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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 207, as shown in figure 2. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 1-2, 4-15, 20, and 23-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Soules (6,423,900) in view of Azih (9,756,477) and Chien (9,787,885).
With regard to claim 1, Soules teaches, as shown in figures 1-3 and taught in column 5 lines 17-59: “An electrical receptacle cover assembly (10 and 20) comprising: an electrical receptacle cover 10 and 11; a first transmission tab 12 that extends from the electrical receptacle cover and is configured to be electrically connected to a neutral terminal 29 of an electrical receptacle 20; a second transmission tab 13 that extends from the electrical receptacle cover and is configured to be electrically connected to a live terminal of the electrical receptacle 20”.
Soules does not teach: “radio frequency (RF) circuity that includes a RF transmitter and an RF receiver that cooperate to extend RF data communications between a first external RF device and a second external RF device; a power supply that draws electricity via the first transmission tab and the second transmission tabs, and provides a supplied power at a predetermined voltage to the RF circuitry… wherein the RF receiver is configured to receive an input RF signal that carries data sent from the first external RF device, and the RF transmitter is configured to transmit an RF output signal that carries the data to the second external RF device”.
In the same field of endeavor before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, Azih teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 5 line 10 - column 6 line 30 and column 9 lines 1-57: “radio frequency (RF) circuity 280 that includes a RF transmitter 320 and an RF receiver 320 that cooperate to extend RF data communications between a first external RF device 420 and a second external RF device 610(a); a power supply 310 that draws electricity via the first transmission tab (connection to neutral wire 290 described in column 5 lines 27-34) and the second transmission tabs (power line wire 290 described in column 5 lines 27-34), and provides a supplied power at a predetermined voltage to the RF circuitry 280… wherein the RF receiver 320 is configured to receive an input RF signal (signal from 420 in figure 7) that carries data sent from the first external RF device 420, and the RF transmitter 320 is configured to transmit an RF output signal (signal to 610(a) in figure 7) that carries the data to the second external RF device 610(a)”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules in order to provide a larger broadcast range (Azih, column 9 lines 1-14).
Neither Soules nor Azih teach the electrical receptacle cover assembly comprising “an on-board camera and an on-board microphone”, the power supply supplying power to the on-board camera and on-board microphone or “wherein the on-board camera and on-board microphone are configured to stream video and audio to the second external RF device”. However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention to modify the electrical receptacle cover assembly to include and provide power to a camera and microphone and to provide streaming to the second RF device, since adding these devices to structures with a power supply in order to allow the capture of video and sound and wireless communication of the sound and video (see Chien, column 1 lines 41-54 and column 11 line 49 - column 12 line 11).
With regard to claim 2, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 1”, as shown above.
Azih teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 6 lines 16-26: “wherein the RF data communications 320 includes reception and transmission of a signal selected from a group consisting of a Bluetooth signal and a WiFi signal”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih and Chien in order to connect to different devices (Azih, column 6 lines 16-26).
With regard to claim 4, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 1”, as shown above.
Azih teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 5 line 55 - column 6 line 26: “wherein the RF circuitry 280 is configured to communicate with other RF circuitry hosted in another electrical receptacle cover assembly (associated 100 of another switch 110, as described in column 6 lines 16-26) connected to another electrical receptacle (another switch 110, as described in column 6 lines 16-26) that is in a same building (household described in column 5 lines 55-62) as the electrical receptacle cover assembly 100”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih and Chien in order to connect to different devices (Azih, column 6 lines 16-26).
With regard to claim 5, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 4”, as shown above.
Azih teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 5 line 55 - column 6 line 26: “wherein the another electrical receptacle cover is located within RF communication range of the RF circuitry 280 of the electrical receptacle cover assembly 100”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih and Chien in order to connect to different devices (Azih, column 6 lines 16-26).
With regard to claim 6, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 5”, as shown above.
Azih also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 6 lines 16-41: “wherein the another electrical receptacle cover is located in a different room (column 6 lines 16-41 teach switches distributed throughout a building, which are known to have rooms and WIFI in particular is well-known to connected devices in different rooms) in the same building than the electrical receptacle cover assembly 100”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih and Chien in order to connect different devices in a building together (Azih, column 6 lines 16-41).
With regard to claim 7, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 6”, as shown above.
Azih also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 5 lines 10-34 and column 6 lines 16-41: “wherein the electrical receptacle cover assembly 100 is configured to be detachable from the electrical receptacle 120 in a first room in the same building and attached to different electrical receptacle 120 in a second room of the same building so as to provide RF communication coverage in the second room (column 6 lines 16-41 teach switches distributed throughout a building, which are known to have rooms and WIFI in particular is well-known to connected devices in different rooms)”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih and Chien in order to provide a larger broadcast range (Azih, column 9 lines 1-14).
With regard to claim 8, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 4”, as shown above.
Azih also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 5 line 55 - column 6 line 41: “wherein the other RF circuitry 280 of the another electrical receptacle cover assembly 100 and the RF circuitry of the electrical receptacle cover assembly 100 are both components of a radio distribution network”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih in order to connect different devices in a building together (Azih, column 6 lines 16-41).
With regard to claim 9, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 8”, as shown above.
Azih also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 5 line 55 - column 6 line 41: “wherein the RF circuitry 280 is configured to forward one or more data packets originating in the same building from a modem or router (column 6 lines 16-26 teach the RF circuitry functioning as a router distributing data from a network to another device) to another device 610 in the radio distribution network”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih and Chien in order to connect different devices in a building together (Azih, column 6 lines 16-41).
With regard to claim 10, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 4”, as shown above.
Azih also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 5 line 55 - column 6 line 41: “wherein the other RF circuitry (280 of the another switch described in column 6 lines 16-26) of the another electrical receptacle cover assembly and the RF circuitry 280 of the electrical receptacle cover assembly 100 are both components of a computer network (column 6 lines 16-26 describes multiple switches being part of a network that includes computers)”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih and Chien in order to connect different devices in a building together (Azih, column 6 lines 16-41).
With regard to claim 11, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 10”, as shown above.
Azih also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 5 line 55 - column 6 line 41: “wherein the RF circuitry 280 is configured to forward one or more data packets originating in the building from a modem or router to another device in the computer network (column 6 lines 16-26 teach data transferred from a modem or router to the RF circuitry and to other devices in a computer network)”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih and Chien in order to connect different devices in a building together (Azih, column 6 lines 16-41).
With regard to claim 12, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 11”, as shown above.
Azih also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 8 line 62 - column 10 line 38: “wherein the one or more data packets include computer readable instructions to be executed on the another device 610 (column 8 line 62 - column 10 line 38 teach data being passed to mobile devices which then read the data provided)”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention to combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih and Chien in order to automate the distribution of relevant data to users based on their location (Azih, column 9 lines 27-38).
With regard to claim 13, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 10”, as shown above.
Azih also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 8 line 13 - column 10 line 38: “wherein the computer network 420 extends outside of the building (column 8 lines 20-23 teach the network extending outside of one building) and at least one device 710 on the computer network 420 is accessible in a communication channel that at least partially includes Internet connectivity (column 8 lines 13-19 teach the network including internet connectivity)”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention to combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih in order to use the network across several sites (column 8 lines 20-23).
With regard to claim 15, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 1”, as shown above.
Azih also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 5 line 55 - column 6 line 41: “further comprising: a processor 340 configured to exchange data over a wired communication channel (described in column 6 lines 16-41) with at least another electrical cover assembly, wherein at least a portion of the data exchanged over the wired communication channel is exchanged over a wireless RF communication channel with at least one of the first external RF device 420 and the second external RF device 610(a)”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih and Chien in order to connect different devices in a building together (Azih, column 6 lines 16-41).
With regard to claim 20, Soules as modified by Azih and Chien teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 1”, as shown above.
Azih also teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 5 line 55 - column 6 line 41 and column 7 lines 10-25: “further comprising: programmable circuity configured to receive power from the power supply 310 and process computer readable instructions (described in column 7 lines 10-25 to execute control operations”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih and Chien in order for the processor to perform various actions (Azih, column 7 lines 20-25).
With regard to claim 23, Soules teaches, as shown in figures 1-3 and taught in column 5 lines 17-59: “A method for…” providing power to a device through “an electrical receptacle cover assembly (10 and 20), the method comprising: disposing an electrical receptacle cover 10 and 11 over an electrical receptacle 20 electrically connecting a first transmission tab 12 that extends from the electrical receptacle cover to a neutral terminal 29 of the electrical receptacle 20; electrically connecting a second transmission tab 13 that extends from the electrical receptacle cover to a live terminal of the electrical receptacle 20”.
Soules does not teach the method “extending radio frequency (RF) communications via” the electrical receptacle cover assembly and “extending RF data communications between a first external RF device and a second external RF device is radio frequency (RF) circuity that includes a RF transmitter and an RF receiver, the RF circuitry being integrated with the electrical receptacle cover assembly: supplying power from a power supply that draws electricity via the first transmission tab and the second transmission tabs, and provides a supplied power to the RF circuitry… the power supply being integrated with the electrical receptacle cover assembly; receiving by the RF receiver an input RF signal that carries data sent from the first external RF device; transmitting by the RF transmitter an RF output signal that carries the data to the second external RF device”.
In the same field of endeavor before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, Azih teaches, as shown in figures 1-7 and taught in column 5 line 10 - column 6 line 30 and column 9 lines 1-57, the method “extending radio frequency (RF) communications via” the electrical receptacle cover assembly 100 and “extending RF data communications between a first external RF device 420 and a second external RF device 610(a) is radio frequency (RF) circuity 280 that includes a RF transmitter 320 and an RF receiver 320, the RF circuitry 280 being integrated with the electrical receptacle cover assembly 100: supplying power from a power supply 310 that draws electricity via the first transmission tab (connection to neutral wire 290 described in column 5 lines 27-34) and the second transmission tabs (power line wire 290 described in column 5 lines 27-34), and provides a supplied power at a predetermined voltage to the RF circuitry 280, the power supply 310 being integrated with the electrical receptacle cover assembly 100; receiving by the RF receiver 320 an input RF signal (signal from 420 in figure 7) that carries data sent from the first external RF device 420; and transmitting by the RF transmitter 420 an RF output signal (signal to 610(a) in figure 7) that carries the data to the second external RF device 610(a)”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention combine the features of Azih with the invention of Soules in order to provide a larger broadcast range (Azih, column 9 lines 1-14).
Neither Soules nor Azih teach, the power supply supplying power to the on-board camera and on-board microphone or “and streaming video and audio from the on-board camera and on-board microphone to the second external RF device”. However, this is merely a recitation of the intended use of the it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention to modify the electrical receptacle cover assembly to include and provide power to a camera and microphone and to provide streaming to the second RF device, since adding these devices to structures with a power supply in order to allow the capture of video and sound and wireless communication of the sound and video for security systems (see Chien, column 1 lines 41-54 and column 11 line 49 - column 12 line 11).
Claims 16-19 and 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Soules (6,423,900) in view of Azih (9,756,477), Chien (9,787,885), and Rohmer et al. (2017/0025886).
With regard to claim 16, Soules as modified by Azih teaches: “The electrical receptacle cover assembly of claim 1”, as shown above.
Neither Soules nor Azih teach: “further comprising: an external device support platform coupled to the electrical receptacle cover, wherein the power supply includes a charger that is integrated into the external device support platform and is configured to charge an external device under a condition the external device is hosted on the external device support platform”.
In the same field of endeavor before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, Rohmer teaches, as shown in figures 1A-1F and taught in paragraphs 137-139: “further comprising: an external device support platform 30-3 coupled to the electrical receptacle cover 30, wherein the power supply 20 includes a charger 20-10 that is integrated into the external device support platform 30-3 and is configured to charge an external device 1 under a condition the external device 1 is hosted on the external device support platform 30-3”. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention to combine the features of Rohmer with the invention of Soules as modified by Azih in order to provide charging functionality (Rohmer, paragraph 137).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 23 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 JUSTIN M KRATT whose telephone number is (571)270-0277. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A Riyami can be reached at (571)270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUSTIN M KRATT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831