DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claims 1-20 are rejected, grounds follow.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 1, 3, 5-10, 12, and 14-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vu et al., US Pg-Pub 2024/0085045 in view of Helbling, US Pg-Pub 2023/0083700.
Regarding Claim 1, Vu teaches
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code (e.g. [0094] “[0094] In some embodiments the method can be carried out manually, however, it is more efficient to program the method into a computer where complex mathematics are involved and to obtain the best results.”) that is executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to: (e.g. [0104] “instructions which, when executed by a processor…”) receive a selected time from a user ([0041] “[0041] Typically, the given time point is the same time for both the room occupancy status and the room reservation requirements, although it is possible to map the given time points out into the future, based on the duration of room use required.”) for reserving a workspace ([0025] “office”) in a building; ([0025] “any multi-room building, specifically where some rooms may be used and others not for prolonged periods of time (such as several hours, typically at least 24 hours). Examples of such buildings include, but are not limited to hotels, schools, conference facilities, meeting room facilities, flexible working/office buildings, apartment buildings, hospitals and retirement/nursing homes.”)
determine a recommended workspace for the user at the selected time based on an energy efficiency strategy; ([0042] “ “Allocating the next room to be used” as employed herein refers to the step of determining which of the unoccupied rooms is the most energy efficient (e.g. has the best energy efficiency score) and assigning that room as the next room to be used. Should a guest request a specific room that is not the predetermined next room to be used, it is possible to overrule the next room to be used and the method will adapt to assign the next room to be used to the next guest.”)
and transmit at least one control signal (e.g. on/off) to at least one control system (e.g. compressors, see [0237] “Based on the compressor efficiency profiles (or ‘load profiles’) of each compressor, the SRA generated room recommendations for Apr. 30, 2021 check-ins. In this particular example, the next rooms are allocated according to the closest-to-full-load compressor first, e.g. CU-09, CU-03, CU-08. This avoids turning on idle compressors which would generally lead to a waste in energy.”) associated with the recommended workspace, ([0072] “The model f can be determined by using historical data of HVAC equipment (e.g. compressor) and all rooms served by it, even if that is a 1:1 HVAC equipment to room ratio.”)
Vu differs from the claimed invention in that:
Vu does not appear to clearly articulate: the at least one control system being configured to receive the at least one control signal and responsively adjust at least one environmental condition associated with the recommended workspace from a first setting to a second setting,
wherein the at least one control system is configured to adjust the at least one environmental condition from the first setting to the second setting by the selected time or within a predefined timeframe after the selected time.
However, Helbling teaches a room reservation system ([0021] “the invention provides a central reservation system (CRS) configured to reserve an organization's rooms and remotely control temperatures in the rooms by controlling HVAC components that service the rooms according to a programmed, variable offset temperature scale, optimizing energy efficiency of the HVAC components according to energy management protocols.”) which transmits a control signal to a control system for HVAC equipment associated with a room ([0022] “The CRS server controls the HVAC components through control of the thermostat device or thermostat adapter in each of the rooms”) which responds by adjusting at least one environmental condition (such as temperature, see [0062] “The temperature set points in occupied mode has a programmable minimum and maximum operating temperature range, e.g., a maximum of 70 degrees heating and maximum 72 cooling degrees.”) from a first setting ([0022] “The CRS server controls the HVAC components through control of the thermostat device or thermostat adapter in each of the rooms to a first environmental room state reflecting non-reservation”) to a second setting ([0022] “ a third environmental state reflecting a time between user check-in and check-out in which the user is present”) by a selected reservation time (ibid. nb. by transitioning through a reset period prior to occupancy, which is the “second environmental state” see [0022] see also [0090] “the adapter device 220 calculates the optimal amount of time needed to start-up equipment, to have a “set” room temperature, at an exact opening starting time. This feature works in conjunction with regular schedule settings to enhance energy efficiency.”). Examiner notes for clarity of the citations that the “CRS” and “BMS” of Helbling are acknowledged by Helbling to be the same equipment, see ([0119] ““BMS server” (610) may be used herein to refer to the server operating the CRS application program 612 together with the CRS plugin 614.”)
Helbling is analogous art because it is from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention and other references of cooperative control of building equipment with reservation systems.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application could have modified the teachings of Vu to include sending control signals to the HVAC equipment of Vu reflecting the reservation state and timings to effect a change in environmental state, as suggested by Helbling.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application could have been motivated to make this modification in order to enhance energy efficiency of the building. ([0107] “the CRS application program and conditions data to effect remote control of the HVAC components and offset temperatures in reserved rooms optimizing energy efficiency of HVAC components servicing the rooms”)
Regarding Claims 10 and 19, these claims recite substantively the same subject matter, except embodied as a method and system, respectively; Mutatis mutandis, these claims are likewise obvious over Vu in view of Helbling for the same reasons articulated with respect to claim 1.
Regarding Claims 3 and 12, Vu in view of Helbling teaches all of the limitations of parent claim 1,
Helbling further teaches:
(Claim 3 representative) wherein the at least one environmental condition includes a temperature level, a humidity level, and a lighting level associated with the recommended workspace. ([0107] “operating a CRS plugin 514 that operates with the CRS application program and conditions data to effect remote control of the HVAC components and offset temperatures in reserved rooms optimizing energy efficiency of HVAC components servicing the rooms” )
Regarding Claims 5 and 14, Vu in view of Helbling teaches all of the limitations of parent claims 1 and 10 respectively,
Helbling further teaches:
(Claim 5 representative) determine that the recommended workspace is inactive; (Helbling [0114] “The at least one sensor 184 in each of those rooms can include a motion sensor (not shown in FIG. 7) that generates and transmits a signal that is processed by the CRS server 510”)
and transmit at least one other control signal to the at least one control system in response to determining that the recommended workspace is inactive, ([0114] “Based on the processing results of this sensor data, the CRS server can define the settings defining one or more the first, the second, the third and the fourth environmental states”)
the at least one control system being configured to receive the at least one other control signal (i.e. the “first environmental state reflecting non-reservation” see [0112]”) and responsively adjust the at least one environmental condition to the first setting. (ibid. but see also [0087] discussing a retrofit adapter which leverages a night-time set-back set point as the temperature for the unoccupied mode. E.g. “once the adapter device has determined that human motion has stopped (e.g. detects a near zero persons count), the adapter device will automatically enter an unoccupied mode” the adapter is part of the CRS system, see [0116] “The central reservation system (CRS) 500 monitors the reserved rooms in reliance upon the CRS server 510 and wireless thermostat adapter 220”)
Regarding Claims 6 and 15,
(claim 6 representative) receive a sensor signal from a sensor associated with the recommended workspace; (Helbling [0114] “The at least one sensor 184 in each of those rooms can include a motion sensor (not shown in FIG. 7) that generates and transmits a signal that is processed by the CRS server 510”)
and determine that the recommended workspace is inactive based on the sensor signal. ([0087] “Once the adapter device has determined that human motion has stopped (e.g., detects a near zero persons count), the adapter device will automatically enter an unoccupied mode. “)
Regarding Claims 7 and 16, Vu in view of Helbling teaches all of the limitations of parent claims 1 and 10, respectively,
Helbling further teaches:
(Claim 7 representative) determine the second setting based on one or more environmental conditions outside the recommended workspace; ([0014] “The time-varying parameters are selected from a group consisting of: information of outdoor ambient temperature, received from local internet weather channels, current occupancy, motion sensors data, on board temperature sensors and remote proximity camera conditions.”)
and generate the at least one control signal to indicate the second setting. ([0110] “the sensor data (the detected conditions data) are communicated to the CRS server 510 (and if necessary to the user application program 182 in device 180)). Based on such data, the CRS server 510 and CRS program 512 and CRS plugin operational therein) can process the detected data and take some action in furtherance of the intended energy efficiency), for example, by overriding current set data for the respective organization's room or rooms.”)
Regarding Claims 8 and 17, Vu in view of Helbling teaches all of the limitations of parent claims 1 and 10, respectively,
Helbling further teaches:
(Claim 8 representative) wherein the predefined timeframe is 10 minutes. (see [0090] “the adapter device 220 calculates the optimal amount of time needed to start-up equipment, to have a “set” room temperature, at an exact opening starting time. This feature works in conjunction with regular schedule settings to enhance energy efficiency.” Nb. examiner notes that claim 1 recites “within a predefined timeframe after the selected time” it is examiners position that “within 10 minutes after the selected time” is obvious over “at the selected time”. See MPEP 2131.03 and 2144.05).
Regarding Claims 9 and 18, Vu in view of Helbling teaches all of the limitations of parent claims 1 and 10, respectively,
(Claim 9 representative) detect an event associated with the recommended workspace; ([0114] “an example of this could occur when… a non-scheduled worker (housekeeping, repairs, room maintenance, etc.) is detected by the motion sensor.”)
and transmit the at least one control signal in response to detecting the event. ([0114] “Based on the processing results of this sensor data, the CRS server can define the settings defining one or more the first, the second, the third and the fourth environmental states (where the latter two states may be overridden by the user using the user application program).”)
(in the interest of compact prosecution please also note e.g. Helbling [0116] generating alerts in response to detecting a faulted component in a room; and Helbling [0059] generating alerts in response to detecting a low fuel condition for a heater.)
Claim(s) 2, 11 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vu in view of Helbling, further in view of Kimura, Japanese Patent Application JP 2011-053880 A (Citations to machine translation courtesy eSpacenet.)
Regarding Claims 2, 11, and 20, Vu in view of Helbling teaches all of the limitations of parent claims 2, 10, and 19, respectively.
Vu and Helbling do not appear to clearly articulate:
wherein the energy efficiency strategy involves positioning users at adjacent workspaces in the building, the recommended workspace being selected based on its adjacency to another workspace that is reserved at the selected time.
However, Kimura teaches a reservation system for workspaces (conference rooms, see ([0011] “the present invention aims to provide a conference room reservation support device and a conference room reservation support method that presents a conference room usage plan that takes into account the effect of reducing energy consumption”) wherein the energy efficiency strategy involves preferring adjacent workspaces to already reserved workspaces ([0078] “When the nearby environment i is a conference room, the nearby environment state ui is set to "1" if there is a reservation and "0" if there is no reservation in the evaluation function of equation (1).”) the recommended next workspace being selected based on its adjacency to another workspace that is reserved at the same time. ([0080] “Based on the nearby environment condition ui and wall area bi, it is determined that the larger the wall area adjacent to the reserved conference room, the higher the energy efficiency rating.”)
Kimura is analogous art because it is from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention and other references of cooperative control of building equipment with reservation systems.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application could have modified the teachings of Vu to prefer adjacent workspaces when selecting the next workspace to be reserved, as suggested by Kimura.
One of ordinary skill in the art could have been motivated to make this modification in order to increase energy efficiency by accounting for the impact of the surrounding environment and preferring surrounding spaces to also be heated (or cooled) at the reservation time. ([0081] “The energy influence coefficient p i is a coefficient for correcting the energy influence that the conference room receives from the nearby environment. The reason for setting this coefficient is that the energy impact that a conference room receives from its surroundings is thought to differ depending on the type of surroundings, such as a conference room or the outside air.”)
Claim(s) 4 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vu in view of Helbling, further in view of Norota, et al., US Pg-Pub 2021/0144697.
Regarding Claims 4 and 13, Vu in view of Helbling teaches all of the limitations of parent claims 1 and 10, respectively.
Vu and Helbling do not appear to clearly articulate:
wherein the at least one environmental condition includes whether a piece of electronic equipment associated with the recommended workspace is enabled or disabled,
wherein the first setting involves the piece of electronic equipment being disabled, and wherein the second setting involves the piece of electronic equipment being enabled.
However, Norota teaches a reservation system for a workspace (conference rooms, see [0030] “The reserver operates his/her terminal apparatus 60 to communicate with a reservation management server 20 and reserves a conference room”) which includes at least one piece of electronic equipment (When the electronic device 70 has, for example, a video conference function, the electronic device 70 can communicate with an electronic device (such as a video conference terminal 70x) at another location 4 to hold a conference with another location.”) where the equipment may be enabled or disabled based on the reservation status (second setting) or non-reservation status (first setting) of the room. ([0036] “For example, the conference room terminal 90 turns on the power of the electronic device 70 at the start time of the conference and turns off the power of the electronic device 70 at the end time of the conference. This will improve the convenience of conference participants in operating the electronic device 70.”)
Norota is analogous art because it is from the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention and other references of cooperative control of building equipment with reservation systems.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application could have modified the teachings of Vu to selective enable and disable associated electronic devices in the reservable rooms, as suggested by Norota.
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application could have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve the convenience of users in operating the electronic devices of the reserved space, as suggested by Norota, ([0036] “This will improve the convenience of conference participants in operating the electronic device 70.”)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wood et al., US Pg-Pub 2016/0140591 – which determines which cubicle areas to assign workers to based on a total aggregate demand for temporary workspace that day to maximize energy efficiency (e.g. by avoiding cold exterior windows or direct sunlight.)
Leach et al., US Pg-Pub 2022/0036258 – which accounts for hazardous or sensitive work when assigning workers to nearby workspaces.
Lee et al., US Pg-pub 2023/0037128 – which assigns workers near coworkers from the same team preferentially when possible.
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/J.T.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2119
/MOHAMMAD ALI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2119