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 Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1, 7-14, and 15 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 4-11, and 15, respectively, of copending application No. 18/169,941 (reference application). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claims of the pending application fall within the scope of the claims of the copending application (see below).
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
1. (Currently Amended) A method for controlling a first electric appliance by means of a battery pack, which is selectively connectable to the first electric appliance and at least one second electric appliance, wherein a generic software for controlling the first electric appliance and the at least one second electric appliance is stored on a storage element of the battery pack; identification information, which identifies the first electric appliance, is obtained by the battery pack; configuration information is requested and obtained from an external computer system by means of the battery pack depending on the identification information; the software is configured according to the configuration information; and the first electric appliance is controlled by means of the battery pack by executing the configured software.
1. (Currently Amended) A method for controlling a first electric appliance by means of a battery pack, the battery pack being selectively connectable to the first electric appliance and at least one second electric appliance, the method comprising: storing a obtaining, by the battery pack, identification information to identify the first electric appliance capturing a user input and determining configuration information is and the identification information; requesting, by the battery pack, the configuration information from an external computer system; transferring, by the external computer system, the configuration information to the battery pack, in response to the; configuring the software according to the configuration information; and executing the configured software, on the battery pack, to control the first electric appliance.
7. (Currently Amended) The method according to claim1one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of datasets is stored on the external computer system, wherein a first dataset of the plurality of datasets contains the configuration information and at least one second dataset of the plurality of datasets contains respective further configuration information for the at least one second electric appliance; in response to the request of the configuration information, the first dataset is selected from the plurality of datasets depending on the identification information and transferred to the battery pack by means of the external computer system.
4. (Previously Presented) The method according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of datasets is stored on the external computer system, wherein a first dataset of the plurality of datasets contains the configuration information and at least one second dataset of the plurality of datasets contains respective further configuration information for the at least one second electric appliance; in response to the request of the configuration information, the first dataset is selected from the plurality of datasets depending on the identification information and transferred to the battery pack by means of the external computer system.
8. (Currently Amended) The method according to claim 1, wherein a predefined first control operation for controlling the first electric appliance is requested, the request of the first control operation is captured by means of the battery pack and the first electric appliance is controlled by means of the battery pack depending on the configuration information or by the execution of the configured software for performing the first control operation; and/or a predefined second control operation for controlling the battery pack is requested, the request of the second control operation is captured by means of the battery pack and the second control operation is performed by means of the battery pack depending on the configuration information or by the execution of the configured software.
5. (Previously Presented) The method according to claim 1, wherein a predefined first control operation for controlling the first electric appliance is requested, the request of the first control operation is captured by means of the battery pack and the first electric appliance is controlled by means of the battery pack depending on the configuration information for performing the first control operation; and/or a predefined second control operation for controlling the battery pack is requested, the request of the second control operation is captured by means of the battery pack and the second control operation is performed by means of the battery pack depending on the configuration information.
9. (Currently Amended) The method according to claim 8, wherein a user input is recognized and the request of the first control operation and/or of the second control operation is captured depending on the user input.
6. (Previously Presented) The method according to claim 5, wherein a further user input is recognized and the request of the first control operation and/or of the second control operation is captured depending on the further user input.
10. (Currently Amended) The method according to claim 9, wherein a current project step of a project to be performed is determined depending on the user input and the first control operation and/or the second control operation are requested depending on the current project step.
7. (Previously Presented) The method according to claim 6, wherein a current project step of a project to be performed is determined depending on the further user input and the first control operation and/or the second control operation are requested depending on the current project step.
11. (Currently Amended) The method according to claim 8, wherein an operating current for operating an electrical or electronic load of the first electric appliance and/or an operating voltage for operating the load and/or a power output of an energy source to the load are monitored by means of the battery pack; a current project step of a project to be performed is determined depending on a result of the monitoring; and the first control operation and/or the second control operation are requested depending on the current project step.
8. (Previously Presented) The method according to claim 5, wherein an operating current for operating an electrical or electronic load of the first electric appliance and/or an operating voltage for operating the load and/or a power output of an energy source to the load are monitored by means of the battery pack; a current project step of a project to be performed is determined depending on a result of the monitoring; and the first control operation and/or the second control operation are requested depending on the current project step.
12. (Currently Amended) The method according to claim 8, wherein by means of the battery pack, status information is obtained by means of wireless communication and a current project step of a project to be performed is determined depending on the status information; and the first control operation and/or the second control operation are requested depending on the current project step.
9. (Previously Presented) The method according to claim 5, wherein by means of the battery pack, status information is obtained by means of wireless communication and a current project step of a project to be performed is determined depending on the status information; and the first control operation and/or the second control operation are requested depending on the current project step.
13. (Currently Amended) The method according to claim 1, wherein a predefined third control operation for controlling a third electric appliance is requested and the request of the third control operation is captured by means of the battery pack; depending on the configuration information or by execution of the configured software, a message is transferred from the battery pack to the third electric appliance; and the third control operation is performed by means of the third electric appliance depending on the transferred message.
10. (Previously Presented) The method according to claim 1, wherein a predefined third control operation for controlling a third electric appliance is requested and the request of the third control operation is captured by means of the battery pack; depending on the configuration information, a message is transferred from the battery pack to the third electric appliance; and the third control operation is performed by means of the third electric appliance depending on the transferred message.
14. (Currently Amended) The method according to claim 13, wherein the third control operation is requested depending on an activation of the first electric appliance.
11. (Previously Presented) The method according to claim 10, wherein the third control operation is requested depending on an activation of the first electric appliance.
15. (Currently Amended) A battery pack, which is selectively connectable to a first electric appliance and at least one second electric appliance, wherein the battery pack comprises a storage element, which stores a generic software for controlling the first electric appliance and the at least one second electric appliance; the battery pack comprises a processing circuit, which is configured to obtain identification information, which identifies the electric appliance; the battery pack comprises a communication interface, which is configured for wireless data exchange with an external computer system, wherein the processing circuit is configured to wirelessly request and obtain configuration information from the external computer system via the communication interface depending on the identification information; the processing circuit is configured to configure the software according to the configuration information and to control the first electric appliance by execution of the configured software.
15. (Currently Amended) A battery pack selectively connectable to a first electric appliance and at least one second electric appliance, the battery pack comprising: a storage element to store a software for controlling the first electric appliance and the at least one second electric appliance; a communication interface, configured for wireless data exchange with an external computer system; and a processing circuit configured to request, via the communication interface, configuration information from an external computer system, wirelessly obtain the configuration information via the communication interface from the external computer system, configure the software according to the configuration information, and
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) 1-5, 7-13, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Funk et al (US 2019/0067751 A1) in view of Thannhuber (DE 102017122733 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Funk et al teaches (Figs. 1, 2 & 4): A method for controlling a first electric appliance (200, for example, one of the devices as shown in Fig. 1, see para. 0032) by means of a battery pack (150), which is selectively connectable to the first electric appliance (200) and at least one second electric appliance (another device 200, for example, another device as shown in Fig. 1), wherein a generic software for controlling the first electric appliance and the at least one second electric appliance (the software on the battery is considered generic before the configuration data and operating parameters are personalized, see para. 0045) is stored on a storage element (memory 314) of the battery pack; identification information (for example, a specific device identifier or a type identifier, see para. 0047), which identifies the first electric appliance (200), is obtained by the battery pack (the battery manager 230 may receive identification information, see para. 0047); configuration information (for example, user defined configuration settings 426, see para. 0061) is obtained (provided back to the battery 150 at operation 428, see para. 0061) from an external computer system (UE 180 via access point 160 and network 170) by means (device interface 320 & communications manager 240) of the battery pack (150) depending on the identification information (the configuration settings are associated with the device or type identifier); the software is configured according to the configuration information (the software on the battery is updated with the user defined configuration settings); and the first electric appliance is controlled by means of the battery pack by executing the configured software (when insertion is again detected at 430, the configuration settings are provided by the battery 150 to the device 200 at operation 432, see para. 0061).
Funk et al does not specifically state that the configuration information is requested by means of the battery pack.
Thannhuber teaches a battery pack (2) that checks firmware versions on the battery pack and the electrical appliance (1) that the battery pack has been inserted into and automatically downloads (via radio module 6, 7 or 8) new firmware from a cloud (via server 9), when necessary (see the third paragraph on page 3 of the attached translation).
In view of Thannhuber’s teachings, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to include, with the method of Funk et al, that the configuration information is requested by means of the battery pack, in order to ensure that each battery pack and each electric appliance have the most recent configuration information.
Regarding claim 2, Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber et al teaches: The method according to claim 1, wherein the first electric appliance is positioned in a capturing range of a reader (for example, communications manager 240 may include an RFID reader); and the identification information is captured by means of the reader (see para. 0052).
Regarding claim 3, Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber et al teaches: The method according to claim 2, wherein the identification information is obtained from an RFID transponder of the first electric appliance by means of the reader by radio-frequency identification, RFID (for example, communications manager 240 may include an RFID reader to read an RFID tag on device 200, see para. 0052).
Regarding claim 4, the teachings of Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber, as applied to claim 2, have been discussed above.
Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber does not specifically teach wherein a visually readable code of the first electric appliance is read by means of the reader and the identification information is determined based on the read visually readable code.
However, prior to the effective filing date, the use of visually readable codes (such as barcodes, for example) and readers (such as barcode readers) for visually readable codes, were old and well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Visually readable codes, such as barcodes are also a known alternative to the RFID tag disclosed by Funk et al.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to include, with the method as taught by Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber, wherein a visually readable code of the first electric appliance is read by means of the reader and the identification information is determined based on the read visually readable code, since visually readable codes are a known alternative identification method to RFID tags.
Regarding claim 5, Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber et al teaches: The method according to claim 1, wherein a digital code is obtained by means (device interface 320) of the battery pack (150) via a connection of the battery pack to the first electric appliance (200) and the identification information is determined based on the digital code (for example, a communication protocol may enable ECU 230 to provide device type information to battery 150 via device interface 320, see para. 0052).
Regarding claim 7, Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber et al teaches: The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of datasets (for example, configuration information for different device types) is stored on the external computer system (UE 180), wherein a first dataset of the plurality of datasets contains the configuration information (for example, configuration data and operating parameters for a first device 200) and at least one second dataset of the plurality of datasets contains respective further configuration information for the at least one second electric appliance (for example, configuration data and operating parameters for a another device 200 type); in response to the request of the configuration information (the request for configuration data for the first device 200), the first dataset is selected from the plurality of datasets depending on the identification information (the specific device identifier or a type identifier, see para. 0047) and transferred to the battery pack by means of the external computer system (UE 180 via access point 160 and network 170).
Regarding claim 8, Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber et al teaches: The method according to claim 1, wherein a predefined first control operation for controlling the first electric appliance (200) is requested (for example a first operation, function or setting of the device 200 controlled by the configuration settings, see para. 0025), the request of the first control operation is captured by means of the battery pack (150) and the first electric appliance is controlled by means of the battery pack depending on the configuration information or by the execution of the configured software for performing the first control operation (the device 200 is operated according to the user defined configuration settings, see para. 0025 & 0061); and/or a predefined second control operation for controlling the battery pack is requested (for example a second operation, function or setting of the device 200 controlled by the configuration settings), the request of the second control operation is captured by means of the battery pack (150) and the second control operation is performed by means of the battery pack depending on the configuration information or by the execution of the configured software (the device 200 is operated according to the user defined configuration settings, see para. 0025 & 0061).
Regarding claim 9, Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber et al teaches: The method according to claim 8, wherein a user input is recognized and the request of the first control operation and/or of the second control operation is captured depending on the user input (the user provides input to operate the device 200, the input is recognized and the device 200 is then controlled according to the user defined configuration settings).
Regarding claim 10, Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber et al teaches: The method according to claim 9, wherein a current project step (a current use of the device 200) of a project (blowing, trimming, cutting or lawn mowing, the projects performed by the devices, see para. 0021) to be performed is determined depending on the user input (the user input to device 200 while using device 200) and the first control operation and/or the second control operation are requested depending on the current project step (the user provides input to operate the device 200, the input is recognized and the device 200 is then controlled according to the user defined configuration settings).
Regarding claim 11, Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber et al teaches: The method according to claim 8, wherein an operating current for operating an electrical or electronic load of the first electric appliance and/or an operating voltage for operating the load and/or a power output of an energy source to the load are monitored by means of the battery pack (the battery manager 230 may monitor some operating parameters related to current draw, output power, and the like, see para. 0030 & 0034); a current project step (a desired use of the device 200) of a project (blowing, trimming, cutting or lawn mowing, the projects performed by the devices, see para. 0021) to be performed is determined depending on a result of the monitoring (use of the device 200 is determined based on monitoring of the operating parameters); and the first control operation and/or the second control operation are requested depending on the current project step (the device 200 is then controlled according to the user defined configuration settings).
Regarding claim 12, Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber et al teaches: The method according to claim 8, wherein by means (via device interface 320 and communications manager 240) of the battery pack (150), status information (for example, certain safety or operational restrictions employed via configuration settings, see para. 0055) is obtained by means of wireless communication (wireless communication of the device interface 320 and communications manager 240) and a current project step (desired use of the device 200) of a project to be performed is determined depending on the status information (for example, whether the use of the device is permitted or not by the safety or operational restrictions employed via configuration settings, see para. 0055); and the first control operation and/or the second control operation are requested depending on the current project step (the device 200 is then controlled according to the user defined configuration settings).
Regarding claim 13, Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber et al teaches: The method according to claim 1, wherein a predefined third control operation (for example a third operation, function or setting of a device 200 controlled by the configuration settings) for controlling a third electric appliance (for example, a third one of the devices as shown in Fig. 1) is requested (by a user who is using a third device) and the request of the third control operation is captured by means of the battery pack (150); depending on the configuration information or by execution of the configured software (the user defined configuration data for the third device), a message is transferred from the battery pack to the third electric appliance (a message including data of the user defined configuration data for the third device); and the third control operation (a desired use of the third device) is performed by means of the third electric appliance depending on the transferred message (the third device 200 is operated according to the user defined configuration settings, see para. 0025 & 0061).
Regarding claim 15, Funk et al teaches (Figs. 1, 2, & 4): A battery pack (150), which is selectively connectable to a first electric appliance (200, for example, one of the devices as shown in Fig. 1, see para. 0032) and at least one second electric appliance (another device 200, for example, another device as shown in Fig. 1), wherein the battery pack comprises a storage element (memory 314), which stores a generic software for controlling the first electric appliance and the at least one second electric appliance (the software on the battery is considered generic before the configuration data and operating parameters are personalized, see para. 0045); the battery pack comprises a processing circuit (processor 312), which is configured to obtain identification information (for example, a specific device identifier or a type identifier, see para. 0047), which identifies the electric appliance; the battery pack comprises a communication interface (device interface 320 and communications manager 240), which is configured for wireless (Bluetooth, WiFi, or other short-range communication, see para. 0042) data exchange with an external computer system (UE 180 via access point 160 and network 170), wherein the processing circuit is configured to wirelessly obtain (provided back to the battery 150 at operation 428, see para. 0061) configuration information from the external computer system via the communication interface (device interface 320 & communications manager 240) depending on the identification information (the configuration settings are associated with the device or type identifier); the processing circuit (processor 312) is configured to configure the software according to the configuration information and to control the first electric appliance (200) by execution of the configured software (when insertion is again detected at 430, the configuration settings are provided by the battery 150 to the device 200 at operation 432, see para. 0061).
Funk et al does not specifically state that the configuration information is requested by the battery pack.
Thannhuber teaches a battery pack (2) that checks firmware versions on the battery pack and the electrical appliance (1) that the battery pack has been inserted into and automatically downloads (via radio module 6, 7 or 8) new firmware from a cloud (via server 9), when necessary (see the third paragraph on page 3 of the attached translation).
In view of Thannhuber’s teachings, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to include, with the method of Funk et al, that the configuration information is requested by means of the battery pack, in order to ensure that each battery pack and each electric appliance have the most recent configuration information.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Funk et al (US 2019/0067751 A1) as modified by Thannhuber (DE 102017122733 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Denning (US 7,119,516 B2).
Regarding claim 6, the teachings of Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber, as applied to claim 1, have been discussed above.
Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber does not specifically teach wherein a voltage value and/or a resistance value on at least one electrical contact of the battery pack are determined, while the battery pack is electrically connected to the first electric appliance; and the identification information is determined based on the voltage value and/or the resistance value.
Denning teaches a battery pack (102a, Fig. 2C) that determines a resistance value (a resistance value of the tool ID circuitry 230a/230b) while the battery pack is electrically connected to a tool and identification of the tool is based on the resistance value (see Figs. 2, 2C & 6 and col. 4, line 34 – col. 5, line 4 and col. 7, lines 39-59)
In view of Denning’s teachings, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to include, with the method as taught by Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber, a voltage value and/or a resistance value on at least one electrical contact of the battery pack are determined, while the battery pack is electrically connected to the first electric appliance; and the identification information is determined based on the voltage value and/or the resistance value, in order to provide a simple method to identify a particular type of appliance to the battery pack.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Funk et al (US 2019/0067751 A1) as modified by Thannhuber (DE 102017122733 A1) as applied to claim 13 above, and further in view of Suzuki (US 2020/0198032 A1).
Regarding claim 14, the teachings of Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber, as applied to claim 13, have been discussed above.
Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber does not specifically teach wherein the third control operation is requested depending on an activation of the first electric appliance.
Suzuki discloses a system and method using related devices where control operation is requested depending on an activation of the first electric appliance (see the abstract). When the communication portion receives an interlock command transmitted from an electric working machine, the interlock operation control portion makes the dust collection portion operate interlocking with the electric working machine. (note: working machine is first electric appliance, interlock command is the third control operation which is triggered by the electric working machine to control the dust collector, where the dust collector can be considered a third appliance).
In view of Suzuki’s teachings, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to include, with the method as taught by Funk et al as modified by Thannhuber, wherein the third control operation is requested depending on an activation of the first electric appliance, in order to add the feature of control of related electric devices based on the status of main device (see Suzuki para. 0082-0083).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kaiser et al (US 2021/0157297 A1) teaches a system and method for identifying a power tool and retrieving configuration information for the identified tool (see the abstract and Fig. 1).
Harvey et al (US 10,400,732 B2) teaches the use of a barcode (code 142) to identify an appliance (engine 12), retrieve information related to the barcode that was read, communicate the information to a battery pack and configure the battery pack for the identified appliance (see Fig. 23 and col. 9, lines 52-59).
Please also see the additional references cited on the attached PTO-892, which are related to the operation of battery packs and corresponding devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jared Fureman whose telephone number is (571)272-2391. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/JARED FUREMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859