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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/08/2023 and 12/13/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 and 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Moon et al. (US 20190104573 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Moon discloses
A wireless indicator (light emitting modules 30a and 30b, fig.1) indicating an operation state of an induction heating type cooktop (induction heating device 10, fig.1), the wireless indicator (light emitting modules 30a and 30b) comprising:
a closed loop coil (circular shape, fig.1, Par.0009 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b having a circular shape …”); and
a light emitting device (plurality of LEDs, fig.1, Par.0010 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b may include a plurality of LEDs …”) driven by a voltage induced in the closed loop coil (circular shape) by an induced magnetic field generated in the cooktop (induction heating device 10).
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Regarding claim 5, Moon discloses
a rectifying element (rectifying portion, Par.0062) configured to rectify current flowing in the closed loop coil (circular shape, fig.1, Par.0009 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b having a circular shape …”) in one direction [Par.0062 cited: “…rectifying portion that rectifies the alternating power of the power supply to a direct current…”].
Regarding claim 6, Moon discloses
the wireless indicator (light emitting modules 30a and 30b, fig.1) includes the plurality of light emitting devices [Par.0010 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b may include a plurality of LEDs …”].
Regarding claim 7, Moon discloses
a brightness of the light emitting device (light emitting modules 30a and 30b, fig.1) is proportional to a magnitude of the voltage induced in the closed loop coil (circular shape, fig.1, Par.0009 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b having a circular shape …”) [Par.0052 cited: “…brightness of the light emitting module 200 can be automatically controlled…”].
Regarding claim 8, Moon discloses
An induction heating type cooktop (induction heating device 10, fig.1) comprising:
a power supply (power supply, Par.0062) configured to supply alternating current (AC) voltage [Par.0062 cited: “…a power supply that provides an alternating power...”];
a rectifier (rectifying portion, Par.0062) configured to convert the supplied AC voltage into a direct current (DC) voltage [Par.0062 cited: “…rectifying portion that rectifies the alternating power of the power supply to a direct current…”];
a working coil (working coils 27a and 27b, fig.1) configured to generate an induced magnetic field when current flows;
an inverter (inverter portion, Par.0062) configured to supply current to the working coil based on the converted DC voltage [Par.0062 cited: “…inverter portion that converts the direct current power rectified by the rectifying portion into a resonance current through a switching operation to provide it to a working coil…”];
a wireless indicator (light emitting modules 30a and 30b, fig.1) indicating an operation state of the cooktop (induction heating device 10),
wherein the wireless indicator (light emitting modules 30a and 30b) includes:
a closed loop coil (circular shape, fig.1, Par.0009 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b having a circular shape …”); and
a light emitting device (plurality of LEDs, fig.1, Par.0010 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b may include a plurality of LEDs …”) driven by a voltage induced in the closed loop coil by the induced magnetic field.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 2-4 and 9-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moon et al. (US 20190104573 A1), in view of Everett (US 20170164777 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Moon discloses substantially all the features as set forth in claim 1 above, such as the closed loop coil and the cooktop, but does not disclose the closed loop coil is disposed outside a working coil around the working coil of the cooktop.
Everett discloses a cooktop (induction cooktop 100, fig.1) comprising a coil (outer coil 106, fig.1) is disposed outside a working coil (inner coil 104, fig.1) around the working coil (inner coil 104) of the cooktop (induction cooktop 100) [Par.0007 cited: “…an outer induction coil circumscribing the inner induction coil within the cavity …”].
Regarding claim 3, Everett discloses
the coil (outer coil 106, fig.1) is disposed on the same plane as the working coil (inner coil 104, fig.1) [Par.0007 cited: “…an outer induction coil circumscribing the inner induction coil within the cavity …”].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the closed loop of Moon, is disposed outside a working coil around the working coil of the cooktop; and the coil is disposed on the same plane as the working coil, as taught by Everett, in order to define a cooking surface (Par.0008, Everett).
Regarding claim 4, Moon discloses substantially all the features as set forth in claim 1 above, such as the light emitting device (plurality of LEDs, fig.1, Par.0010 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b may include a plurality of LEDs …”) operates by the voltage induced in the closed loop coil (circular shape, fig.1, Par.0009 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b having a circular shape …”) or the voltage stored in the capacitor.
However, Moon does not disclose a capacitor.
Everett discloses a cooktop (induction cooktop 100, fig.1) comprising a capacitor (first resonant capacitor 114, fig.1).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify a cooktop of Moon, by including a capacitor of Everett, in order to store the voltage induced in the closed loop coil.
Regarding claim 9, Moon discloses substantially all the features as set forth in claim 1 above, such as the closed loop coil and the cooktop, but does not disclose the closed loop coil is disposed outside a working coil around the working coil of the cooktop.
Everett discloses a cooktop (induction cooktop 100, fig.1) comprising a coil (outer coil 106, fig.1) is disposed outside a working coil (inner coil 104, fig.1) around the working coil (inner coil 104) of the cooktop (induction cooktop 100) [Par.0007 cited: “…an outer induction coil circumscribing the inner induction coil within the cavity …”].
Regarding claim 10, Everett discloses
the coil (outer coil 106, fig.1) is disposed on the same plane as the working coil (inner coil 104, fig.1) [Par.0007 cited: “…an outer induction coil circumscribing the inner induction coil within the cavity …”].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the closed loop of Moon, is disposed outside a working coil around the working coil of the cooktop; and the coil is disposed on the same plane as the working coil, as taught by Everett, in order to define a cooking surface (Par.0008, Everett).
Regarding claim 11, Moon discloses substantially all the features as set forth in claim 8 above, such as the light emitting device (plurality of LEDs, fig.1, Par.0010 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b may include a plurality of LEDs …”) operates by the voltage induced in the closed loop coil (circular shape, fig.1, Par.0009 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b having a circular shape …”) or the voltage stored in the capacitor.
However, Moon does not disclose a capacitor.
Everett discloses a cooktop (induction cooktop 100, fig.1) comprising a capacitor (first resonant capacitor 114, fig.1).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify a cooktop of Moon, by including a capacitor of Everett, in order to store the voltage induced in the closed loop coil.
Regarding claim 12, Moon discloses
the induction heating type cooktop (induction heating device 10, fig.1) further includes a processor (input interface, Par.0052) configured to control driving of the inverter (inverter portion, Par.0062); and wherein, upon receiving a heating end command, the processor (input interface, Par.0052) determines whether a temperature of a top plate of the cooktop (induction heating device 10) is higher than or equal to a reference temperature, and supplies current to the wireless indicator (light emitting modules 30a and 30b, fig.1) by controlling the inverter while the temperature of the top plate is higher than or equal to the reference temperature.
Regarding claim 13, Moon discloses
the processor (input interface, Par.0052) supplies current to the wireless indicator (light emitting modules 30a and 30b, fig.1) at predetermined intervals by controlling the inverter (inverter portion, Par.0062) while the top plate temperature is higher than or equal to the reference temperature [Par.0052 cited: “…user controls a heating power (i.e., a heating intensity) through an input interface of the induction heating device…”].
Regarding claim 14, Moon discloses
the wireless indicator (light emitting modules 30a and 30b, fig.1) includes the plurality of light emitting devices [Par.0010 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b may include a plurality of LEDs …”].
Regarding claim 15, Moon discloses
a brightness of the light emitting device (light emitting modules 30a and 30b, fig.1) is proportional to a magnitude of the voltage induced in the closed loop coil (circular shape, fig.1, Par.0009 cited: “…light emitting modules 30a and 30b having a circular shape …”) [Par.0052 cited: “…brightness of the light emitting module 200 can be automatically controlled…”].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1834. The examiner can normally be reached 9.00am-5.00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Crabb can be reached on 571-270-5095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHUONG T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
01/11/2026