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 .
DETAILED ACTION
2. The request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for Continued Examination under 37 CFR 1.114, the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant’s submission filed 3/23/2026 has been entered. An action on the RCE follows.
Summary of claims
3. Claims 1-30 are pending,
Claims 1, 20, 22 are amended,
Claims 29-30 are newly added,
Claim 1, 29, 30 are independent claims,
Claims 1-30 are rejected.
Remarks
4. Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 3/23/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-30 under 102 and 103 have been fully considered and are not persuasive in view of new rejection ground(s).
Applicant argued on pages 9-13 that the cited references including Ersavas, Andrews and Palmer did not teach the newly amended features, such as, “the station icon associated with an irrigation station that is actively irrigating is associated with a remaining watering time indicator displayed on the map and visually indicating a portion of remaining watering time by the irrigation station before active irrigation by the irrigation station ends.” Examiner respectfully submit that a newly cited analogous art, Palmer (US Publication 20110049260) discloses displaying information about all types of watering event, such as watering start and end times, nighttime watering events, daytime watering events, switches, hydraulic capacity, flow management sequencing, time, projected flow total, and actual flow total ([0051]), and the irrigation software can show the actual operation information in real time ([0063]), please note the watering events information includes watering start and end times, the running time and the remaining time may be calculated based on watering start and end times and the operation information in real time. Further, as shown in Fig. 4 as reproduced below:
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Please note in the bottom part of Fig. 4, a running progress indicator is displayed, this indicator shows about 80% of the watering event is completed and about 20% of the water remaining time. That is, Andrews’ status indicators may be modified to include Palmer’s watering progress indicator. It would provide Ersavas-Andrews system with enhanced capabilities of allowing user to aware the actual operating time in an intuitive way and can adjust the operating easily.
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 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 of this title, 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.
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.
5. Claim(s) 1-9, 14-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pelin Ersavas et al (US Publication 20130207771 A1, hereinafter Ersavas), and in view of Reece Andrews (US Publication 20140039696 A1, hereinafter Andrews), and Doug Palmer et al (US Publication 20110049260 A1, hereinafter Palmer).
As for independent claim 1, Ersavas discloses: An irrigation management system (Ersavas: Abstract, Methods and systems are provided for monitoring and controlling irrigation and climate conditions in landscapes (such as, e.g., municipal parks, gardens, and sports fields) and agricultural environments (such as, e.g., open agricultural fields, greenhouses, and other sites growing crops), comprising: an irrigation management application for use in monitoring and/or controlling irrigation of at least one irrigation area (Ersavas: Abstract, Methods and systems are provided for monitoring and controlling irrigation and climate conditions in landscapes (such as, e.g., municipal parks, gardens, and sports fields) and agricultural environments (such as, e.g., open agricultural fields, greenhouses, and other sites growing crops) including a plurality of irrigation stations (Ersavas: [0064], Station status displays the reading success percentage for the stations, their battery usage, and signals), wherein the irrigation management application is configured to be executed by an electronic device including a control circuit, and a memory, wherein the irrigation management application is stored in the memory, and wherein when executed by the control circuit (Ersavas: [0083], The remote monitoring and control processes described above may be implemented in software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. The processes are preferably implemented in one or more computer programs executing on a programmable computer (which can be part of the central server system 4) including a processor, a storage medium readable by the processor (including, e.g., volatile and non-volatile memory and/or storage elements), and input and output devices), the irrigation management application is configured to: cause a user interface to be displayed on a display to a user, the user interface including a map of a geographic region that includes the at least one irrigation area (Ersavas: [0074], illustrates the site/station map usage process flow for the for the web-based remote monitoring system. The system displays the current site map through, e.g., "Google maps" at step (I1) as shown on exemplary FIG. 42. The name of the station is shown when the cursor moves over the stations pivots; [0075], The system allows users to list and view control elements that define the elements which the controller physically controls (J2) as shown in exemplary FIG. 48 and FIG. 49. After a physical connection made between the controller equipment and the equipment to be controlled (e.g., irrigation valve, pump, heater, cooler, fan etc.), the user defines the control element in the software through step (J5). An exemplary control element definition page is provided in FIG. 47. For a selected control element, users can show defined control conditions (J6), list control event logs (J7) as shown in exemplary FIG. 50, modify the control element (J8) and send manual control commands to the element (J9)); and
cause the user interface to display station icons on the map, each station icon of the station icons corresponding to one of the plurality of irrigation stations (Ersavas: [0081], an icon (square with star icon) designates a given site. The user can click on an icon to expand further. For example, clicking on one site icon, may enlarge to show the location of the stations for that site. The current Irrigation status window 6100 of FIG. 61 illustrates the current status of irrigation at each site);
Ersavas discloses displaying icons representing irrigation stations in a map but does not clearly disclose visually indicates an operational status of an irrigation station, in an analogous art of automatic irrigation control system, Andrews discloses:
wherein each of the station icons displayed on the map visually indicates one of a plurality of different operational status of an irrigation station corresponding to a respective one of the station icons, where each of the station icons corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of different operational status has a different visual appearance when displayed on the map relative to others of the plurality of different operational statuses (Andrews: [0064], A visual indicator, such as a color or shade of each status icon 84A-J, may be used to indicate an operational status of the associated irrigation system. In the illustrated embodiment of the user interface element 80, the different hatch patterns indicate different visual indicators, such as different colors or shades of colors. In one exemplary embodiment, a blue status icon indicates the associated irrigation system is currently irrigating, an orange status icon indicates a special operation, such as irrigating and applying a chemical, a red status icon indicates an unanticipated event has occurred such as an unanticipated stop, a green status icon indicates the irrigation system is running dry (i.e., not irrigating or applying a chemical), and a gray status icon indicates the irrigation system is not operating).
Ersavas and Andrews are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, automatic irrigation control system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Ersavas using the teachings of Andrews to include displaying visual indicator to indicate an operational status of the associated irrigation system. It would provide Ersavas’s system with enhanced capabilities of allowing user to easily aware the status of irrigation elements in the map.
Further, Ersavas and Andrews do not expressly disclose a remaining watering time indicator visually indicating a portion of remaining watering time, in another automatic irrigation control system, Palmer discloses: and wherein the station icon associated with an irrigation station that is actively irrigating is associated with a remaining watering time indicator displayed on the map and visually indicating a portion of remaining watering time by the irrigation station before active irrigation by the irrigation station ends (Palmer: [0051], [0063], displaying information about all types of watering event, such as watering start and end times, nighttime watering events, daytime watering events, switches, hydraulic capacity, flow management sequencing, time, projected flow total, and actual flow total ([0051]), and the irrigation software can show the actual operation information in real time ([0063]), please note the watering events information includes watering start and end times, the running time and the remaining time may be calculated based on watering start and end times and the operation information in real time; Fig. 4, please note in the bottom part of Fig. 4, a running progress indicator is displayed, this indicator shows about 80% of the watering event is completed and about 20% of the water remaining time).
Ersavas and Andrews and Palmer are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, automatic irrigation control system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Ersavas using the teachings of Pamler to include displaying a running progress indicator to show a portion of completed watering and a portion of remaining watering time. It would provide Ersavas’s system with enhanced capabilities of allowing user to aware the actual operating time in an intuitive way and can adjust the operating easily.
As for claim 2, Ersavas discloses: comprising the electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a computer, a server, and a mobile handheld device (Ersavas: [0003], The system can be accessed by personal computers, mobile devices, and other client devices operated by end-users. These devices communicate over a communications network with the system. The system transmits data to and receives remote control commands or queries from end-users).
As for claim 3, Ersavas discloses: wherein the display is coupled to or part of the electronic device, and when executed, the irrigation management application is configured to cause the user interface to be displayed on the display by transmitting instructions to the display (Ersavas: [0004], Users can remotely control irrigation or climate control systems at one or more agricultural or landscape sites for which the users have authorization or access to do so. The system provides a user interface displaying the information for one or more sites by customizable windows (portlets on a dashboard) in one page (a dashboard) or at multiple respective pages. The system provides quick access to charts, reports, maps and gives the end user flexibility with various add/remove/edit options).
As for claim 4, Ersavas discloses: wherein the display is coupled to or part of another electronic device remote from the electronic device and configured to communicate with the electronic device, and when executed, the irrigation management application is configured to cause the user interface to be displayed on the display by transmitting signals to the another electronic device, and the another electronic device is configured to cause the user interface to be displayed on the display (Ersavas: [0004], Users can remotely control irrigation or climate control systems at one or more agricultural or landscape sites for which the users have authorization or access to do so. The system provides a user interface displaying the information for one or more sites by customizable windows (portlets on a dashboard) in one page (a dashboard) or at multiple respective pages. The system provides quick access to charts, reports, maps and gives the end user flexibility with various add/remove/edit options).
As for claim 5, Ersavas discloses: comprising another irrigation management application stored in a memory of the other electronic device (Ersavas: [0055], The system can be accessed by users using various client devices such as, e.g., a mobile device 6 or personal computer 5; please note the irrigation management application may be stored in a memory of the mobile device or personal computer).
As for claim 6, Ersavas discloses: wherein the irrigation management application is distributed between the electronic device and one or more additional electronic devices such that at least portions of the irrigation management application are stored in the memory and a memory of the one or more additional electronic devices (Ersavas: [0003], The remote monitoring and control system communicates with the node/s over a communications network to receive data from and control operation of the node/s. The system can be accessed by personal computers, mobile devices, and other client devices operated by end-users. These devices communicate over a communications network with the system. The system transmits data to and receives remote control commands or queries from end-users).
As for claim 7, Ersavas discloses: wherein the electronic device comprises a mobile electronic device and the irrigation management application comprises an application configured to link to a remote computer device or server configured to provide signaling to cause the application to display the user interface (Ersavas: [0003], The remote monitoring and control system communicates with the node/s over a communications network to receive data from and control operation of the node/s. The system can be accessed by personal computers, mobile devices, and other client devices operated by end-users. These devices communicate over a communications network with the system. The system transmits data to and receives remote control commands or queries from end-users).
As for claim 8, Ersavas discloses: wherein the electronic device comprises a mobile electronic device and the irrigation management application comprises a browser application configured to display the user interface based on signaling received from a remote computer device or server in order to provide irrigation management functionality to the user via the user interface (Ersavas: [0021], a web-based remote monitoring and control system is provided for monitoring environmental, soil, or climate conditions and controlling irrigation or climate control systems at an agricultural or landscape site; [0075], Control condition pages adapt to the device used for simplifying the browsing on a mobile device as shown in exemplary FIGS. 52A-52B).
As for claim 9, Ersavas-Andrews discloses: wherein the operational status comprises a visual indication of whether the irrigation stations corresponding to the station icons are actively irrigating or not actively irrigating (Ersavas: [0064], Station status displays the reading success percentage for the stations, their battery usage, and signals. In addition to those temperature and humidity are displayed on the same table as shown in step (B21), FIG. 13 and FIG. 57. Irrigation portlet is a quick way to display the irrigation status (B20) as shown in exemplary FIG. 46. Other status portlets are farm management and information, pump status, and soil nutrient status (B22, B23, B24); [0075], users can also view the manual control history including the log of who turned on/off what and when; Andrews: [0064], A visual indicator, such as a color or shade of each status icon 84A-J, may be used to indicate an operational status of the associated irrigation system. In the illustrated embodiment of the user interface element 80, the different hatch patterns indicate different visual indicators, such as different colors or shades of colors. In one exemplary embodiment, a blue status icon indicates the associated irrigation system is currently irrigating, an orange status icon indicates a special operation, such as irrigating and applying a chemical, a red status icon indicates an unanticipated event has occurred such as an unanticipated stop, a green status icon indicates the irrigation system is running dry (i.e., not irrigating or applying a chemical), and a gray status icon indicates the irrigation system is not operating).
As for claim 14, Ersavas discloses: wherein the operational status comprises a visual indication representing an alert that the irrigation station did not pass a diagnostic test (Ersavas: [0051], Monitoring Elements & Irrigation Alerts).
As for claim 15, Ersavas-Andrews-Palmer discloses: wherein, the user interface is configured, in response to a selection by the user of one or more of the station icons visible on the map, to generate an interactive irrigation station control panel, the interactive irrigation station control panel (Ersavas: [0081], an icon (square with star icon) designates a given site. The user can click on an icon to expand further. For example, clicking on one site icon, may enlarge to show the location of the stations for that site. The current Irrigation status window 6100 of FIG. 61 illustrates the current status of irrigation at each site) being configured to permit the user to view at least one of: a name indicator that indicates an identifier assigned to an irrigation station associated with the station icon selected by the user (Ersavas: [0069], Gear icon at the beginning of the crop monitor's name takes the user to the configuration page to change the settings at step (D6). In step (D3) clicking on the name displays the monitor in any kind of chart with all different risk level zones shown in different colors); In addition, in an analogous art of monitoring and controlling irrigation system, Palmer discloses: a nozzle type indicator indicating a nozzle type of one or more sprinklers controlled by the irrigation station associated with the station icon selected by the user (Palmer: [0058], nozzle types); a remaining watering time countdown for the irrigation station associated with the station icon selected by the user (Palmer: Fig. 4, please note in the bottom part of Fig. 4, a running progress indicator is displayed, this indicator shows about 80% of the watering event is completed and about 20% of the water remaining time); a graphical indicator of the remaining watering time in relation to a total watering time for which the irrigation station associated with the station icon selected by the user was activated; a dry run forecast of an estimated time duration of a next watering event for the irrigation station associated with the station icon selected by the user; a last run indicator that indicates a date and time of a last watering event completed by the irrigation station associated with the station icon selected by the user; a sprinkler type indicator that indicates a type of one or more sprinklers used by the irrigation station associated with the station icon selected by the user; and active adjustments indicator that indicates all active operational attribute adjustments for the irrigation station associated with the station icon selected by the user (Palmer: [0051] displays information about all types of watering event, such as watering start and end times, nighttime watering events, daytime watering events, switches, hydraulic capacity, flow management sequencing, time, projected flow total, and actual flow total; Fig. 4, Fig. 4, please note in the bottom part of Fig. 4, a running progress indicator is displayed, this indicator shows about 80% of the watering event is completed and about 20% of the water remaining time).
Ersavas and Palmer are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, automatic irrigation control system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Ersavas using the teachings of Palmer to include displaying additional information of the irrigation system and watering event data. It would provide Ersavas’s system with enhanced capabilities of allowing user to aware the actual operating time in an intuitive way and can adjust the operating easily.
As for claim 16, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: wherein the graphical indicator of the remaining watering time includes a geometric shape that represents the total watering time for which the irrigation station associated with the station icon selected by the user was activated, and a shaded or colored portion of the geometric shape that indicates the remaining watering time for the irrigation station associated with the station icon selected by the user (Palmer: [0051] displays information about all types of watering event, such as watering start and end times, nighttime watering events, daytime watering events, switches, hydraulic capacity, flow management sequencing, time, projected flow total, and actual flow total; Fig. 4, Fig. 4, please note in the bottom part of Fig. 4, a running progress indicator is displayed, this indicator shows about 80% of the watering event is completed and about 20% of the water remaining time).
As for claim 17, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: wherein the nozzle type indicator is displayed within the interactive irrigation station control panel in a color that is specific to the nozzle type of the sprinklers controlled by the irrigation station associated with the station icon selected by the user (Palmer: [0058] and Fig. 4, the color of shaded arc 154 varies from dark to transparent to communicate the visual water distribution volume that is or will be distributed from a particular sprinkler 106. A darker color of the shaded arc 154 may represent a higher volume of water distribution while a more transparent color may represent a relatively lower volume of water. Further, with the proper sprinkler information unique to different sprinkler heads and nozzle types, the irrigation software can display the variations of water distributions within the arc itself in the form of a densogram (displaying the density of the distributed water). For example, some sprinklers 106 distribute less water to the turf closest to the sprinkler 106 than further away. Data on the characteristic water distribution of a sprinkler 106 can be inputted into the irrigation software, allowing the software to display this distribution differential as variations in color within the arc, as seen in the example arc 154 of FIG. 4).
As for claim 18, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: wherein the station icon visually indicates a nozzle type of one or more sprinklers controlled by the irrigation station corresponding to the station icon (Palmer: [0058], nozzle types).
As for claim 19, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: wherein the station icon is displayed using a color that indicates the nozzle type of the one or more sprinklers controlled by the irrigation station corresponding to the station icon (Palmer: [0058], nozzle types).
As for claim 20, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: wherein the remaining watering time indicator comprises a graphical visually indicating the remaining watering time by the irrigation station and the remaining watering time by the irrigation station in relation to a total watering time for which the irrigation station was activated (Palmer: Fig. 4, please note in the bottom part of Fig. 4, a running progress indicator is displayed, this indicator shows about 80% of the watering event is completed and about 20% of the water remaining time).
As for claim 21, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: wherein the graphical indicator of the remaining watering time includes a geometric shape that represents the total watering time for which the irrigation station was activated and a shaded or colored portion of the geometric shape that represents the remaining watering time for the irrigation station (Ersavas: Fig. 46; Palmer: [0058] and Fig. 4, the color of shaded arc 154 varies from dark to transparent to communicate the visual water distribution volume that is or will be distributed from a particular sprinkler 106. A darker color of the shaded arc 154 may represent a higher volume of water distribution while a more transparent color may represent a relatively lower volume of water. Further, with the proper sprinkler information unique to different sprinkler heads and nozzle types, the irrigation software can display the variations of water distributions within the arc itself in the form of a densogram (displaying the density of the distributed water). For example, some sprinklers 106 distribute less water to the turf closest to the sprinkler 106 than further away. Data on the characteristic water distribution of a sprinkler 106 can be inputted into the irrigation software, allowing the software to display this distribution differential as variations in color within the arc, as seen in the example arc 154 of FIG. 4).
As for claim 22, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: wherein the remaining watering time indicator comprises an information field that displays an identifier of the station icon and a countdown of the remaining watering time by the irrigation station (Palmer: Fig. 4, please note in the bottom part of Fig. 4, a running progress indicator is displayed, this indicator shows about 80% of the watering event is completed and about 20% of the water remaining time).
As for claim 23, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: wherein the operational status of at least one station icon visually indicates that at least one operational attribute of the irrigation station corresponding to the station icon has been adjusted (Ersavas: Fig. 46; Palmer: [0058] and Fig. 4, the color of shaded arc 154 varies from dark to transparent to communicate the visual water distribution volume that is or will be distributed from a particular sprinkler 106. A darker color of the shaded arc 154 may represent a higher volume of water distribution while a more transparent color may represent a relatively lower volume of water. Further, with the proper sprinkler information unique to different sprinkler heads and nozzle types, the irrigation software can display the variations of water distributions within the arc itself in the form of a densogram (displaying the density of the distributed water). For example, some sprinklers 106 distribute less water to the turf closest to the sprinkler 106 than further away. Data on the characteristic water distribution of a sprinkler 106 can be inputted into the irrigation software, allowing the software to display this distribution differential as variations in color within the arc, as seen in the example arc 154 of FIG. 4).
As for claim 24, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: wherein at least one of the station icons visually indicates at least one informational attribute of the irrigation station corresponding to a respective one of the station icons (Ersavas: Fig. 46; Palmer: [0058] and Fig. 4, the color of shaded arc 154 varies from dark to transparent to communicate the visual water distribution volume that is or will be distributed from a particular sprinkler 106. A darker color of the shaded arc 154 may represent a higher volume of water distribution while a more transparent color may represent a relatively lower volume of water. Further, with the proper sprinkler information unique to different sprinkler heads and nozzle types, the irrigation software can display the variations of water distributions within the arc itself in the form of a densogram (displaying the density of the distributed water). For example, some sprinklers 106 distribute less water to the turf closest to the sprinkler 106 than further away. Data on the characteristic water distribution of a sprinkler 106 can be inputted into the irrigation software, allowing the software to display this distribution differential as variations in color within the arc, as seen in the example arc 154 of FIG. 4).
As for claim 25, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: wherein at least one operational attribute is visually indicated using one of a plurality of colors, each of the plurality of colors corresponding to different operational attributes of the irrigation station corresponding to the station icon (Ersavas: Fig. 46; Palmer: [0058] and Fig. 4, the color of shaded arc 154 varies from dark to transparent to communicate the visual water distribution volume that is or will be distributed from a particular sprinkler 106. A darker color of the shaded arc 154 may represent a higher volume of water distribution while a more transparent color may represent a relatively lower volume of water. Further, with the proper sprinkler information unique to different sprinkler heads and nozzle types, the irrigation software can display the variations of water distributions within the arc itself in the form of a densogram (displaying the density of the distributed water). For example, some sprinklers 106 distribute less water to the turf closest to the sprinkler 106 than further away. Data on the characteristic water distribution of a sprinkler 106 can be inputted into the irrigation software, allowing the software to display this distribution differential as variations in color within the arc, as seen in the example arc 154 of FIG. 4).
As for claim 26, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: wherein at least one operational attribute is visually indicated using one of a plurality of shades of a color, each shade of the color corresponding to a different value range of the at least one operational attribute of the irrigation station corresponding to the station icon (Ersavas: Fig. 46; Palmer: [0058] and Fig. 4, the color of shaded arc 154 varies from dark to transparent to communicate the visual water distribution volume that is or will be distributed from a particular sprinkler 106. A darker color of the shaded arc 154 may represent a higher volume of water distribution while a more transparent color may represent a relatively lower volume of water. Further, with the proper sprinkler information unique to different sprinkler heads and nozzle types, the irrigation software can display the variations of water distributions within the arc itself in the form of a densogram (displaying the density of the distributed water). For example, some sprinklers 106 distribute less water to the turf closest to the sprinkler 106 than further away. Data on the characteristic water distribution of a sprinkler 106 can be inputted into the irrigation software, allowing the software to display this distribution differential as variations in color within the arc, as seen in the example arc 154 of FIG. 4).
As for claim 27, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: wherein a first shade of the color indicates that a run time of the irrigation station was adjusted by about 10-70%, a second shade of the color indicates that the run time of the irrigation station was adjusted by about 70-130%, and a third shade of the color indicates that the run time of the irrigation station was adjusted by about 130-200%, and wherein the second shade is darker than the first shade and the third shade darker than the second shade (Ersavas: Fig. 46; Palmer: [0058] and Fig. 4, the color of shaded arc 154 varies from dark to transparent to communicate the visual water distribution volume that is or will be distributed from a particular sprinkler 106. A darker color of the shaded arc 154 may represent a higher volume of water distribution while a more transparent color may represent a relatively lower volume of water. Further, with the proper sprinkler information unique to different sprinkler heads and nozzle types, the irrigation software can display the variations of water distributions within the arc itself in the form of a densogram (displaying the density of the distributed water). For example, some sprinklers 106 distribute less water to the turf closest to the sprinkler 106 than further away. Data on the characteristic water distribution of a sprinkler 106 can be inputted into the irrigation software, allowing the software to display this distribution differential as variations in color within the arc, as seen in the example arc 154 of FIG. 4).
As for claim 28, Ersavas-Palmer discloses: the station icon is associated with a colored shape surrounding the station icon; the colored shape surrounding the station icon is of a color that is different than a color of the station icon; and
the color of the colored shape surrounding the station icon indicates different values of the at least one operational attribute of the irrigation station corresponding to the station icon (Ersavas: Fig. 46; Palmer: [0058] and Fig. 4, the color of shaded arc 154 varies from dark to transparent to communicate the visual water distribution volume that is or will be distributed from a particular sprinkler 106. A darker color of the shaded arc 154 may represent a higher volume of water distribution while a more transparent color may represent a relatively lower volume of water. Further, with the proper sprinkler information unique to different sprinkler heads and nozzle types, the irrigation software can display the variations of water distributions within the arc itself in the form of a densogram (displaying the density of the distributed water). For example, some sprinklers 106 distribute less water to the turf closest to the sprinkler 106 than further away. Data on the characteristic water distribution of a sprinkler 106 can be inputted into the irrigation software, allowing the software to display this distribution differential as variations in color within the arc, as seen in the example arc 154 of FIG. 4).
As per claim 29, it recites features that are substantially same as those features claimed by claim 1, thus the rationales for rejecting claim 1 are incorporated herein.
As per claim 30, it recites features that are substantially same as those features claimed by claim 1, thus the rationales for rejecting claim 1 are incorporated herein.
6. Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pelin Ersavas et al (US Publication 20130207771 A1, hereinafter Ersavas), and Andrews and Palmer as applied on claim 1, and in view of Dzuy Nguyen (US Publication 20140343737 A1, hereinafter Nguyen).
As for claim 10, Ersavas discloses visually displaying the information of the irrigation station but does not clearly disclose an animated image, in an analogous art of automatic irrigation control system, Nguyen discloses: wherein the station icon comprises an animated image that changes between different sizes to indicate when the operational status of the irrigation station corresponding to the station icon is on (Nguyen: [0175], graphics 36010-36040 may be of different sizes. In one or more embodiments, graphics 36010-36040 may be included in an animation. For example, the animation may indicate via an interface that a zone of a sprinkler system is active).
Ersavas and Nguyen are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, automatic irrigation control system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Ersavas using the teachings of Nguyen to include displaying an animation indicating the status of the irrigation device. It would provide Ersavas’s system with enhanced capabilities of allowing user to easily managing irrigation elements.
7. Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pelin Ersavas et al (US Publication 20130207771 A1, hereinafter Ersavas), and Andrews and Palmer as applied on claim 1, and in view of Paul Standerfer et al (US Publication 20120041606 A1, hereinafter Standerfer).
As for claim 11, Ersavas discloses visually displaying the information of the irrigation station but does not clearly disclose a visual indication of whether the irrigation station is malfunctioning, in an analogous art of automatic irrigation control system, Standerfer discloses: wherein the operational status comprises a visual indication of whether the irrigation station corresponding to the station icon is working properly or malfunctioning (Standerfer: [0033], the top level indicator can indicate if all areas and stations in the subcategories beneath it are operating properly (e.g., color is all green or white 112A), one or more stations have errors or failed to water (e.g., color is partially green and red or black and white), or all areas and stations have errors or failed to water (e.g., color is all red). Each sub category can have similar indicators, identifying errors or proper functioning of that specific subcomponent. Thus, a user can selectively view each subcategory to determine where an error warning is being generated).
Ersavas and Standerfer are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, automatic irrigation control system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Ersavas using the teachings of Standerfer to include displaying data in different colors to indicate errors or proper functioning. It would provide Ersavas’s system with enhanced capabilities of allowing user to easily aware the status of the event and data.
As for claim 12, Ersavas-Standerfer discloses: wherein the operational status comprises a visual indication representing an alert that the irrigation station corresponding to the station icon is malfunctioning (Standerfer: [0033], the top level indicator can indicate if all areas and stations in the subcategories beneath it are operating properly (e.g., color is all green or white 112A), one or more stations have errors or failed to water (e.g., color is partially green and red or black and white), or all areas and stations have errors or failed to water (e.g., color is all red). Each sub category can have similar indicators, identifying errors or proper functioning of that specific subcomponent. Thus, a user can selectively view each subcategory to determine where an error warning is being generated).
As for claim 13, Ersavas-Standerfer discloses: wherein the user interface is configured to display a diagnostic report listing the alert visually indicated by the station icon responsive to the user hovering over or clicking on the station icon (Ersavas: [0004], The system provides quick access to charts, reports, maps and gives the end user flexibility with various add/remove/edit options; [0081], The user can click on an icon to expand further. For example, clicking on one site icon, may enlarge to show the location of the stations for that site. The current Irrigation status window 6100 of FIG. 61 illustrates the current status of irrigation at each site).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hua Lu whose telephone number is 571-270-1410 and fax number is 571-270-2410. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9:00 am to 6:00 pm EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Scott Baderman can be reached on 571-272-3644. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-273-8300.
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/Hua Lu/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2118
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