)295-9209. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9-7, Every other F: Flex.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Hoang can be reached at 571-272-6460. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RYAN L FAULKNER/Examiner, Art Unit 3762 /MICHAEL G HOANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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