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 .
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.
Claim(s) 14-17 and 19-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dayasagar et al. (US 2020/0048035 A1) in view of Hiltunen et al. (US 2018/0016116 A1) and Wang et al. (US 2018/0053504 A1).
Regarding claim 14, Dayasagar discloses an elevator system (e.g. Fig. 2A: 201) including an elevator car (e.g. Fig. 2A: 203) controlled by an elevator controller (e.g. Fig. 2A: 215 & [0047]) for movement between floors of a building, the elevator system comprising:
an elevator operating device (e.g. Fig. 2A: 250b) communicatively connected to the elevator controller and being arranged on one of the floors (e.g. [0047]: on each floor), the elevator operating device having a first radio device (e.g. Fig. 4: 449 & [0047]: communication module), an audio device (e.g. Fig. 2B & [0047, 0059]: speaker 254) and a touch-sensitive screen (e.g. Fig. 2B & [0047, 0059]: touch screen 252), the touch-sensitive screen adapted for inputting a destination floor desired by a passenger and for outputting travel information (e.g. [0059]: enable user to enter desired destination and receive acknowledgement from elevator controller);
an activation device (e.g. Fig. 2A-4: another 250b, 350, user device 231, 331) having an actuation device (e.g. Fig. 2B & [0047, 0059]: touch screen 252; 258; 259) accessible to the passenger and a second radio device (e.g. Fig. 4: 449 & [0047]: communication module) adapted for radio communication with the first radio device (e.g. Figs. 2A-4 & [0049]: devices 231, 331, 250, 350 may communicate with each other when proximate with one another),
Dayasagar fails to disclose, but Hiltunen teaches an activation device (e.g. Fig. 1: 34) having a second radio device adapted for radio communication with the first radio device (e.g. Fig. 1 & [0028]: ID device 40 send floor destination request to transmitter device 34 when in close proximity), the activation device being arranged within radio range of the elevator operating device (e.g. [0028]), wherein the second radio device is configured to transmit an activation radio signal when the actuation device is actuated by the passenger (e.g. sending request when in close proximity); and
wherein the elevator operating device switches from a normal operating mode to a special operating mode when the activation radio signal is received by the first radio device, generates in the special operating mode an operating instruction for a call input by the passenger (e.g. [0028]: generate special request), and switches into the normal operating mode when the call input is complete (inherently disclosed: the special request is complete when elevator arrived to pickup the user).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Dayasagar with the teachings of Hiltunen to facilitate communication of a special request transmitted from a user device to an operating device of an elevator so as to assist a disabled user to call an elevator.
In addition, Wang further teaches an activation device being arranged on one of the floors (e.g. Fig. 2: intent recognition device 210; [0060-0061]: intent device could be a button); wherein the elevator operating device is configured to generate an operating instruction to the passenger for entering a call input (e.g. Fig. 2: 220.1 & [0062-0063, 0065]: prompt device provides verbal/visual prompt to ask users for their desired destination).
Hiltunen teaches switching between normal operating mode and special operating mode, but fails to teach generating an operating instruction to the passenger for entering a call input, but Wang teaches it is known to generate operating instruction to the passenger for entering a call input.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Dayasagar and Hiltunen with the teachings of Wang to prompt user for entering desired destination so as to assist user to enter call request with less physical interaction (e.g. Wang: [0002]).
Regarding claim 24, Dayasagar and Hiltunen in combination discloses a method for operating the elevator system according to Claim 14, wherein the elevator operating device communicatively connected to the elevator controller is arranged on the one floor (e.g. Dayasagar: [0047]; Hiltunen: [0026]—provided on each floor), the activation device is arranged on the one floor within radio range of the elevator operating device (e.g. Hiltunen: Fig. 1 & [0028]: ID device 40 send floor destination request to transmitter device 34 when in close proximity), and the elevator operating device is adapted to switch between the normal operating mode and the special operating mode (e.g. Hiltunen: [0028]: generate special request), the method comprising the steps of:
receiving via the elevator operating device an activation signal initiated by a passenger at the activation device (e.g. Hiltunen: Fig. 1 & [0028]: ID device 40 send floor destination request to transmitter device 34 when in close proximity, and allocation controll 20 receives the request and send the request to elevator operating device 22); activating the special operating mode of the elevator operating device after reception of the activation signal, wherein the elevator operating device switches from the normal operating mode to the special operating mode (e.g. Hiltunen: [0028]: special transportation request); executing by the elevator operating device a routine for an operating instruction, whereby during a call input at the elevator operating device the elevator operating device assists the passenger who has initiated the activation signal (e.g. Hiltunen: [0028]: special transportation request based on request form device 40); after completion of the call input by the passenger, transmitting by the elevator operating device to the elevator controller a destination call corresponding to the call input (e.g. Hiltunen: [0028]: special transportation request); communicating travel information via the elevator operating device, wherein the travel information indicates an elevator car determined by the elevator controller and allocated to the destination call (e.g. Hiltunen: [0028]: display information on display 24 of DOP 22); and deactivating the special operating mode of the elevator operating device once the communication of the travel information has finished, wherein the elevator operating device then switches from the special operating mode to the normal operating mode (inherently disclosed: the special request is complete when elevator arrived to pickup the user).
Regarding claim 15, Dayasagar discloses the elevator operating device confirms the call input to the passenger through the audio device and/or the touch-sensitive screen (e.g. [0059]: acknowledgement).
Regarding claim 16, Wang teaches the operating instruction is a voice instruction communicated through the audio device (e.g. Fig. 2 & [0065]: prompt device includes speaker system to provide verbal prompt).
Regarding claim 17, Dayasagar discloses the elevator operating device has a housing and the activation device has a housing (e.g. Figs. 2A-4), the housing of the activation device being arranged adjacent to the housing of the elevator operating device (e.g. Figs. 2A-4 & [0049]: devices 231, 331, 250, 350 may communicate with each other when proximate with one another, i.e. implies devices may be adjacent to each other).
Regarding claim 19, Dayasagar discloses the activation device has an identification device that identifies the activation device as intended for use by a passenger with a physical limitation (e.g. Fig. 2B: 258, 259).
Regarding claims 20 and 26, Dayasagar discloses the activation device includes an acoustic signal generator that generates an audible position signal (e.g. [0064]: audible announcement).
Regarding claim 21, Dayasagar discloses the touch-sensitive screen that displays input fields assigned to destination floors, detects a touch in one of the input fields, and displays travel information determined for a destination call corresponding to the detected touch (e.g. [0059]: accept destination and output acknowledgement on the display).
Regarding claims 22 and 25, Dayasagar discloses the second radio device transmits the activation radio signal in accordance with a Bluetooth technology, and wherein the first radio device receives the activation radio signal in accordance with the Bluetooth technology (e.g. [0049]).
Regarding claim 23, Dayasagar discloses the elevator controller determines in the special operating mode travel information for the call input (e.g. [0064]: when assistance button 258 or 259 is manipulated) and communicates the determined travel information to the passenger by the elevator operating device (e.g. [0064-0065]: provide assists to enter desired floor destination).
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dayasagar et al. (US 2020/0048035 A1) in view of Hiltunen et al. (US 2018/0016116 A1) and Wang et al. (US 2018/0053504 A1) as applied to claim 14 above, and further in view of Eccleston (US 2004/0000453 A1).
Regarding claim 18, Dayasagar fails to disclose, but Eccleston teaches the elevator operating device (e.g. Fig. 1: 20) has a housing (e.g. Fig. 1: 10) and the activation device (e.g. Fig. 1: 100) has a housing (e.g. Fig. 1: 10), the housing of the activation device being arranged on the housing of the elevator operating device (e.g. Fig. 1: 10).
Thus, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Dayasagar with the teachings of Eccleston to include a second elevator operating device designated for handicapped user on the same housing of the original elevator operating device so as to assist handicapped user to call an elevator.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 14-26 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.
Applicant's arguments filed 03/24/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s arguments with respect to “Non-Obviousness- 35 U.S.C. 103” that Dayasagar and Hiltunen are fundamental different from the claimed invention, the examiner disagrees with the arguments because arguments only generally describe differences between cited prior art and the claimed invention without particularly point out how the arguments relate to any of the limitations in the claims.
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 KAWING CHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3909. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached at 571-272-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KAWING CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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