DETAILED ACTION
The following is a Non-Final Office Action in response to the Request for Continued Examination (RCE) filed on 11 February 2026. Claim 1 has been amended. Claims 1-7 remain pending in this application.
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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11 February 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument that the present claims, as a whole, are directed to a physical device (i.e., air conditioner) that controls a compressor, expansion valve or outdoor heat exchanger (e.g., a rotation speed of the compressor, and a degree of opening of the expansion valve) based on the estimated remaining refrigerant amount to provide efficient delivery of cooling air, and not merely a mathematical concept, it is noted that the additional elements amount to no more than merely limitations that further define the variables of the mathematical concept (estimate the remaining refrigerant amount in the refrigerant circuit by using the estimation model and the operating state quantity). Thus, the discovery of a mathematical concept cannot support a patent unless there is some other inventive concept in its application. Mathematical concepts are defined as mathematical relationships, mathematical formulas or equations, and mathematical calculations. Generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use is not to be enough to qualify as “significantly more”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, because the specification, while being enabling for output of the estimated value of the remaining refrigerant amount is transmission of the estimated value of the remaining refrigerant amount to, for example, a remote controller (not illustrated) for operating the indoor unit 3 or a mobile terminal of a user of the air conditioner 1, and the received estimated value of the remaining refrigerant amount is displayed on a display unit of each of the remote controller and the mobile terminal that have received the estimated value of the remaining refrigerant amount, does not reasonably provide enablement for control, via the refrigerant circuit, performance of an operation of at least one of the compressor, expansion valve or outdoor heat exchanger based on the estimated remaining refrigerant amount. The specification does not enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to use the invention commensurate in scope with these claims.
Claim 1 recites, in part, control, via the refrigerant circuit, performance of an operation of at least one of the compressor, expansion valve or outdoor heat exchanger based on the estimated remaining refrigerant amount. The specification discloses “[h]ere, output of the estimated value of the remaining refrigerant amount is transmission of the estimated value of the remaining refrigerant amount to, for example, a remote controller (not illustrated) for operating the indoor unit 3 or a mobile terminal of a user of the air conditioner 1, and the received estimated value of the remaining refrigerant amount is displayed on a display unit of each of the remote controller and the mobile terminal that have received the estimated value of the remaining refrigerant amount.” See [0084]. Examiner has not found support for the claims filed on 17 September 2025. The only support for the claims of the instant application are found in the claims filed on 17 September 2025. There is no support for the claims of the instant application in the disclosure filed on 18 April 2023. Claims 2-7, dependent on claim 1, stand rejected for the same rationale as set forth for claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-7 remain rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. The claim(s) recite(s), in part, detect, from the storing, one of a first operating state quantity and a second operating state quantity being each of a rotation speed of the compressor, a degree of opening of the expansion valve, a refrigerant discharge temperature of the compressor, a heat exchange outlet temperature, and an outdoor air temperature, the first operating state quantity being an operating state quantity in a state in which the refrigerant circuit meets a first stability condition being that a state, in which variation of the rotation speed of the compressor falls within a first predetermined range, continues for a first predetermined period or more, the second operating state quantity being an operating state quantity in a state in which the refrigerant circuit meets a second stability condition that is different from the first stability condition, the second stability condition being that a state, in which the variation of the rotation speed of the compressor falls within a second predetermined range that exceeds the first predetermined range, continues for the first predetermined period or more; estimate the remaining refrigerant amount in the refrigerant circuit by using the estimation model and the operating state quantity that is detected by the detecting; and control, via the refrigerant circuit, performance of an operation of at least one of the compressor, expansion valve or outdoor heat exchanger based on the estimated remaining refrigerant amount. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the claims are directed to abstract ideas of mathematical concepts (estimate the remaining refrigerant amount in the refrigerant circuit by using the estimation model and the operating state quantity that is detected by the detecting). The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the claims are directed to abstract ideas and extra-solution activities that do not have a physical or tangible form, such as mere data gathering, insignificant application, and/or mere instructions to apply a judicial exception.
The following is an analysis based on 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance (2019 PEG).
Step 1, Statutory Category?
Claims 1-7 are directed to an air conditioner.
Claims 1-7 are directed to at least one of the four statutory categories.
Step 2A, Prong One, Judicial Exception Recited?
Claims 1-7 are directed to abstract ideas of mathematical concepts (estimate the remaining refrigerant amount in the refrigerant circuit by using the estimation model and the operating state quantity that is detected by the detecting) given the broadest reasonable interpretation. As per claim 1, this claim recites the limitations of “regularly acquire an operating state quantity at a time of air conditioning operation; detect, from the storing, one of a first operating state quantity and a second operating state quantity being each of a rotation speed of the compressor, a degree of opening of the expansion valve, a refrigerant discharge temperature of the compressor, a heat exchange outlet temperature, and an outdoor air temperature, the first operating state quantity being an operating state quantity in a state in which the refrigerant circuit meets a first stability condition being that a state, in which variation of the rotation speed of the compressor falls within a first predetermined range, continues for a first predetermined period or more, the second operating state quantity being an operating state quantity in a state in which the refrigerant circuit meets a second stability condition that is different from the first stability condition, the second stability condition being that a state, in which the variation of the rotation speed of the compressor falls within a second predetermined range that exceeds the first predetermined range, continues for the first predetermined period or more; estimate the remaining refrigerant amount in the refrigerant circuit by using the estimation model and the operating state quantity that is detected by the detecting; and control, via the refrigerant circuit, performance of an operation of at least one of the compressor, expansion valve or outdoor heat exchanger based on the estimated remaining refrigerant amount.” As drafted, these limitations encompass mathematical concepts. Mathematical concepts cover mathematical relationships and mathematical formulas or equations.
As per claim 3, this claim recites the limitations of “estimating includes: estimating the remaining refrigerant amount by using the first operating state quantity and the estimation model if number of detections of the first operating state quantity detected by the detecting in a predetermined period is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, and estimating the remaining refrigerant amount by using the second operating state quantity and the estimation model if the number of detections of the first operating state quantity detected by the detecting in the predetermined period is smaller than the predetermined value.” As drafted, these limitations encompass mathematical concepts. Mathematical concepts cover mathematical relationships and mathematical formulas or equations.
Claims 2 and 4 further elaborate upon the recited abstract ideas in claim 1.
Claims 1-7 are directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. Claim(s) 1-7 are directed to abstract ideas (mathematical concepts).
Step 2A, Prong Two, Integrated into a Practical Application?
The claims recite the following additional limitations:
As per claim 1, this claim recites the limitations of “a memory storing an estimation model that estimates a refrigerant remaining amount in the refrigerant circuit by using the operating state quantity, and processing circuitry coupled to the memory and configured to: regularly acquire an operating state quantity at a time of air conditioning operation; store therein the operating state quantity that is acquired by the acquiring; detect, from the storing, one of a first operating state quantity and a second operating state quantity being each of a rotation speed of the compressor, a degree of opening of the expansion valve, a refrigerant discharge temperature of the compressor, a heat exchange outlet temperature, and an outdoor air temperature, the first operating state quantity being an operating state quantity in a state in which the refrigerant circuit meets a first stability condition being that a state, in which variation of the rotation speed of the compressor falls within a first predetermined range, continues for a first predetermined period or more, the second operating state quantity being an operating state quantity in a state in which the refrigerant circuit meets a second stability condition that is different from the first stability condition, the second stability condition being that a state, in which the variation of the rotation speed of the compressor falls within a second predetermined range that exceeds the first predetermined range, continues for the first predetermined period or more; estimate the remaining refrigerant amount in the refrigerant circuit by using the estimation model and the operating state quantity that is detected by the detecting; and control, via the refrigerant circuit, performance of an operation of at least one of the compressor, expansion valve or outdoor heat exchanger based on the estimated remaining refrigerant amount.” As drafted, these limitations encompass no more than an insignificant extra-solution activity of data gathering, data outputting, and insignificant application. Extra-solution activity includes both pre-solution and post-solution activity. The limitations of “a memory,” “processing circuitry coupled to the memory,” and “control, via the refrigerant circuit, performance of an operation of at least one of the compressor, expansion valve or outdoor heat exchanger based on the estimated remaining refrigerant amount” are recited at a high level of generality and recited so generically that they represent no more than mere instructions to apply the judicial exception on a computer component (see MPEP 2106.05(f)). The limitations of “regularly acquire an operating state quantity at a time of air conditioning operation” and “detect, from the storing, one of a first operating state quantity and a second operating state quantity” represents mere data gathering and are recited at a high level of generally and recited so generically it represents no more than an insignificant extra-solution activity of gathering data (see MPEP 2106.05(g)).
Claims 2, 4 and 5 further elaborate upon the recited abstract ideas in claim 1.
As per claim 6, this claim recites the limitation of “the detecting includes detecting the first operating state quantity and the second operating state quantity.” As drafted, these limitations encompass no more than an insignificant extra-solution activity of data gathering. Extra-solution activity includes both pre-solution and post- solution activity. An example of pre-solution activity is a step of gathering data for use in a claimed process, e.g., a step of obtaining information about credit card transactions, which is recited as part of a claimed process of analyzing and manipulating the gathered information by a series of steps in order to detect whether the transactions were fraudulent. See MPEP 2106.05(g).
As per claim 7, this claim recites the limitation of “if the estimating includes estimating the remaining refrigerant amount by using the second operating state quantity and the estimation model at each predetermined timing, the estimating includes outputting, as the remaining refrigerant amount in the predetermined period, an average value of the remaining refrigerant amounts that are estimated at the respective predetermined timings in the predetermined period.” As drafted, these limitations encompass no more than an insignificant extra-solution activity of data outputting and insignificant application. Extra-solution activity includes both pre- solution and post-solution activity. An example of pre-solution activity is a step of gathering data for use in a claimed process, e.g., a step of obtaining information about credit card transactions, which is recited as part of a claimed process of analyzing and manipulating the gathered information by a series of steps in order to detect whether the transactions were fraudulent. See MPEP 2106.05(g).
The additional elements recite insignificant extra-solution activity as pre- solution data gathering and post-solution data outputting and do not provide integration into a practical application. The additional claim limitations, claim elements together and claims in their entirety do not provide integration into a practical application. The additional claim limitations, claim elements together and claims in their entirety do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide an inventive concept (significantly more than the abstract idea). The concept described in the claim(s) is not meaningfully different than those concepts found by the courts to be abstract ideas. As such, the description in the claims describes the concept identified as an abstract idea (data gathering, data outputting and data transmission). The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because they do not integrate the exception into a practical application of the exception.
Claims 1-7 do not integrate the recited abstract ideas into a practical application.
Step 2B, Inventive Concept (Significantly More)?
When considered both individually and as an ordered combination, the additional elements and elements of claims 1-7 do not amount to significantly more than the judicial exception for the same reasons discussed above as to why the additional limitations do not integrate the abstract ideas into a practical application. The additional elements of outlined in Step 2A performing functions as designed simply accomplish execution of the abstract ideas. The additional limitations identified as insignificant extra-solution activity above are carried over and they also do not provide significantly more.
As per claim 1, this claim recites the limitations of “a memory storing an estimation model that estimates a refrigerant remaining amount in the refrigerant circuit by using the operating state quantity, and processing circuitry coupled to the memory and configured to: regularly acquire an operating state quantity at a time of air conditioning operation; store therein the operating state quantity that is acquired by the acquiring; detect, from the storing, one of a first operating state quantity and a second operating state quantity being each of a rotation speed of the compressor, a degree of opening of the expansion valve, a refrigerant discharge temperature of the compressor, a heat exchange outlet temperature, and an outdoor air temperature, the first operating state quantity being an operating state quantity in a state in which the refrigerant circuit meets a first stability condition being that a state, in which variation of the rotation speed of the compressor falls within a first predetermined range, continues for a first predetermined period or more, the second operating state quantity being an operating state quantity in a state in which the refrigerant circuit meets a second stability condition that is different from the first stability condition, the second stability condition being that a state, in which the variation of the rotation speed of the compressor falls within a second predetermined range that exceeds the first predetermined range, continues for the first predetermined period or more; estimate the remaining refrigerant amount in the refrigerant circuit by using the estimation model and the operating state quantity that is detected by the detecting; and control, via the refrigerant circuit, performance of an operation of at least one of the compressor, expansion valve or outdoor heat exchanger based on the estimated remaining refrigerant amount.” As drafted, these limitations encompass no more than an insignificant extra-solution activity of data gathering, data outputting, and insignificant application. Extra-solution activity includes both pre-solution and post-solution activity. The limitations of “a memory,” “processing circuitry coupled to the memory,” and “control, via the refrigerant circuit, performance of an operation of at least one of the compressor, expansion valve or outdoor heat exchanger based on the estimated remaining refrigerant amount” are recited at a high level of generality and recited so generically that they represent no more than mere instructions to apply the judicial exception on a computer component (see MPEP 2106.05(f)). As drafted, these limitations encompass insignificant extra-solution activity. See MPEP 2106.05(g), Courts have held found mere data gathering and insignificant application to be insignificant extra-solution activity.
Considering the additional elements individually and in combination and the claims as a whole, the additional elements do not provide significantly more than the abstract idea. Hence, the claims are not patent eligible.
Claims 1-7 are therefore drawn to ineligible subject matter as they are directed to abstract ideas without significantly more.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The following references are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to detecting refrigerant leakage in air conditioners:
WO 2025204957 A1 to KOZONO et al.
EP 4012294 A1 to JANG et al.
CN 109323362 B to WANG et al.
JP 2022025509 A to SASAKI
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/CRYSTAL J BARNES-BULLOCK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2117 5 March 2026