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
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, 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.
Claims 1, 10-13, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Adams (US 2022/0054867), in view of Tulin (WO 2015/140776 A1).
As to claim 1, Adams discloses an electronic mask 100 (Fig. 1A) comprising: at least one filter 314 (filter cartridge 282,284, see Figs. 2I-2J, paragraph [0176]); a fan 252,254 (Figs. 2A-2F) configured to generate a flow of air toward the at least one filter 282,284 (paragraph [0170]); and at least one processor (Figs. 2B,2K, paragraph [0170]: one or more processors may be coupled to the circuit board(s) 242, 244, see also Fig. 7, paragraph [0217]: mask 700 includes one or more controller(s) 750 having processor(s) 752) configured to: control a rotation speed of the fan 252,254 (paragraph [0220]: the controller 750 is configured to control a speed of the one or more fan(s)).
Adams further discloses at least one sensor (NFC reader 1710C, Fig. 17C) configured to obtain sensing data related to the at least one filter (an identifier of the filter is read from an NFC tag 1710A,B on the filter cartridge 1700A, B, see Figs, 17A-17C, which corresponds to a service life of the filter, paragraphs [0282],[0284],[0285]), but does not expressly disclose that the processor is configured to identify a grade of the at least one filter based on the sensing data obtained from the at least one sensor, and control the speed of the fan(s) based on the grade of the at least one filter.
However, Tulin teaches an electronic air purification device 1 (Figs. 1-4A) comprising: at least one sensor configured to obtain sensing data related to at least one filter 7a,7b,11a,11b (Fig. 4A, page 14, ln. 21 - page 15, ln. 7: Another functionality of the device is to determine the rating of installed filters using an electronic sensor, mechanical sensor or switch…) and a controller configured to identify a grade of the at least one filter based on the sensing data obtained from the at least one sensor, and control the speed of fan(s) (blower(s) 9a,9b, Fig. 4A, page 8, ln. 25-page 9, ln. 3) based on the grade of the at least one filter 7a,7b,11a,11b (page 15, ln. 1-7: According to the installation of different filters, the device may modulate the speed of the airflow mechanism and/or other functions of the device that can be altered by the controller).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electronic mask of Adams so that the processor can identify the grade of filter installed in the mask and adjust the speed of the fan(s) based on the identified grade, as taught by Tulin, in order to promote longer battery life by reducing the fan's power output when used with filters having a lower resistance while ensuring the user receives enough air flow when using higher graded filters.
As to claim 10, modified Adams discloses the electronic mask of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to increase the rotation speed of the fan as a dust collection efficiency related to the grade of the at least one filter mounted on the electronic mask increases (Tulin, page 15, line ln. 1-7 teaches that lighter rated filters typically offer less resistance and require less pressure from the airflow mechanism; thus higher resistance filters (with greater dust collection efficiency) would require higher pressure output/greater speed from the blower fan).
As to claim 11, modified Adams discloses the electronic mask of claim 1, further comprising a communication interface (Bluetooth Comms 17, Fig. 8 of Tulin) configured to support wireless communication, wherein the at least one processor (controller 15, Fig. 8 of Tulin) is further configured to control the communication interface 17 to: establish wireless communication with an external electronic device (smartphone 18, Fig. 8, Fig. 7), and transmit data related to the electronic mask to the external electronic device 18 (see Tulin, page 18, ln. 14-26).
As to claim 12, modified Adams discloses the electronic mask of claim 11, wherein the data related to the electronic mask comprises the grade of the at least one filter (see Tulin, page 22, ln. 21-23) and the rotation speed of the fan (see Fig. 8 of Tulin, Blower State (on/off/speed) sent to smartphone through controller 15 and Bluetooth Comms 17; page 16, ln. 24-27).
As to claim 13, Adams discloses a method of controlling an electronic mask 100 (Fig. 1A) comprising at least one filter 314 (filter cartridge 282,284, see Figs. 2I-2J, paragraph [0176]) and a fan 252,254 (Figs. 2A-2F) configured to generate a flow of air toward the at least one filter 282,284 (paragraph [0170]); the method comprising: controlling a rotation speed of the fan 252,254 (paragraph [0220]: the controller 750 is configured to control a speed of the one or more fan(s)).
Adams further discloses at least one sensor (NFC reader 1710C, Fig. 17C) configured to obtain sensing data related to the at least one filter (an identifier of the filter is read from an NFC tag 1710A,B on the filter cartridge 1700A, B, see Figs, 17A-17C, which corresponds to a service life of the filter, paragraphs [0282],[0284],[0285]), but does not expressly disclose identifying a grade of the at least one filter based on the sensing data obtained from the at least one sensor and controlling a rotation speed of the fan based on the grade of the at least one filter.
However, Tulin teaches an electronic air purification device 1 (Figs. 1-4A) comprising: at least one sensor configured to obtain sensing data related to at least one filter 7a,7b,11a,11b (Fig. 4A, page 14, ln. 21 - page 15, ln. 7: Another functionality of the device is to determine the rating of installed filters using an electronic sensor, mechanical sensor or switch…) and a controller configured to identify a grade of the at least one filter based on the sensing data obtained from the at least one sensor, and control the speed of fan(s) (blower(s) 9a,9b, Fig. 4A, page 8, ln. 25-page 9, ln. 3) based on the grade of the at least one filter 7a,7b,11a,11b (page 15, ln. 1-7: According to the installation of different filters, the device may modulate the speed of the airflow mechanism and/or other functions of the device that can be altered by the controller).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Adams to include identifying the grade of filter being used and adjusting the speed of the fan(s) based on the identified grade, as taught by Tulin, in order to promote longer battery life by reducing the fan's power output when used with filters having a lower resistance while ensuring the user receives enough air flow when using higher graded filters.
As to claim 18, modified Adams discloses the method of claim 13, wherein the controlling of the rotation speed of the fan comprises increasing the rotation speed of the fan as a dust collection efficiency related to the grade of the at least one filter mounted on the electronic mask increases (Tulin, page 15, line ln. 1-7 teaches that lighter rated filters (with lower dust collection efficiency) typically offer less resistance and require less pressure from the airflow mechanism; thus higher rated filters (with greater dust collection efficiency) would require higher pressure output/greater speed from the blower fan).
As to claim 19, modified Adams discloses the method of claim 13, further comprising: establishing wireless communication with an external electronic device (smartphone 18, see Tulin, Fig. 8, Fig. 7) through a communication interface 17 of the electronic mask; and transmitting data related to the electronic mask to the external electronic device 18 through the communication interface 17 (see Tulin, page 18, ln. 14-26).
As to claim 20, modified Adams discloses the method of claim 19, wherein the data related to the electronic mask comprises the grade of the at least one filter (see Tulin, page 22, ln. 21-23) and the rotation speed of the fan (see Fig. 8 of Tulin, Blower State (on/off/speed) sent to smartphone through controller 15 and Bluetooth Comms 17; page 16, ln. 24-27).
Claims 2, 3, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Adams (US 2022/0054867), in view of Tulin (WO 2015/140776 A1), as applied to claim 1, and further In view of Huh (US 2016/0001102).
As to claim 2, modified Adams discloses the electronic mask of claim 1, but does not disclose that the at least one processor is further configured to: control the at least one sensor to detect a signal transmitted from a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag of the at least one filter, and identify the grade of the at least one filter based on the signal transmitted from the RFID tag.
However, Huh teaches an air purifier 50 (Fig. 3) having a sensor in the form of an RFID reader 55a (Fig. 3) and a control unit that is configured to: control the sensor/reader 55a to detect a signal transmitted from a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag 55b of the at least one filter (filter unit 53), and identify a type of the filter 53 based on the signal transmitted from the RFID tag 55b (paragraph [0068]-[0069]: information on the type, a serial number, and the manufacturing date of the filter unit 53 is recorded in the RFID tag 55b provided in the filter unit 53 in such a way that when the filter unit 53 is mounted and installed in the installation space 51a in the body 51 of the air purifier 50, RFID reader 55a receives the information data by reading the RFID tag 55b and transmits the information data of the filter unit 53 to the control unit).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electronic mask of Adams so that the sensor communicating the filter grade information from the filter to the processor is in the form of an RFID reader that reads an RFID tag on the filter, as taught by Huh, in order to provide an equally suitable alternative means of communicating data which is known in the art.
As to claim 3, modified Adams discloses the electronic mask of claim 2, wherein the RFID tag 55b is provided on an edge region of the at least one filter (see Fig. 3 of Huh, paragraph [0067], which shows/describes the tag 55b being located at an edge of the filter unit 53), and is configured to transmit the signal at a signal frequency in a predesignated frequency range, and wherein the at least one sensor 55a is provided within a recognition distance of the RFID tag 55b, the recognition distance being determined based on the predesignated frequency range (see Fig. 3 of Huh, where the RFID tag 55a will line up with the RFID reader 55a when installed, see also paragraphs [0068]-[0069]: the reader receives the information by reading the tag 55b, thus their frequency of the signal from the tag must be within the range that can be read by the reader).
As to claim 14, modified Adams discloses the method of claim 13, but does not disclose that the at least one processor is further configured to: control the at least one sensor to detect a signal transmitted from a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag of the at least one filter, and identify the grade of the at least one filter based on the signal transmitted from the RFID tag.
However, Huh teaches an air purifier 50 (Fig. 3) having a sensor in the form of an RFID reader 55a (Fig. 3) and a control unit that is configured to: control the sensor/reader 55a to detect a signal transmitted from a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag 55b of the at least one filter (filter unit 53), and identify a type of the filter 53 based on the signal transmitted from the RFID tag 55b (paragraph [0068]-[0069]: information on the type, a serial number, and the manufacturing date of the filter unit 53 is recorded in the RFID tag 55b provided in the filter unit 53 in such a way that when the filter unit 53 is mounted and installed in the installation space 51a in the body 51 of the air purifier 50, RFID reader 55a receives the information data by reading the RFID tag 55b and transmits the information data of the filter unit 53 to the control unit).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Adams so that the sensor communicating the filter grade information from the filter to the processor is in the form of an RFID reader that reads an RFID tag on the filter, as taught by Huh, in order to provide an equally suitable alternative means of communicating data which is known in the art.
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Adams (US 2022/0054867), in view of Tulin (WO 2015/140776 A1) and Huh (US 2016/0001102), as applied to claim 3, and further in view of Brumer et al. (US 2009/0303001).
As to claim 4, modified Adams discloses the electronic mask of claim 3, wherein the at least one sensor 55a is adjacent to the RFID tag 55b to face the edge region of the at least one filter 53 (see Huh, Fig. 3, paragraph [0067]), but lacks detailed description as to the limitation that the signal frequency is between about 1 Hz and about 10 kHz.
However, Brumer teaches an RFID tag and reader which communicate in a frequency band within the claimed range (paragraph [0026]: interrogator chip 3 and transponder chip may operate in any frequency band, with RFID most commonly applied at LF (125 Hz or 134 Hz…). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the mask of Adams so that the RFID tag and reader operate within the claimed frequency range, as taught by Brumer, in order to provide a suitable frequency range for RFID that is known and commonly applied in the art.
As to claim 5, modified Adams discloses the electronic mask of claim 3, wherein the at least one sensor (reader(s) 1840,1940,2040, Figs.18- 20 of Adams) is provided on a control board 2000 to be spaced apart from the RFID tag, the control board 2000 comprising the at least one processor 2010 (Adams discloses that the reader(s) 1840,1940,2040, can be part of a computer system 2000 of a mobile device, see Fig. 20, paragraphs [0294],[0286]), but lacks detailed description as to the limitation that the signal frequency is between about 1MHz and about 10GHz.
However, Brumer teaches an RFID tag and reader which communicate in a frequency band within the claimed range (paragraph [0026]: interrogator chip 3 and transponder chip may operate in any frequency band, with RFID most commonly applied at…HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF (866 MHz-960 MHz). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the mask of Adams so that the RFID tag and reader operate within the claimed frequency range, as taught by Brumer, in order to provide a suitable frequency range for RFID that is known and commonly applied in the art.
Claims 6, 8, 9, and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Adams (US 2022/0054867), in view of Tulin (WO 2015/140776 A1) and Huh (US 2016/0001102), as applied to claim 3, and further in view of Bae et al. (US 10,821,389).
As to claim 6, modified Adams discloses the electronic mask of claim 1, but does not disclose that the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: detect a shape of the at least one filter by obtaining a shape detection value related to the at least one filter from the plurality of sensors, and identify the grade of the at least one filter based on the shape of the at least one filter.
However, Bae teaches an air purifier having a plurality off sensors and a processor that is configured to: detect a shape of a filter by obtaining a shape detection value related to the filter from the plurality of sensors, and identify the grade of the filter based on the shape of the filter (see Fig. 20, col. 12, ln. 55-65: filter recognition part 160 detects an area, height, and depth of the filter members 131, 231 via various sensors (magnetic sensor, or the like) to identify a type/capacity of the filter members 131, 231).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the mask of Bae to include sensors that detect a shape of the filter and the processing means to determine the type/capacity of the filter therefrom, as taught Bae, in order to provide a suitable alternative or additional means for determining the filter type/capacity and thus service life of the filter being used.
As to claim 8, modified Adams discloses the electronic mask of claim 1, but does not disclose that the at least one processor is further configured to: detect a color of the at least one filter by obtaining a color detection value related to the at least one filter from the at least one sensor, and identify the grade of the at least one filter based on the color of the at least one filter
However, Bae teaches an air purifier having a processor configured to: detect a color of a filter by obtaining a color detection value related to the filter from a sensor, and identify the grade of the filter based on the color of the filter (see Bae, col. 12, ln. 46-54 the identification part can be a predetermined color that identifies the type or capacity of the filter and the recognition means can be a color recognition means).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the mask of Bae to include color detecting sensor and the processing means to determine the type/capacity of the filter therefrom, as taught Bae, in order to provide a suitable alternative or additional means for determining the filter type/capacity and thus service life of the filter being used.
As to claim 9, modified Adams discloses the electronic mask of claim 8, wherein the color is applied to at least one pattern arranged on an edge region of the at least one filter (Huh teaches the location of the tag 55b being on the edge region of the filter 53, see Fig. 3; Bae teaches the tag being an identification part having a predetermined color , see col. 12, ln. 46-54), wherein the at least one sensor (color recognition means taught by Bae, col. 12, ln. 46-54) is further configured to: output light toward the at least one pattern, and detect the color by detecting a reflected amount of the light (see Bae, col. 12, ln. 46-54: the sensor is a color recognition means, thus, it must be able to detect reflected light from the color part to identify what color it is).
As to claim 15, modified Adams discloses the method of claim 13, but does not disclose that the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors, and wherein the identifying of the grade of the at least one filter comprises: detecting a shape of the at least one filter by obtaining a shape detection value related to the at least one filter from the plurality of sensors; and identifying the grade of the at least one filter based on the shape of the at least one filter.
However, Bae teaches an air purifier having a plurality off sensors and a processor that detects a shape of a filter by obtaining a shape detection value related to the filter from the plurality of sensors, and identifies the grade of the filter based on the shape of the filter (see Fig. 20, col. 12, ln. 55-65: filter recognition part 160 detects an area, height, and depth of the filter members 131, 231 via various sensors (magnetic sensor, or the like) to identify a type/capacity of the filter members 131, 231).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method of Bae to include sensors that detect a shape of the filter and the processing means that determines the type/capacity of the filter therefrom, as taught Bae, in order to provide a suitable alternative or additional means for determining the filter type/capacity and thus service life of the filter being used.
As to claim 16, modified Adams discloses the method of claim 13, but does not disclose wherein the identifying of the grade of the at least one filter comprises: detecting a color of the at least one filter by obtaining a color detection value related to the at least one filter from the at least one sensor; and identifying the grade of the at least one filter based on the color of the at least one filter.
However, Bae teaches detecting a color of a filter by obtaining a color detection value related to the filter from a sensor, and identifying the grade of the filter based on the color of the filter (see Bae, col. 12, ln. 46-54 the identification part can be a predetermined color that identifies the type or capacity of the filter and the recognition means can be a color recognition means).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method of Bae identifying the type/capacity of the filter from a color recognition sensor, as taught Bae, in order to provide a suitable alternative or additional means for determining the filter type/capacity and thus service life of the filter being used.
As to claim 17, modified Adams discloses the method of claim 16, wherein the color is applied to at least one pattern arranged on an edge region of the at least one filter (Huh teaches the location of the tag 55b being on the edge region of the filter 53, see Fig. 3; Bae teaches the tag being an identification part having a predetermined color , see col. 12, ln. 46-54), and wherein the detecting of the color of the at least one filter comprises: outputting light toward the at least one pattern, and detecting the color by detecting a reflected amount of the light (see Bae, col. 12, ln. 46-54: the sensor is a color recognition sensor; thus, it must be able to detect reflected light from the color part to identify what color it is).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7 is 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wu (US 2023/0293915) teaches an electric breathing apparatus 100 (Fig. 1) model/type of filter can be identified based on the alignment of magnetic counterparts 260 a-c on a filter unit 230 to Hall sensors 250a-c, see Figs. 2-3, Fig. 5) and control the speed of a fan (blower 2220, Fig. 2) based on the grade of the at least one filter 230 (paragraphs [0018],[0049]: operating mode is reset depending on model/type of the air filter unit, paragraph [0037]: operating modes described as different rates of the blower, at different interval time running cycles or the like).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VALERIE L WOODWARD whose telephone number is (571)270-1479. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.
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/VALERIE L WOODWARD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3785