DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is a first Office Action on the merits of the application. Claims 1 - 22 are presented for examination. Claims 1, 7 - 11 and 18 are rejected.
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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
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Claims 1, 7 - 11 and 18 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 - 6 and 8 of U.S. Patent No. 11,519,173 B2 in view of Bumbalough et al. (WO 2016116877 A1), hereafter “Bumbalough”. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the limitations of the instant claims are found in the limitations of U.S. Patent No. 11,519,173 B2 in view of Bumbalough.
Instant Application
U.S. Patent 11,519,173 B2
Claim 1: A system of configuring and printing construction indicia upon planar surfaces on an interior panel and an exterior panel for producing hollow wall constructions, the system comprising:
Claim 1: A system of configuring and printing construction indicia upon planar surfaces on an interior panel and an exterior panel for producing hollow wall constructions, the system comprising:
a computer system, one or more databases, a CNC cutter/printer and a communication network;
a computer system, one or more databases, a CNC cutter/printer and a communication network;
wherein the one or more databases comprise construction plans having building component plans for structural, plumbing, electrical and mechanical;
wherein the one or more databases comprises construction plans having building component plans for architecture, structural, plumbing, electrical and mechanical;
wherein the computer system is configured to refine a pre-plan stored in the one or more databases and to process the pre-plan using the user-defined inputs to produce a final plan output, the system being configured to:
wherein the computer system is configured to refine a pre-plan stored in the one or more databases and to process the pre-plan using the user-defined inputs to produce a final plan output, the system being configured to:
a) receive the construction plans from the one or more databases, the construction plans comprising plans for building component plans, the building component plans comprising plans for structural, plumbing, electrical and mechanical;
a) receive the construction plans from the one or more databases, the construction plans comprising plans for building component plans, the building component plans comprising plans for architecture, structural, plumbing, electrical and mechanical;
b) receive inventory data for materials available to the system, the inventor data stored in an inventory control module;
c) process the structural plans through a framing rules module;
b) process the architectural and structural plans through a framing rules module;
d) process an output of the framing rules module through a framing design and plan module to produce a preliminary framing map module;
c) process an output of the framing rules module through a framing design and plan module to produce a preliminary framing map module;
e) process the plans for plumbing, electrical and mechanical through a subset construction data module to produce a preliminary Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing, (MEPI) map module;
d) process the plans for plumbing, electrical and mechanical through a subset construction data module to produce a preliminary Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing, (MEPI) map module;
f) process the preliminary MEPI map module and the preliminary framing map module through a conflict and clash resolution module to produce outputs of floor plans, wall sections, panel cut sections and track plans;
e) process the preliminary MEPI map module and the preliminary framing map module through a conflict and clash resolution module to produce outputs of floor plans, wall sections, panel cut sections and track plans;
g) transmit the produced outputs of the conflict and clash resolution module to a counterparty review module to produce the final plan output, wherein the system is configured to accept a secondary input after a counterparty review;
f) transmit the produced outputs of the conflict and clash resolution module to a counterparty review module to produce the final plan output, wherein the system is configured to accept a secondary input after a counterparty review; and
h) automatically produce cut and printed panels as per the final plan output of the counterparty review module for floor plans, wall sections, panel cut sections and track plans using a CNC cutter/printer machine; and
g) automatically produce cut and printed panels as per the final plan output of the counterparty review module for floor plans, wall sections, panel cut sections and track plans using a CNC cutter/printer machine; and
wherein an automated design and cutting of panel stiffeners configured to be disposed between the exterior panel and the interior panel, the panel stiffener configured to reduce deflection between the exterior panel and the interior panel while providing interior voids.
wherein an automated design and cutting of panel stiffeners configured to be disposed between the exterior panel and the interior panel, the panel stiffener configured to reduce deflection between the exterior panel and the interior panel while providing interior voids.
Claim 7: The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to convert the output from the preliminary MEPI map module and the preliminary framing map module to machine executable language before being used as input to the CNC cutter/printer.
Claim 2: The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to convert the output from the preliminary MEPI map module and the preliminary framing map module to machine executable language before being used as input to the CNC cutter/printer.
Claim 8: The system of claim 1, further comprising the input of panel feed stock in the CNC cutter/printer to cut and print upon the panels.
Claim 3: The system of claim further comprising the input of panel feed stock in the CNC cutter/printer to cut and print upon the panels.
Claim 9: The system of claim 3, further comprising the automated design and CNC cutting of blocking components configured to be disposed between an exterior panel and an interior panel.
Claim 4: The system of claim 3, further comprising the automated design and CNC cutting of blocking components configured to be disposed between an exterior panel and an interior panel.
Claim 10: The system of claim 1, further configured to place the construction components and insulation voids defined within the panels, such that blown in insulation will not be impeded by construction components disposed between an exterior panel and an interior panel.
Claim 5: The system of claim 1, further configured to place the construction components and insulation voids defined within the panels, such that blown in insulation will not be impeded by construction components disposed between an exterior panel and an interior panel.
Claim 11: The system of claim 1, wherein the CNC cutter/printer cuts the panel feed stock to include window voids.
Claim 6: The system of claim 1, wherein the CNC cutter/printer cuts the panel feed stock to include window voids.
Claim 18: A method of configuring and printing construction indicia upon a panel, the method being performed by a computer system, the computer system being in communication with one or more databases, the method comprising:
Claim 8: A method of configuring and printing construction indicia upon planar surfaces on an interior panel and an exterior panel for producing hollow wall constructions, the method being performed by a computer system, the computer system being in communication with one or more databases, the method comprising:
a) receiving construction plans from the one or more databases, the construction plans comprising plans for building component plans, the building component plans comprising plans for architecture, structural, plumbing, electrical and mechanical;
a) receiving construction plans from the one or more databases, the construction plans comprising plans for building component plans, the building component plans comprising plans for architecture, structural, plumbing, electrical and mechanical;
b) receiving inventory data for materials available to the system, the inventory data stored in an inventory control module;
c) processing the architectural and structural plans, through a framing rules module;
b) processing the architectural and structural plans, through a framing rules module;
d) processing an output of the framing rules module through a framing design and plan module for producing a preliminary framing map module;
c) processing an output of the framing rules module through a framing design and plan module for producing a preliminary framing map module;
e) processing the plans for plumbing, electrical and mechanical through a subset construction data module for producing a preliminary Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEPI) map module;
d) processing the plans for plumbing, electrical and mechanical through a subset construction data module for producing a preliminary Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEPI) map module;
f) processing the preliminary MEPI map module and the preliminary framing map module through a conflict and clash resolution module to produce outputs of floor plans, wall sections, panel cut sections and track plans;
e) processing the preliminary MEPI map module and the preliminary framing map module through a conflict and clash resolution module to produce outputs of floor plans, wall sections, panel cut sections and track plans;
g) transmitting the produced outputs of the conflict and clash resolution module to a counterparty review module to produce a final plan output, wherein the method further comprises accepting a secondary input after a counterparty review;
f) transmitting the produced outputs of the conflict and clash resolution module to a counterparty review module to produce a final plan output, wherein the method further comprises accepting a secondary input after a counterparty review; and,
h) automatically producing cut and printed panels as per the final plan output of the counterparty review module for floor plans, wall sections, panel cut sections and track plans using a CNC cutter/printer machine; and,
g) automatically producing cut and printed panels as per the final plan output of the counterparty review module for floor plans, wall sections, panel cut sections and track plans using a CNC cutter/printer machine; and,
wherein an automated design and cutting of panel stiffeners configured to be disposed between the exterior panel and the interior panel, the panel stiffener configured to reduce deflection between the exterior panel and the interior panel while providing interior voids.
wherein an automated design and cutting of panel stiffeners configured to be disposed between the exterior panel and the interior panel, the panel stiffener configured to reduce deflection between the exterior panel and the interior panel while providing interior voids.
Overall Analysis: The limitations of claims 1, 7 - 11 and 18 of the instant application are found in the limitations of claims 1 - 6 and 8 of U.S. Patent No. 11,519,173 B2, in combination with Bumbalough et al. (WO 2016116877 A1).
The difference between the claims listed in the instant application and the claims above with regards to U.S. Patent 11,519,173 B2 is the recitation of “b) receive inventory data for materials available to the system, the inventor data stored in an inventory control module” found in the limitations of clams 1 and 18 of the instant application.
However, the prior art of Bumbalough et al. (WO 2016116877 A1) discloses “b) receive inventory data for materials available to the system, the inventor data stored in an inventory control module” on page 10, line 52 through page 11, lines 1 - 3, a database to store data, including material inventory and a table of element categories.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the limitations listed above from U.S. Patent 11,519,173 B2 with the inventory information regarding materials stored in a database teaching of Bumbalough. The motivation to do so would have been because Bumbalough discloses the benefit of an options configurator for resolving complicated options and option combinations consistently, efficiently, and accurately in a three-dimensional model (Bumbalough, page 5, lines 8 - 9).
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter under 35 U.S.C. 103:
Claims 1 and 18: The prior art of Bumbalough et al. (U.S. PG Pub 2016/0210377 A1) adds structural framing with regards to architectural, structural, HVAC, piping and electrical configuration variations, and deriving CNC manufacturing with CNC files to perform construction without conflicts, with the prior art of Khanzode et al. (U.S. PG Pub 2015/0186558 A1) discloses obtaining building and MEP (mechanical, electrical plumbing) information to obtain a separate structural model with additional MEP components, and the prior art of McDonald et al. (U.S. Patent 8,161,697 B1) adding teaching of panels with splines between panels.
However, none of the references cited, including the prior art of Bumbalough, Khanzode and McDonald, taken either alone or in combination with the prior art of record discloses:
Claim 1: A system and for claim 18: A method for configuring and printing construction indicia upon planar surfaces on an interior panel and an exterior panel for producing hollow wall constructions, comprising:
reducing deflection between an interior panel and exterior panel while giving interior voids by a counterparty review module obtaining outputs from a conflict and clash resolution module to provide an output of a final plan regarding floor plans, wall, sections, panel cut sections and track plans from a process performed in initial MEPI and framing map modules, while accepting additional input after a counterparty review, and using the final plan output from the counterparty review module to obtain cut and printed panels using a CNC cutter/printer, in which the reduction in deflection is based on a deposition of panel stiffeners designed and cut automatically, in combination with the remaining elements and features of the claimed invention, it is for these reasons that the applicants’ invention defines over the prior art of record.
Dependent claims 2 - 17 and 19 - 22 are allowable under 35 U.S.C. 103 for depending from claims 1 and 18, allowable base claims under 35 U.S.C. 103.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CEDRIC D JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-7089. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 4:30am - 2:00pm, F 4:30am - 11:30am.
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/Cedric Johnson/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2186
February 20, 2026