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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 24, 2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 9, 11, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by REEVELL (US 2017/0238610).
Reevell teaches an aerosol generating device (100) comprising a heater (119) configured to heat an aerosol generating material (115); and a controller (109, para. 0114) configured to control supply of electric power to the heater, according to a predetermined temperature profile, wherein the controller is further configured to detect puffs of a user (para. 0018, 0049), determine whether a time interval between the detected puffs is less than a threshold value (T2, para. 0129), in response to determining that the time interval is less than the threshold, change the predetermined temperature profile to a first temperature profile that minimizes a decrease in temperature of the heater (para. 0129, 0132), and in response to determining that the time interval is greater than or equal to the threshold, change the predetermined temperature profile to a second temperature profile that accelerates the decrease in temperature of the heater (para. 0129-0130).
Regarding claim 9, Reevell teaches a memory configured to store puff pattern data corresponding to the time interval between the puffs that are detected, wherein the controller is further configured to load the puff pattern data stored in the memory, and change the predetermined temperature profile based on the puff pattern data (para. 0114).
Regarding claim 11, Reevell teaches a method performed by an aerosol generating device for controlling the aerosol generating device comprising controlling supply of electric power to a heater of the aerosol generating device according to a predetermined temperature profile (para. 0114); detecting puffs of a user (para. 0018, 0049); determining whether a time interval between the detected puffs is less than, or greater than or equal to, a threshold value(T2, para. 0129); in response to determining that the time interval is less than the threshold, changing the predetermined temperature profile to a first temperature profile that minimizes a decrease in temperature of the heater (para. 0129, 0132); and in response to determining that the time interval is greater than or equal to the threshold, change the predetermined temperature profile to a second temperature profile that accelerates the decrease in temperature of the heater(para. 0129-0130).
Regarding claim 15, see the discussion of claim 9 above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ALARCON et al. (US 2016/0057811) in view of REEVELL (US 2017/0238610).
Alarcon teaches an aerosol generating device comprising a heater (146) configured to heat an aerosol generating material; and a controller (170) configured to control supply of electric power to the heater, according to a predetermined temperature profile, wherein the controller is further configured to detect puffs of a user, and change the predetermined temperature profile based on the detected puffs (para. 0048, 0075).
Alarcon is silent to determining a time interval between the detected puffs.
Reevell teaches an aerosol generating device (100) comprising a heater (119) configured to heat an aerosol generating material (115); and a controller (109, para. 0114) configured to control supply of electric power to the heater, according to a predetermined temperature profile, wherein the controller is further configured to detect puffs of a user (para. 0018, 0049), determine whether a time interval between the detected puffs is less than a threshold value (T2, para. 0129), in response to determining that the time interval is less than the threshold, change the predetermined temperature profile to a first temperature profile that minimizes a decrease in temperature of the heater (para. 0129, 0132), and in response to determining that the time interval is greater than or equal to the threshold, change the predetermined temperature profile to a second temperature profile that accelerates the decrease in temperature of the heater (para. 0129-0130).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the controller of Alarcon to control the operation of the aerosol generating device based on a time interval between the detected puffs as taught by Reevell because Alarcon teaches that the controller can be modified to track multiple types of information length of puffs, amount of air flow over the coil, changes in air flow throughout the length of a puff, and other information as would be known to one of skill in the art (para. 0075).
Regarding claim 2, Alarcon teaches the controller is further configured to, based on the time interval between the puffs being less than a threshold value, control the supply of electric power by following a target temperature of the predetermined temperature profile at a second feedback control speed greater than a predetermined first feedback control speed (para. 0073-0074).
Regarding claim 3, Alarcon teaches the controller is further configured to, based on the time interval between the puffs being greater than or equal to the threshold value, control the supply of electric power by following the target temperature of the predetermined temperature profile at a third feedback control speed less than the pre- determined first feedback control speed (para. 0073-0074).
Regarding claim 4, Alarcon teaches the controller comprises a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control module configured to follow a target temperature of the predetermined temperature profile (para. 0063), and is further configured to change at least one gain value of the PID control module according to the time interval between the puffs (para. 0067).
Regarding claim 5, Alarcon teaches the controller is further configured to, based on the time interval between the puffs being less than a threshold value, control the supply of electric power by following a target temperature corresponding to a time t-1 ahead of a time t in the predetermined temperature profile in which a target temperature according to the time t is set (para. 0073-0074).
Regarding claim 6, Alarcon teaches the controller is further configured to, based on the time interval between the puffs being greater than or equal to the threshold value, control the supply of electric power by following a target temperature corresponding to a time t+1 later than the time t (para. 0073-0074).
Regarding claim 7, Alarcon teaches the controller is further configured to change the predetermined temperature profile from a time of an (N+1) puff, based on a time interval between consecutive puffs among a first puff to an Nt puff, wherein N is a natural number of 2 or more (para. 0075).
Regarding claim 8, Alarcon teaches the controller is further configured to change the predetermined temperature profile from a time of a fourth puff, based on an average time interval of a first-time interval and a second time interval, the first-time interval being between the first puff and a second puff ,and the second time interval being between the second puff and a third puff (para. 0075).
Regarding claim 9, Alarcon teaches a memory configured to store puff pattern data corresponding to the time interval between the puffs that are detected, wherein the controller is further configured to load the puff pattern data stored in the memory, and change the predetermined temperature profile based on the puff pattern data (para. 0039).
Regarding claim 10, Alarcon teaches the controller is configured to control the supply of electric power to the heater to reach a changed target temperature in the predetermined temperature profile (para. 0075).
Regarding claim 11, Alarcon teaches a method performed by an aerosol generating device for controlling the aerosol generating device, the method comprising controlling supply of electric power to a heater of the aerosol generating device according to a predetermined temperature profile (para. 0048, 0076); detecting puffs of a user (para. 0048, 0075); and changing the predetermined temperature profile based on a time interval between the detected puffs (0048, 0075).
Alarcon is silent to determining a time interval between the detected puffs.
Reevell teaches an aerosol generating device (100) comprising a heater (119) configured to heat an aerosol generating material (115); and a controller (109, para. 0114) configured to control supply of electric power to the heater, according to a predetermined temperature profile, wherein the controller is further configured to detect puffs of a user (para. 0018, 0049), determine whether a time interval between the detected puffs is less than a threshold value (T2, para. 0129), in response to determining that the time interval is less than the threshold, change the predetermined temperature profile to a first temperature profile that minimizes a decrease in temperature of the heater (para. 0129, 0132), and in response to determining that the time interval is greater than or equal to the threshold, change the predetermined temperature profile to a second temperature profile that accelerates the decrease in temperature of the heater (para. 0129-0130).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the controller of Alarcon to control the operation of the aerosol generating device based on a time interval between the detected puffs as taught by Reevell because Alarcon teaches that the controller can be modified to track multiple types of information length of puffs, amount of air flow over the coil, changes in air flow throughout the length of a puff, and other information as would be known to one of skill in the art (para. 0075).
Regarding claim 12, see the discussions of claims 2 and 3 above.
Regarding claim 13, see the discussion of claim 4 above.
Regarding claim 14, see the discussions of claims 5 and 6 above.
Regarding claim 15, see the discussion of claim 9 above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-15 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
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/CYNTHIA SZEWCZYK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1741