DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This is response restriction election selection of 7/11/25 with traverse.
Applicant election of claims (13-20) to be examined. Thus, claims (1-12) are being objected and needed to be cancel in the next communications.
Claim Objections
Claims (1-12) are objected to because of the following informalities: because of restrictions requirements. Appropriate correction is required.
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)(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.
Claim(s) (13-20) is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a-1) as being anticipated by Dulin et al (8068023, hereinafter – Dulin).
Regarding claim 13: Dulin discloses a shipping/(delivery/transfer) method for shipping goods(item/object/article) to a recipient, the method comprising:
providing a locking box (as depicted in figure 3c of Dulin and see associated descriptions for details) comprising a geolocation/(GPS) module (col. 4, lines 43-49 of Dulin), a communications module (col. 4, lines 51-52 of Dulin), and a computation module (col. 10, line 63 to col. 10, line 5 of Dulin);
locking the locking box upon closure (col. 4, lines 43-51 of Dulin);
monitoring transportation of the box by way of the communications module (col. 10, lines 21-25 of Dulin);
determining an expected destination for the locking box at the computation module (col. 10, lines 20-29 of Dulin);
determining a current location for the locking box at the computation module based on data retrieved from the geolocation module (col. 10, lines 20-25 of Dulin);
unlocking the box only upon confirming that the current location corresponds to the expected destination (col. 9, lines 20-29 of Dulin). Thus, Dulin disclosed the procedural method of shipping management.
Regarding claim 14: further comprising: determining an expected route for transportation of the box; monitoring an actual route traveled by the box by way of the communications module based on data retrieved from the geolocation module; generating an alert if the actual route traveled does not correspond to the expected route for transportation of the box; transmitting the alert (col. 4, lines 43-60 of Dulin).
Regarding claim 15: the locking box further comprising a sensor module for monitoring characteristics of the interior of the box, the method further comprising: determining a desired metric for a characteristic of the interior of the box; monitoring an actual metric for the characteristic of the interior of the box corresponding to the desired metric by way of the sensor module; generating an alert if the actual metric deviates from the desired metric; transmitting the alert (col. 4, line 43 to col. 5, line 2 of Dulin).
Regarding claim 16: wherein the characteristic of the interior box is a temperature, air quality, vibration, or movement measurement (col. 25, lines 61-67 of Dulin).
Regarding claim 20: Dulin disclosed a procedure for a shipping method for shipping goods to a recipient (see discussion above) the method comprising: providing a plurality of locking boxes, each comprising a geolocation module, a communications module, and a computation module; locking the locking boxes upon closure; monitoring transportation of the locking boxes by way of the communications module (see above discussions); determining an expected checkpoint destination (col. 22, lines 31-52 of Dulin) for the locking boxes at the computation module; receiving an identification of one of the plurality of the boxes to be opened at the checkpoint; determining a current location for the locking box at the computation module based on data retrieved from the geolocation module; unlocking the one of the plurality of boxes identified only upon confirming that the current location corresponds to the expected checkpoint destination. Dulin disclosed procedural shipping with checkpoint (location check or preprogramed destination determination (checkpoint – col. 22, lines 31-52 of Dulin) and discussion above.
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 (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 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) (17-19) is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dulin et al (8068023, hereinafter – Dulin) in view of Anderson et al (11602236, hereinafter – Anderson).
Regarding claims 17 and 19: Dulin procedural method disclosed changing or characteristic deviation in (col. 19, lines 5-7 of Dulin). However, Dulin is silent on the capability of modification of cooling/chilling of temperature. Anderson is relied upon the modification capability in (col. 9, lines 55-65 of Anderson). It would have been obvious for an artisan of the art before the effective filing date of invention was made to incorporate Anderson capabilities into Dulin. The rationale as follows: the artisan of the art would have modify the internal environmental condition controls of the container/box to normal object characteristic.
Regarding claim 18: Anderson disclosed wherein the device is nan air conditioning unit or a pump (heat-pump) (col. 9, lines 59-62 of Anderson).
Furthermore; Anderson can stands alone reference for claims (13-20) but not used at this office action.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Brackmann et al (7482928) and Chuen et al (9043898) are cited smart container system. Dekeyser (2021/0372639), Donnelly (43206260, Hercil et al (8677767), Kahl et al (5301508), Passley (9217598), Reed et al (4326383) and Shavitz (WO2022/060882A1) are cited container with temperature control management.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to K. Wong whose telephone number is (571) 272-7566.
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/K. WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689