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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on February 23, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
This Non-final Rejection is in response to the Amendment dated February 23, 2026 filed in response to the last Final Rejection dated December 12, 2025.
The 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) rejection in the previous Office action is maintained for the reasons explained below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant argues, starting at the top of page 8 of the Amendment, Staun (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2021/0298530 A1) does not teach a processor configured to, in response to not receiving the identification signal in response to the poll signal, enter a passive attachment detection mode as claim 1 has been amended to claim. Examiner respectfully disagrees. As the rejection of claim 1 explains below, paragraphs [0037] through [0041] disclose Staun’s controller 40 with processor 42 (Fig. 8) is configured to a) passively detect a received attachment by sensing voltage levels at the contact points of attachment identifier 140 in order to identify the attachment, and b) actively identify a received attachment by sending a poll signal via attachment identifier 140 to received attachment controllers that respond to the poll signal with the attachment type identification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-10 and 20-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2021/0298530 A1 by Staun, hereinafter “Staun”.
Regarding claim 1, Staun discloses a food processing device (device appliance 100 in Figs. 1 and 2; ¶[0033]) comprising:
a base housing (housing 105 in Figs. 1 and 2; ¶[0034]) including:
an attachment receiver (¶[0033] discloses appliance 100 in Figs. 1 and 2 has an attachment receiver for removably coupling attachments 205 and 210 thereto) arranged to receive a food processing attachment configured to perform a food processing operation (attachments 205 and 210 in Figs. 1 and 2; ¶[0033]), the attachment receiver including an electrical connector (electrical connector attachment identifier 140 in Fig. 4A; ¶[0037]) having a plurality of electrical contacts (contact points 142 and 144 in Fig. 4A; ¶[0037] and [0038]);
a motor (motor 145 in Fig. 8; ¶[0034]); and
a first processor configured to control the motor and including a plurality of ports, each port of the plurality of ports being in electrical communication with each of the plurality of electrical contacts respectively (controller 40 with processor 42 in Fig. 8 is interfaced with the plurality of contacts of attachment identifier 140 in Fig. 4A and is configured to control motor 145; ¶[0040] and [0041]);
wherein the first processor is configured to:
periodically transmit a poll signal via the electrical connector to the received food processing attachment (¶[0037] through [0041] disclose controller 40 may be configured to poll the received attachment for its type by wired message through attachment identifier 140);
monitor for a response from a second processor via the electrical connector (¶[0037] through [0041] disclose controller 40 is configured to interface, e.g., monitor for a response, with a controller of a received attachment in instances where the received attachment includes a controller);
in response to receiving an identification signal in response to the poll signal at a first port of the plurality of ports via the electrical connector from a second processor in the received food processing attachment, identify the received food processing attachment (¶[0037] through [0041] disclose controller 40 is configured to identify a received attachment in response to the identification signal received in response to the poll signal sent by the controller in the received attachment in instance where the received attachment has a controller); and
in response to not receiving the identification signal in response to the poll signal, enter a passive attachment detection mode (¶[0037] through [0041] disclose controller 40 is configured to passively detect a received attachment by sensing voltage at each of the contact points of attachment identifier 140 to identify the attachment in instances where the received attachment does not include a controller to actively send an identification signal to controller 40 in response to a sent poll signal), wherein, when in the passive attachment detection mode, the first processor:
configures the plurality of ports to sense a voltage at each of the plurality of ports to identify the received food processing attachment (¶[0037] through [0041] disclose controller 40 is configured to identify the received attachment by sensing voltage at each of the contact points of attachment identifier 140);
determines a voltage level on one or more ports of the plurality of ports (¶[0038] discloses controller 40 determines the voltage level electrical characteristic through its interface with the contact points of attachment identifier 140);
identifies the received food processing attachment based on one or more voltage values stored in a data storage (¶[0040] discloses controller 40 identifies the received attachment based on the voltage values stored in memory 44 and the voltage values received at the contact points of attachment identifier 140); and
configures the motor based on settings associated with the received food processing attachment (¶[0040] and [0041] disclose controller 40 operates motor 145 based on the identification setting associated with the received attachment).
Regarding claim 2, Staun anticipates the food processing device of claim 1 as explained above. Staun further discloses wherein the first processor is configured to periodically transmit the poll signal via the electrical connector to the received food processing attachment from a second port of the plurality of ports (¶[0038] and [0039] disclose processor 42 of controller 40 interfaced with the contact points of attachment identifier 140 sends a poll signal via second contact point 144 in Fig. 4A when electrical connection is established by common contact point 142).
Regarding claim 4, Staun anticipates the food processing device of claim 1 as explained above. Staun further discloses wherein the base housing is configured to provide a power signal to the food processing attachment via the electrical connector (¶[0041] discloses the housing may control and power electromechanical components of a received attachment which requires the base housing being configured to provide a power signal to the received attachment).
Regarding claim 5, Staun anticipates the food processing device of claim 4 as explained above. Staun further discloses wherein the base housing is configured to provide a ground connection to the food processing attachment via the electrical connector (common contact point 142 provides ground for all attachments attached to attachment identifier 140; ¶[0038]).
Regarding claim 6, Staun anticipates the food processing device of claim 1 as explained above. Staun further discloses wherein the identification signal includes an identity of a type of food processing attachment (¶[0038] and [0039] disclose identification of the type of attachment is made).
Regarding claim 7, Staun anticipates the food processing device of claim 1 as explained above. Staun further discloses wherein a type of food processing attachment includes one of a blender, chopper, mixer, immersion blender, frother, vacuum sealer, pasta roller, grinder, food processor, and direct prepper (¶[0033] discloses the attachment may be a mixer or a chopper).
Regarding claim 8, Staun anticipates the food processing device of claim 1 as explained above. Staun further discloses wherein the identification signal is received via asynchronous serial communications (¶[0039] discloses the attachment asynchronously communicates its attachment type to the housing processor in response to the poll signal sent by the housing processor).
Regarding claim 9, Staun anticipates the food processing device of claim 1 as explained above. Staun further discloses wherein the first processor is configured to receive a motor control signal at the first port via the electrical connector from the second processor (¶[0041] discloses the housing may control and power a motor of a received attachment through the attachment identifier 140).
Regarding claim 10, Staun anticipates the food processing device of claim 1 as explained above. Staun further discloses wherein the first processor is configured to transmit motor status data to the second processor via the electrical connector from a second port of the plurality of ports (¶[0041] discloses a received attachment may have a controller which controls motor 145 of housing 105 in Fig. 1 requiring motor status data to be transmitted through attachment identifier 140 to the processor of the controller in the attachment).
Regarding claim 20, Staun discloses a method for identifying a food processing attachment comprising:
connecting the food processing attachment to a base housing of a food processing device via an attachment receiver including an electrical connector having a plurality of electrical contacts (Fig. 1 shows food processing attachment 205 attached to base housing 105 of appliance 100 via a mechanical attachment therebetween which includes electrical connector attachment identifier 140 in Fig. 4A);
electrically connecting each of a plurality of ports of a first processor in the base housing with each of the plurality of electrical contacts respectively (processor 42 of controller 40 in Fig. 8 is interfaced with the plurality of contact points of attachment identifier 140 in Fig. 4A);
periodically transmitting a poll signal via the electrical connector to the received food processing attachment (¶[0037] through [0041] disclose controller 40 may be configured to periodically transmit a poll signal to a received attachment for its type by wired message through attachment identifier 140);
in response to receiving, by the first processor, an identification signal in response to the poll signal at a first port of the plurality of ports via the electrical connector from a second processor in the received food processing attachment, identifying the received food processing attachment (¶[0037] through [0041] disclose controller 40 identifies a received attachment in response to the identification signal received in response to the poll signal sent by the controller in the received attachment in instance where the received attachment has a controller); and
in response to not receiving, by the first processor, the identification signal in response to the poll signal, entering a passive attachment detection mode (¶[0037] through [0041] disclose controller 40 passively detects a received attachment by sensing voltage at each of the contact points of attachment identifier 140 to identify the attachment in instances where the received attachment does not include a controller to actively send an identification signal to controller 40 in response to a sent poll signal);
wherein, based on entering the passive attachment detection mode:
configuring, by the first processor, the plurality of ports to sense a voltage at each of the plurality of ports to identify the received food processing attachment (controller 40 senses voltage at each of the contact points of attachment identifier 140 to identify the received attachment);
determining, by the first processor, a voltage level on one or more ports of the plurality of the ports (¶[0038] discloses controller 40 determines the voltage level electrical characteristic through its interface with the contact points of attachment identifier 140);
identifying, by the first processor, the received food processing attachment based on one or more voltage values stored in a data storage and the voltage level on the one or more ports (¶[0040] discloses controller 40 identifies the received attachment based on the voltage values stored in memory 44 and the voltage values received at the contact points of attachment identifier 140); and
configuring, by the first processor, a motor to operate based on setting associated with the received food processing attachment (¶[0040] and [0041] disclose controller 40 operates motor 145 based on the identification setting associated with the received attachment).
Regarding claim 21, Staun anticipates the method of claim 20 as explained above. Staun further discloses wherein periodically transmitting the poll signal via the electrical connector to the received food processing attachment comprises periodically transmitting via the electrical connector to the received food processing attachment from a second port of the plurality of ports (¶[0038] and [0039] disclose processor 42 of controller 40 interfaced with the contact points of attachment identifier 140 sends a poll signal via second contact point 144 in Fig. 4A when electrical connection is established by common contact point 142).
Regarding claim 22, Staun anticipates the method of claim 20 as explained above. Staun further discloses comprising providing a power signal to the food processing attachment via the electrical connector (¶[0041] discloses the housing may control and power electromechanical components of a received attachment which requires the base housing being configured to provide a power signal to the attachment).
Regarding claim 23, Staun anticipates the method of claim 22 as explained above. Staun further discloses comprising providing a ground connection to the food processing attachment via the electrical connector (common contact point 142 provides ground for all attachments attached to attachment identifier 140; ¶[0038]).
Regarding claim 24, Staun anticipates the method of claim 20 as explained above. Staun further discloses wherein the identification signal includes an identity of a type of food processing attachment (¶[0038] and [0039] disclose identification of the type of attachment is made).
Regarding claim 25, Staun anticipates the method of claim 20 as explained above. Staun further discloses wherein a type of food processing attachment includes one of a blender, chopper, mixer, immersion blender, frother, vacuum sealer, pasta roller, grinder, food processor, and direct prepper (¶[0033] discloses the attachment may be a mixer or a chopper).
Regarding claim 26, Staun anticipates the method of claim 20 as explained above. Staun further discloses wherein the identification signal is received via asynchronous serial communications (¶[0039] discloses the attachment asynchronously communicates its attachment type to the housing processor in response to the poll signal sent by the housing processor).
Regarding claim 27, Staun anticipates the method of claim 20 as explained above. Staun further discloses comprising receiving, by the first processor, a motor control signal at the first port via the electrical connector from the second processor (¶[0041] discloses the housing may control and power a motor of a received attachment through the attachment identifier 140).
Regarding claim 28, Staun anticipates the method of claim 20 as explained above. Staun further discloses comprising transmitting, by the first processor, motor status data to the second processor via the electrical connector from a second port of the plurality of ports (¶[0041] discloses a received attachment may have a controller which controls motor 145 of housing 105 in Fig. 1 requiring motor status data to be transmitted through attachment identifier 140 to the processor of the controller in the attachment).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL DEREK PRESSLEY whose telephone number is (313)446-6658. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am to 3:30pm Eastern.
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/P DEREK PRESSLEY/Examiner, Art Unit 3725
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