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
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 10-18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Conrad et al. (USP 9,373,242) and further in view of Liu et al. (USPGPUB 2021/0295673).
Regarding claim 1, Conrad et al. disclose a monitoring system for use with an automatic dispensing device comprising:
at least one sensor (66);
a computing device (22), wherein the computing device includes a non-transitory memory (54) storing an executable code; and
a hardware processor (52) executing the executable code to:
receive an input from the at least one sensor, the input including a vibration information (see column 4 lines 39-56);
determine an occurrence of an event (see column 4 lines 57-61).
However, they do not disclose code to update a station profile based on a signal that includes a station information. Liu et al. disclose code to update a station profile based on a signal that includes a station information (see paragraphs [0144] and [0279]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system disclosed by Conrad et al. by including code to update a station profile based on a signal that includes a station information, as disclosed by Liu et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing an update regarding “the amount of hand cleaning agent in the dispenser” to a backend server (see paragraph [0144]).
Regarding claim 2, Conrad et al. disclose the monitoring system of Claim 1, further comprising:
a fluid reservoir (12) storing a fluid for dispensing; and
a fluid dispensing mechanism (15) fluidically connected to the fluid reservoir, the automatic dispensing device configured to dispense a user portion of the fluid when operated by a user (see column 3 lines 26-37), wherein the user portion of the fluid is a calibrated volume (see “forcing a portion” in column 3 lines 31).
Regarding claim 3, Conrad et al. disclose the monitoring system of Claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor (66) includes one or more of an accelerometer (see column 4 lines 42-44), a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a radiofrequency sensor, a vibration sensor, a motion sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a proximity sensor, an air quality sensor, a volatile organic compound sensor, and an image sensor.
Regarding claim 4, Conrad et al. in view of Liu et al. disclose the monitoring system of Claim 1. Furthermore, Liu et al. disclose a system wherein the station profile includes at least one of a refill identifier, a refill volume, a fill level information (see paragraph [0144]), a viscosity information, a date of last refill, a number of operations since last refill, a frequency of use information, a user counter, a battery level, and an air quality information. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system disclosed by Conrad et al. by including a system wherein the station profile includes at least one of a refill identifier, a refill volume, a fill level information, a viscosity information, a date of last refill, a number of operations since last refill, a frequency of use information, a user counter, a battery level, and an air quality information, as disclosed by Liu et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing an update regarding “the amount of hand cleaning agent in the dispenser” to a backend server (see paragraph [0144]).
Regarding claim 5, Conrad et al. in view of Liu et al. disclose the monitoring system of Claim 1. Furthermore, Liu et al. disclose a system wherein the non-transitory memory additionally stores a database including a plurality of user profiles and the monitoring system further comprises a scanner device, wherein the hardware processor further executes the executable code to:
receive an identification signal from the scanner device (see paragraph [0168]); and
update a first user profile of the plurality of user profiles based on the identification signal (see paragraph [0294]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system disclosed by Conrad et al. by including a system wherein the non-transitory memory additionally stores a database including a plurality of user profiles and the monitoring system further comprises a scanner device, wherein the hardware processor further executes the executable code to: receive an identification signal from the scanner device; and update a first user profile of the plurality of user profiles based on the identification signal, as disclosed by Liu et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a hand hygiene alert (see paragraph [0168]) and providing compliance data for an assigned profile (see paragraph [0294]).
Regarding claim 6, Conrad et al. in view of Liu et al. disclose the monitoring system of Claim 5. Furthermore, Liu et al. disclose a system wherein the first user profile includes at least one of an individual identification (see paragraph [0294]), a time tracking information, a temperature reading, and a usage counter. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system disclosed by Conrad et al. by including a system wherein the first user profile includes at least one of an individual identification, a time tracking information, a temperature reading, and a usage counter, as disclosed by Liu et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing compliance data for an assigned profile (see paragraph [0294]).
Regarding claim 7, Conrad et al. in view of Liu et al. disclose the monitoring system of Claim 6. Furthermore, Liu et al. disclose a system wherein the monitoring system is further configured to:
determine a compliance (see paragraph [0294]); and
formulate a strategy based on determining the compliance, wherein the strategy is implementing at least one of a training plan, a marketing plan, an incentive plan (see paragraph [0181]), and an advertisement program.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system disclosed by Conrad et al. by including a system wherein the monitoring system is further configured to: determine a compliance; and formulate a strategy based on determining the compliance, wherein the strategy is implementing at least one of a training plan, a marketing plan, an incentive plan, and an advertisement program, as disclosed by Liu et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing incentive programs to motivate healthcare providers (see paragraph [0181]).
Regarding claim 8, Conrad et al. disclose the monitoring system of Claim 1, wherein the monitoring system is at least one of a battery-powered (see column 13 lines 14-17) and a solar-powered.
Regarding claim 10, Conrad et al. disclose the monitoring system of Claim 1, wherein the event is one of an operation of the automatic dispensing device (see column 5 lines 64-67 to column 6 lines 1-2) and an individual walking past the automatic dispensing device.
Regarding claim 11, Conrad et al. disclose a method for use with a monitoring system including a non-transitory memory and a hardware processor (52), the method comprising:
receiving, using the hardware processor (52), an input from at least one sensor, the input including a vibration information (see column 4 lines 39-56);
determining, using the hardware processor (52), an occurrence of an event (see column 4 lines 57-61).
However, they do not disclose a method comprising updating, using the hardware processor, a station profile based on a signal that includes a station information. Liu et al. disclose a method comprising updating, using the hardware processor, a station profile based on a signal that includes a station information (see paragraphs [0144] and [0279]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed by Conrad et al. by including a method comprising updating, using the hardware processor, a station profile based on a signal that includes a station information, as disclosed by Liu et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing an update regarding “the amount of hand cleaning agent in the dispenser” to a backend server (see paragraph [0144]).
Regarding claim 12, Conrad et al. disclose the method of Claim 11, wherein the monitoring system monitors an automatic dispensing device having a fluid reservoir (12) that stores a fluid for dispensing and a fluid dispensing mechanism (15) fluidically connected to the fluid reservoir, wherein the automatic dispensing device is configured to dispense a user portion of the fluid (see column 3 lines 26-37), wherein the user portion of the fluid is a calibrated volume (see “forcing a portion” in column 3 lines 31), and wherein the method further comprises:
dispensing a user portion when operated by a user (see column 3 lines 26-37).
Regarding claim 13, Conrad et al. disclose the method of Claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor (66) includes one or more of an accelerometer (see column 4 lines 42-44), a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a radiofrequency sensor, a vibration sensor, a motion sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a proximity sensor, an air quality sensor, a volatile organic compound sensor, and an image sensor.
Regarding claim 14, Conrad et al. in view of Liu et al. disclose the method of Claim 11. Furthermore, Liu et al. disclose a method wherein the station profile includes at least one of a refill identifier, a refill volume, a fill level information (see paragraph [0144]), a viscosity information, a date of last refill, a number of operations since last refill, a frequency of use information, a user counter, a battery level, and an air quality information. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed by Conrad et al. by including a method wherein the station profile includes at least one of a refill identifier, a refill volume, a fill level information, a viscosity information, a date of last refill, a number of operations since last refill, a frequency of use information, a user counter, a battery level, and an air quality information, as disclosed by Liu et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing an update regarding “the amount of hand cleaning agent in the dispenser” to a backend server (see paragraph [0144]).
Regarding claim 15, Conrad et al. in view of Liu et al. disclose the method of Claim 11. Furthermore, Liu et al. disclose a method wherein the non-transitory memory additionally stores a database including a plurality of user profiles wherein the method further comprises:
receiving an identification signal from a scanner device (see paragraph [0168]); and
updating a first user profile of the plurality of user profiles based on the identification signal (see paragraph [0294]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed by Conrad et al. by including a method wherein the non-transitory memory additionally stores a database including a plurality of user profiles wherein the method further comprises: receiving an identification signal from a scanner device; and updating a first user profile of the plurality of user profiles based on the identification signal, as disclosed by Liu et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a hand hygiene alert (see paragraph [0168]) and providing compliance data for an assigned profile (see paragraph [0294]).
Regarding claim 16, Conrad et al. in view of Liu et al. disclose the method of Claim 15. Furthermore, Liu et al. disclose a method wherein the first user profile includes at least one of an individual identification (see paragraph [0294], a time tracking information, a temperature reading, and a usage counter. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed by Conrad et al. by including a method wherein the first user profile includes at least one of an individual identification, a time tracking information, a temperature reading, and a usage counter, as disclosed by Liu et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing compliance data for an assigned profile (see paragraph [0294]).
Regarding claim 17, Conrad et al. in view of Liu et al. disclose the method of Claim 16. Furthermore, Liu et al. disclose a method wherein the method further comprises:
determining a compliance (see paragraph [0294]); and
formulating a strategy, based on determining the compliance, wherein the strategy is implementing at least one of a training plan, a marketing plan, an incentive plan (see paragraph [0181]), and an advertisement program.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed by Conrad et al. by including a method wherein the method further comprises: determining a compliance; and formulating a strategy, based on determining the compliance, wherein the strategy is implementing at least one of a training plan, a marketing plan, an incentive plan, and an advertisement program, as disclosed by Liu et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing incentive programs to motivate healthcare providers (see paragraph [0181]).
Regarding claim 18, Conrad et al. disclose the method of Claim 11, wherein the monitoring system is at least one of a battery- powered (see column 13 lines 14-17) and a solar-powered.
Regarding claim 20, Conrad et al. disclose the method of Claim 11, wherein the event is one of an operation of an automatic dispensing device (see column 5 lines 64-67 to column 6 lines 1-2) and an individual walking past the automatic dispensing device.
Claim(s) 9 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Conrad et al. (USP 9,373,242) in view of Liu et al. (USPGPUB 2021/0295673) as applied to claims 1-8, 10-18, and 20 above, and further in view of Wyman et al. (USPGPUB 2019/0255206).
Regarding claim 9, Conrad et al. in view of Liu et al. disclose the monitoring system of Claim 1. However, they do not disclose a system wherein the monitoring system further includes an ultraviolet (UV) light sanitizer for sanitizing a personal object. Wyman et al. disclose a system wherein the monitoring system further includes an ultraviolet (UV) light sanitizer for sanitizing a personal object (see paragraphs [0041]-[0043]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system disclosed by Conrad et al. in view of Liu et al. by including a system wherein the monitoring system further includes an ultraviolet (UV) light sanitizer for sanitizing a personal object, as disclosed by Wyman et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a light source for sanitizing (see paragraph [0041]).
Regarding claim 19, Conrad et al. in view of Liu et al. disclose the method of Claim 11. However, they do not disclose a method wherein the monitoring system further includes an ultraviolet (UV) light sanitizer for sanitizing a personal object. Wyman et al. disclose a method wherein the monitoring system further includes an ultraviolet (UV) light sanitizer for sanitizing a personal object (see paragraphs [0041]-[0043]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed by Conrad et al. in view of Liu et al. by including a method wherein the monitoring system further includes an ultraviolet (UV) light sanitizer for sanitizing a personal object, as disclosed by Wyman et al., with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of providing a light source for sanitizing (see paragraph [0041]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL COLLINS whose telephone number is (571)272-8970. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday.
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M.K.C.
10/17/2025
/MICHAEL COLLINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655