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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 7/1/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of the claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Trivedi et al. U.S. PGPub 2016/0154413.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 11-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Trivedi et al. U.S. PGPub 2016/0154413 (e.g. hereinafter “Trivedi”).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Trivedi discloses an electronic device (e.g. central coordinator) comprising: a communication module (e.g. I/O port), including communication circuitry, configured to communicate with at least one of a first external electronic device (e.g. A/C controller) and a second external electronic device (e.g. A/C unit or lighting controller/light unit), wherein the first external electronic device is capable of performing a first operation (e.g. setting heating/cooling based on occupancy) (e.g. ¶23 and 34-39; Fig. 1-3); a memory configured to store a plurality of instructions (e.g. ¶23 and 34-39; Fig. 1-3); and at least one processor, comprising processing circuitry (e.g. ¶23 and 34-39; Fig. 1-3), wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device: receive, from the first external electronic device via the communication module, a notification of execution of the first operation (e.g. via occupancy sensor data from sensor integrated in A/C controller) by the first external electronic and information related to the executed first operation (e.g. room/zone occupancy is detected, temperature sensor data, and/or light sensor data) (e.g. ¶26-27, 35, 47, 64, 94 and 160); identify, based on at least part of the information related to the executed first operation, whether an associated operation execution condition is satisfied (e.g. ¶26-27, 35, 47, 64, 94 and 160); in response to identifying that the associated operation execution condition is satisfied, identify, the second external electronic device as an associated device located within a specified distance (e.g. room/zone where occupancy is sensed) of the first external electronic device and, corresponding to the first operation of the first external electronic device and a second operation (e.g. activating A/C unit or lighting controller/light unit) that is an associated operation to be executed after the first operation is executed (e.g. ¶26-27, 35, 47, 64, 94 and 160); and transmit a command for executing the second operation to the second external electronic device through the communication module (e.g. ¶26-27, 35, 47, 64, 94 and 160).
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Trivedi discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: obtain location information of the first external electronic device through the communication module (e.g. ¶93, 154-156, 160 and 524); and identify that the first external electronic device and the second external electronic device are within the specified distance based on the obtained location information of the first external electronic device (e.g. ¶93, 154-156, 160 and 524).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, Trivedi discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the information related to the executed first operation comprises information related to a control method of the first external electronic device and wherein a plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively (e.g. ¶26-27, 35, 47, 64, 94 and 160), cause the electronic device to: identify that the associated operation execution condition is satisfied in response to the control method of the first external electronic device being an offline control method (via sleep mode and/or in person operation of the thermostat) in which the first external electronic device is directly controlled by a user regardless of network connection (e.g. ¶33 and 88).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Trivedi discloses the electronic device of claim 3, wherein a plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: identify that the associated operation execution condition is satisfied in response to the control method of the first external electronic device being an online control method in which the first external electronic device is controlled using a mobile device (e.g. ¶31, 42-43 and 46).
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Trivedi discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store space information of the second external electronic device, and wherein a plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: obtain location information of the second external electronic device through the communication module (e.g. ¶26-27, 35, 47, 64, 94 and 160).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Trivedi discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: transmit information related to the second operation to be executed by the second external electronic device to a mobile device through the communication module (e.g. ¶26-27, 35, 47, 64, 94 and 160); and transmit the command to execute the second operation to the second external electronic device in response to receiving from the mobile device a response to the transmitted second operation-related information (e.g. ¶26-27, 35, 47, 64, 94 and 160).
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Trivedi discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: generate the at least one associated device and the at least one associated operation of the first operation of the first external electronic device before receiving the notification and the information related to the executed first operation (e.g. ¶26-27, 35, 47, 64, 94 and 160); and store information related to the at least one associated device and the at least one associated operation in the memory (e.g. ¶26-27, 35, 47, 64, 94 and 160).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-10 and 18-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior art of record does not disclose storing the second operation of the second external electronic device as an associated operation of the first operation of the first external electronic device in response to the first operation of the first external electronic device and the second operation of the second external electronic device satisfying an association condition. The allowability, at least in part, resides in these facts.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
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 CHARLES R KASENGE whose telephone number is (571)272-3743. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30am to 4pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kenneth Lo can be reached at (571) 272-9774. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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CK
September 1, 2026
/CHARLES R KASENGE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116
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