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 § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-7, 9-12, 14-16, and 18--21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gullo et al. (US Publication 2021/0062764; IDS dated 11/25/2025; hereinafter Gullo).
With regards to claims 1, 4, and 14 Gullo discloses a system, a notification system (including 810; FIG. 8), and a method, comprising:
a container (300; FIG. 3A) that is arranged to enclose, at least in part, an object (304), the object selected from a military asset comprising one of a missile, missile launcher, munitions, and military equipment ([0033, 0044]);
a monitoring device (316) that is disposed inside or on an exterior surface of the container and configured to monitor the object ([0046]; FIG. 3A); and
a notification device (810) that is coupled to an external surface of the container (FIG. 8), the notification device including: (1) an output unit that is arranged to provide a first indicator and a second indicator (“one or more displays or other output devices configured to facilitate observation or alerting to one or more of the measurements, stored values, identified failure events”, [0086]), (2) a memory that is configured to store sets of thresholds in which each set of thresholds ([0052, 0060]) comprises threshold values that define at least two ranges selected from a normal operating range (“falls beneath the threshold”), an abnormal range (“exceeds … the threshold”; [0052]), and a highly abnormal range for a parameter of the object that is monitored by the monitoring device, wherein each set of thresholds is associated with a different mission identifier and is based on operational specifications ([0039-0040]) or mission requirements for the object, and (3) a processing circuitry that is operatively coupled to the memory (FIG. 3B), wherein: the processing circuitry is configured to:
receive a mission identifier (determining remaining useful life, end of life, or estimated service life ([0004-0006]) corresponding to a current mission of the object ([0006]);
select, based on the mission identifier, a first threshold from one of the sets of thresholds ([0052]);
establish a connection with the monitoring device (FIG. 3B and 8);
receive a first parameter value from the monitoring device, the first parameter value
corresponding to the parameter of the object that is monitored by the monitoring device ([0052]);
detect, based on the first parameter value, whether the parameter has crossed the first
threshold ([0052]); and
turn on the first indicator when the parameter has crossed the first threshold ([0085]).
With regards to claim 2, Gullo discloses system of claim 1, further comprising a scanning device (a part of 314) and a data assessment system (a part of 324; [0085]; FIG. 3B), wherein:
the scanning device is configured to receive a second parameter value (from one of the environmental sensors; [0052]) from the notification device via a communications link (including 322) and transmit the second parameter value to the data assessment system, at least in part, over an electronic link (FIG. 3B), and
the data assessment system is configured to receive the second parameter value from the
scanning device, compare the second parameter value to a second threshold ([0052]), and transmit a system condition alert when the second parameter value has crossed the second threshold, the system condition alert being transmitted to a computing device (a part of 810; FIG. 8) on a platform that is carrying the object, the second threshold being either the same or different from the first threshold ([0052]).
With regards to claim 3, Gullo discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to turn on the second indicator when the parameter remains outside of the first threshold in a normal operating range of the parameter ([0086]).
With regards to claim 5, Gullo discloses the notification system of claim 4 wherein turning on the first indicator includes displaying the parameter value in a color or symbol that is indicative that the first threshold has been crossed ([0086]).
With regards to claim 6, Gullo discloses the notification system of claim 4 wherein turning on the first indicator includes displaying an indication of an extent by which the parameter value has exceeded the first threshold ([0086]).
With regards to claim 7, Gullo discloses the notification system of claim 4, wherein the output unit is arranged to provide a second indicator, and the processing circuitry is further configured to turn on the second indicator when the parameter has not crossed the first threshold ([0086]).
With regards to claim 9, Gullo discloses the notification system of claim 4, wherein the notification system is integrated, such that the output unit and the processing circuitry are housed in a same housing enclosure (800; FIG. 8).
With regards to claim 10, Gullo discloses the notification system of claim 4, wherein the notification system is distributed, such that the output unit and the processing circuitry are housed in different housing enclosures, and the output unit is coupled to the processing circuitry via a wireless or wired connection (“access module 810 provides an output device such as a data port, wireless control node … configured to allow another access tool such as tablet”, [0086]).
With regards to claim 11, Gullo discloses the notification system of claim 4, wherein the output unit is configured to provide a second indicator, the output unit includes an array of indicator lights, the first indicator includes a first light in the array, and the second indicator includes a second light or symbol in the array (“one or more displays or other output devices configured to facilitate observation or alerting to one or more of the measurements,”; [0086]).
With regards to claim 12, Gullo discloses the notification system of claim 4, wherein the output unit is configured to provide a second indicator, and the processing circuitry is further configured to:
receive, from the monitoring device, a second message indicating a change of status of the monitoring device ([0052]); and
turn on the second indicator in response to the second message (“one or more displays or other output devices configured to facilitate observation or alerting to one or more of the measurements,”; [0086])..
With regards to claim 15, Gullo discloses the method of claim 14, wherein identifying the one or more parameter thresholds includes:
receiving a second identifier of a mission (i.e. remaining useful life) that is associated with the monitored system ([0054]); and
performing a search of a database to obtain the one or more parameter thresholds related to the mission, the search of the database being performed based on the second identifier ([0054-0055]).
With regards to claim 16, Gullo discloses the method of claim 14, wherein identifying the one or more parameter thresholds includes receiving a second identifier corresponding to the monitored system and retrieving the one or more parameter thresholds from a database based on the second identifier ([0054-0055]).
With regards to claim 18, Gullo discloses the method of claim 14, further comprising turning on a second indicator when the one or more parameter thresholds are not crossed by the parameter value, wherein the first indicator includes a first light source and the second indicator includes a second light source (“one or more displays or other output devices configured to facilitate observation or alerting to one or more of the measurements,”; [0086]).
With regards to claim 19, Gullo discloses the method of claim 14, wherein the first identifier is received from a scanning device (a part of 314; [0052).
With regards to claim 20, Gullo discloses the method of claim 14, wherein the monitored system includes a missile ([0033, 0044]), the notification device (including 810) is disposed on an external surface of a launcher of the missile (FIG. 8), and the monitoring device is disposed inside the launcher (FIG. 3B and 8).
With regards to claim 21, Gullo discloses the system of claim 1, wherein:
an output unit is arranged to provide a third indicator (“one or more displays or other output devices configured to facilitate observation or alerting to one or more of the measurements,”; [0086]),
the memory is configured to store a second threshold ([0052]), and
the processing circuitry is further configured to turn on the first indicator (one of displays) to indicate that the parameter is in an abnormal range, turn on the second indicator (another display) when the parameter has crossed the second threshold to indicate that the parameter is in a highly abnormal range, and turn on the third indicator (another display) to indicate that the parameter is within a normal operating range ([0086]).
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 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gullo et al. (US Publication 2021/0062764; IDS dated 11/25/2025; hereinafter Gullo) in view of Colavito et al. (US Publication 2018/0205249; hereinafter Colavito).
With regards to claim 8, Gullo teaches the notification system of claim 4. However, Gullo is silent regarding wherein turning on the first indicator includes playing an audio tone or activating a tactile feedback device.
Colavito teaches a power level indicator (22) wherein turning on the first indicator includes playing an audio tone (audio feedback) or activating a tactile feedback device ([0054]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of turning on the audio feedback and/or tactile feedback as taught by Colavito in response to the visual feedback of the indicator as taught by Gullo with reasonable expectation of notifying the user of the power level as intended ([0054]; Colavito).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gullo et al. (US Publication 2021/0062764; IDS dated 11/25/2025; hereinafter Gullo) in view of Ohhashi (US Publication 2015/0306868).
With regards to claim 17, Gullo teaches the method of claim 14. However, Gullo is silent regarding wherein the first indicator includes an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that is configured to define a shape of a letter.
Ohhashi teaches an indicator (133) includes an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) ([0095]) that is configured to define a shape of a letter (letter ‘I’; FIG. 6).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the well-known type of power level indicator as taught by Ohhashi as the indicator of Gullo with reasonable expectation of indicating the power level to the user as originally intended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 QUANG X.L NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1585. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, STEPHEN D. MEIER can be reached at (571) 272-2149. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/QXN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/STEPHEN D MEIER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853