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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12-24-24 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 48-50, 52-54, 56-59, 65-74, 76-79, and 85-90 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being fully anticipated by Mullins et al. (US20160344148).
The applied reference has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Re claim 48, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, a door or window system, comprising: a door or window (abstract); and a detachable power transfer connector (para. 0061-0063), comprising: a first component comprising one or more spring-loaded conductive elements for providing power (para. 0057, 0079, 0083, 0084, 0088); and a second component attached to the door or window and comprising one or more conductive pads configured to electrically contact the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements (para. 0057, 0079, 0083, 0084, 0088).
Re claim 49, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the one or more conductive pads comprise a compliant electrically conductive material (para. 0089).
Re claim 50, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the compliant electrically conductive material comprises one or more of a woven metallic fabric, conductive elastomers, bristles, a thin metal foil, or one or more springs (para. 0089).
Re claim 52, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the one or more conductive pads are comprised of a metal or metal plated (para. 0054-0057).
Re claim 53, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the one or more conductive pads are gold-plated, silver-plated, nickel-plated, or copper-plated (para. 0150, 0156).
Re claim 54, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, he at least a portion of one or more of the one or more conductive pads or the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements are made of a carbon brush material (para. 0089).
Re claim 56, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the second component is configured to attach to a movable window or a movable door, and the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements are in electrical communication with a memory chip or an integrated circuit device programmable with information associated with the movable door or the movable window (para. 0062).
Re claim 57, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the memory chip or integrated circuit device is (i) located within the first component or (ii) located within a frame of a building and is in electrical communication with the first component (para. 0068).
Re claim 58, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements are further in electrical communication with one or more window controllers (para. 0057).
Re claim 59, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the information associated with the movable door or the movable window includes a wire length between the movable window or the movable door and the one or more window controllers (fig. 5a).
Re claim 65, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the door or window is a movable door or window and the detachable power transfer connector has only two active electrical contacts between the first and second components, and wherein the two active electrical contacts provide power to the movable window or the movable door (fig. 7).
Re claim 66, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the first component is configured to attach to a frame of a building (fig. 7, 8).
Re claim 67, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, wherein the door or window is a movable door or window, and wherein: the second component is configured to attach to the movable window or a movable door; and the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements and respective one or more conductive pads are configured to electrically contact each other when the movable door or the movable door is in, or nearly in, a closed position (fig. 7, 8).
Re claim 68, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the one or more conductive pads are configured for connection to a plurality of pins in electrical communication with the movable window or the movable door (para. 0057).
Re claim 69, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, one or more first magnets attached to the first component and one or more second magnets attached to the second component, wherein the one or more first magnets have opposing polarity to the one or more second magnets (para. 0008, 0055-0057).
Re claim 70, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the one or more first magnets and one or more second magnets are configured to magnetically actuate connecting the spring-loaded conductive elements with the one or more conductive pads (para. 0008, 0055-0057).
Re claim 71, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, a movable door or window system comprising: at least one movable door or window configured to move into a closed position within a frame of a building (abstract); and a detachable power transfer connector (para. 0061-0063) comprising a first component attached to the frame of the building and a second component attached to the at least one movable door or window (para. 0057, 0079, 0083, 0084, 0088), the first component comprising one or more spring-loaded conductive elements for providing power (para. 0057, 0079, 0083, 0084, 0088), the second component comprising one or more conductive pads configured to electrically contact the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements (para. 0057, 0079, 0083, 0084, 0088), wherein the detachable power transfer connector has only two active electrical contacts between the first and second components (fig. 7, 8).
Re claim 72, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the one or more conductive pads comprise a compliant conductive material (para. 0089).
Re claim 73, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the one or more conductive pads are comprised of a metal or are metal plated (para. 0054-0057).
Re claim 74, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the at least a portion of one or more of the one or more conductive pads or a portion of the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements are made of a carbon brush material (para. 0089).
Re claim 76, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, a memory chip or an integrated circuit device programmable to include information associated with the at least one movable door or window (para. 0062).
Re claim 77, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the memory chip or integrated circuit device is (i) located within the first component or (ii) located within a frame of a building and is in electrical communication with the first component (para. 0068).
Re claim 78, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements are further in electrical communication with one or more window controllers (para. 0057).
Re claim 79, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the information includes a wire length between the at least one movable door or window and the one or more window controllers (fig. 5a).
Re claim 85, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the two active electrical contacts provide power to the at least one movable door or window (fig. 7).
Re claim 86, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the first component is configured to attach to a frame of a building (fig. 7, 8).
Re claim 87, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements and respective one or more conductive pads are configured to electrically contact each other when the at least one movable door or window is in, or nearly in, a closed position (fig. 7, 8).
Re claim 88, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the one or more conductive pads are configured for connection to a plurality of pins in electrical communication with the at least one movable door or window (para. 0057).
Re claim 89, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, one or more first magnets attached to the first component and one or more second magnets attached to the second component, wherein the one or more first magnets have opposing polarity to the one or more second magnets (para. 0008, 0055-0057).
Re claim 90, Mullins et al. further teaches for example in fig. 5a, 7, and 8, the one or more first magnets and one or more second magnets are configured to magnetically actuate connecting the spring-loaded conductive elements with the one or more conductive pads (para. 0008, 0055-0057).
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.
Claim 51 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mullins et al. (US20160344148).
Re claim 51, supra claim 48.
But, Mullins et al. fails to explicitly teach the connector is between 0.25 inches and 1.5 inches wide.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to vary the width of a connector, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the teachings of Mullins et al. in order to provide an appropriately sized electrical connection, as is well known in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 55, 60-64, 75, and 80-84 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art taken alone or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitations of the claims, in such a manner that a rejection would be proper. The prior art fails to teach a combination of all the claimed features as presented in dependent claims 55, 60, 61, 75, 80, and 81.
Specifically regarding claim 55, Mullins et al. (US20160344148) teaches the state of the art of a door or window system.
But, Mullins et al. fails to explicitly teach a combination of all the claimed features including each of the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements comprises a spring-loaded articulating tab with a wheel at a distal end, as claimed.
Specifically regarding claim 60, Mullins et al. (US20160344148) teaches the state of the art of a door or window system.
But, Mullins et al. fails to explicitly teach a combination of all the claimed features including each of the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements comprises a spring-loaded roller or wheel, as claimed.
Specifically regarding claim 61, Mullins et al. (US20160344148) teaches the state of the art of a door or window system.
But, Mullins et al. fails to explicitly teach a combination of all the claimed features including the first component comprises a housing, the housing comprising a leading edge ramp, as claimed.
Specifically regarding claim 75, Mullins et al. (US20160344148) teaches the state of the art of a door or window system.
But, Mullins et al. fails to explicitly teach a combination of all the claimed features including each of the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements comprises a spring-loaded articulating tab with a wheel at a distal end, as claimed.
Specifically regarding claim 80, Mullins et al. (US20160344148) teaches the state of the art of a door or window system.
But, Mullins et al. fails to explicitly teach a combination of all the claimed features including each of the one or more spring-loaded conductive elements comprises a spring-loaded roller or wheel, as claimed.
Specifically regarding claim 81, Mullins et al. (US20160344148) teaches the state of the art of a door or window system.
But, Mullins et al. fails to explicitly teach a combination of all the claimed features including the first component comprises a housing, the housing comprising a leading edge ramp, as claimed.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH P MARTINEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-2335. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 9am to 7pm PACIFIC.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bumsuk Won can be reached at (571) 272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Joseph P Martinez/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 3-16-26