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 with respect to claim(s) [1-3, 5 and 7] have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) [1-3, 5 and 7] is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a2) as being anticipated by McRae (US.2023/0089197).
Reclaim [1] McRae discloses a method (see fig. 3) comprising: causing, by a doorbell system comprising at least a camera and a chime (see 16, 26, 22 fig. 1 ), a connection for communication to be established between the camera and at least one user device (see step 106 fig. 3 and ¶0039, At block 106, the chime listener 12 transmits an activation signal to the imaging device 16—either directly or via the base station 14—in order to activate the imaging device 16 and begin recording video and/or audio of the area of interest); receiving, while the connection for communication is established between the camera and the at least one user device (see steps 102 to 106 fig. 3), a first indication to cause the chime to output a first audio notification (see ¶0032, At block 102, the doorbell 26 is activated by a person, and the connected chime 20 tolls a sound or series of sounds in the usual manner); and causing, based on determining that the connection is established between the camera and the at least one user device (see step 108 fig. 3, ¶0035 At block 108, the chime listener 12 notifies the remainder of the system 10 of the activation of the chime. As stated above, the communication device 38 of the chime listener 12 can communicate with the first communication device 58 of the base station 14 and/or with the communication device 54 of the imaging device 16 via the WLAN 43. It should be noted that the functions performed in block 108 may occur before, simultaneously with, or after those of block 106), and , prevention of outputting the first audio notification by the chime (see steps 110 and 112 fig. 3, At block 110, the system 10 notifies the user device 18 of the activation of the chime 20 and the resultant activation of the imaging device 16. This notification may, for example, take the form of a visual push notification or GIF. a tone, a voice message such as “doorbell activation”, and/or a vibration. This notification may be transmitted indirectly to the user device 18 from the base station 14 via the server 72, but it is not necessary to do so [ the user device is notified without resending the chime signal (without re-activation) and interacts with the chime listener, the claim language requires not to resend the doorbell activation or chime signal, thus the prior art reasonably encompasses the claimed invention]).
Reclaim [2] McRae, wherein the at least one user device comprises an application associated with the doorbell system (see fig. 3 all steps), and wherein causing the connection for communication to be established between the camera and the at least one user device comprises causing the connection to be established between the camera and the application (see ¶0037, During the interview applicant's representative discussed applicant's invention the proposed amendment. Examiner discussed the claimed invention the proposed amendment. Examine further indicated that the proposed amendment can potentially overcome the current rejection. And agreed to consider the amendment and update his search. In the course of the interview no further agreement has been reached ).
Reclaim [3] McRae further discloses, wherein the doorbell system further comprises a button (see ¶0022, doorbell 26 includes an actuator, typically a button), and wherein the first indication to cause the chime to output the first audio notification comprises an indication that the button has been pressed (see 26, 22 fig. 1, step 102 fig. 3 and ¶0022, doorbell 26 includes an actuator, typically a button, that generates a signal when pressed or otherwise activated).
Reclaim [5] McRae further discloses, further comprising sending, based on receiving the first indication to cause the chime to output the first audio notification (see ¶0022, doorbell 26 includes an actuator, typically a button, that generates a signal when pressed or otherwise activated. That signal is transmitted via wires or wirelessly to the chime 20, which generates an audio and possibly a visible signal or notification in response to receipt of the signal), a notification of the first indication to the at least one user device (see step 102, fig. 3 and ¶0022, doorbell 26 includes an actuator, typically a button, that generates a signal when pressed or otherwise activated. That signal is transmitted via wires or wirelessly to the chime 20, which generates an audio and possibly a visible signal or notification in response to receipt of the signal).
Reclaim [7] McRae further discloses, wherein the camera is configured to exchange at least one of live audio data or live video data with the at least one user device via the connection (see ¶.0037, At block 112, a user interfaces with the user device 18 to access media captured by the imaging device 16 either in real time or after the recording).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims [8-20] are allowed. The reason for allowance has been provided in the previous office action.
Claims [4 and 6] 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.
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 AHMED A BERHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5094. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00Am-5:00pm (MAX- Flex).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Twyler Haskins can be reached at 571-272-7406. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AHMED A BERHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2639