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 (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.
Claims 1-2,4-8,12-15 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baren et al. (US 2019/0205854) in view of Abdallah (US 2020/0337353).
Claim 1, Baren discloses a vehicle mini-bar comprising a housing (530) containing one or more items therein for dispensing; an interface (para.0054) configured to detect and allow one or more users to access and purchase a user selected item located within said housing; one or more cameras (para.0041) and sensors (620) to identify one or more items contained in said housing; one or more sensors to identify a selected user (para.0041; detecting motion of users and voice command of the user); a processor with recognition software in communication with a user device (APP) wherein said processor reports to said user device the selection and purchase by a user of said user selected item (para.0046).
Baren does not disclose and wherein said mini-bar includes one or more UVC light emitting diodes (LEDs) and said processor is configured to activate said one or more UVC LEDs to implement a disinfecting lighting sequence.
Abdallah discloses wherein said processing unit includes one or more UVC light and said processor is configured to activate said one or more UVC light to implement a disinfecting lighting sequence (para.0085). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the device of Baren with mini-bar includes one or more UVC light emitting diodes (LEDs) and said processor is configured to activate said one or more UVC LEDs to implement a disinfecting lighting sequence for the purpose of sanitizing said surfaces by turning on the ultraviolet rays periodically.
Claim 2, Baren discloses wherein said interface includes a touchless interface (para.0054).
Claim 4, Baren discloses wherein said user manually unlocks and opens said mini-bar (para.0054).
Claim 5, Baren discloses wherein said processor/software (para.0046).
Baren does not disclose wherein said processor/software implements said disinfecting lighting sequence subsequent to access and removal of a user-selected item.
Abdallah discloses wherein said processing unit includes one or more UVC light and said processor is configured to activate said one or more UVC light to implement a disinfecting lighting sequence (para.0085). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the device of Baren with wherein said processor/software implements said disinfecting lighting sequence subsequent to access and removal of a user-selected item simply to implement a disinfecting lighting sequence for the purpose of maximizing the sanitization of dispensed articles by turning on the ultraviolet rays as often as needed and/or required.
Claim 6, Baren discloses wherein said processor/software (para.0046).
Baren does not disclose wherein said processor/software implements said disinfecting lighting sequence at selected time intervals.
Abdallah discloses wherein said processor/software implements said disinfecting lighting sequence at intervals (para.0085). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the device of Baren with wherein said processor/software implements said disinfecting lighting sequence at selected time intervals to implement a disinfecting lighting sequence for the purpose of sanitizing said surfaces by turning on the ultraviolet rays periodically.
Claim 7, Baren discloses wherein said one or more sensors to identify one or more items contained in said housing comprise one or a plurality of cameras (para.0041).
Claim 8, Baren discloses wherein said one or more sensors to identify one or more items contained in said housing comprises a weight sensor (para.0041).
Claim 12, Baren discloses wherein the processor includes a wireless transmitter and receiver wherein the processor provides a cost for at least one item from said mini-bar transmitted to an external payment system that is external to said mini-bar and which allows said external payment system to wireless process payment for said at least one item from said storage unit to an identified user (para.0020).
Claim 13, Baren discloses configured to position within or as part of a vehicle trim component (see fig.1).
Claim 14, Baren discloses a vehicle trim component including the mini-bar (see figures).
Claim 15, Baren discloses a vehicle including the vehicle trim component (see figures).
Claims 3,9-11 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baren et al. (US 2019/0205854) in view of Metropulos et al. (US 2014/0209634).
Claim 3, Baren does not disclose wherein said interface includes a touch sensor.
Metropulos discloses wherein said interface includes a touch sensor (para.0132). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the device of Baren with wherein said interface includes a touch sensor simply to have another configuration for the user to acquire an authorization code to access the device of Baren.
Claim 9, Baren does not disclose wherein said housing provides a controlled temperature environment.
Metropulos discloses wherein said housing provides a controlled temperature environment (para.0009). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the device of Baren with wherein said housing provides a controlled temperature environment in order to have a cooled compartment to dispense/vend chilled drinks and/or beverages.
Claim 10, Baren does not disclose wherein said controlled temperature environment is provided by a compressor or thermoelectric device.
Metropulos discloses wherein said controlled temperature environment is provided by a compressor or thermoelectric device (para.0009; chilled/cooled compartment are inherently provided by a compressor or thermoelectric component). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the device of Baren with wherein said controlled temperature environment is provided by a compressor or thermoelectric device in order to have a cooled compartment to dispense/vend chilled drinks and/or beverages.
Claim 11, Baren does not disclose a receptacle for heating or cooling a user-selected item.
Metropulos discloses a receptacle for heating or cooling a user-selected item (para.0009). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the device of Baren with a receptacle for heating or cooling a user-selected item in order to have a cooled compartment to dispense/vend chilled drinks and/or beverages.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AYODEJI T OJOFEITIMI whose telephone number is (571)272-6557. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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/AYODEJI T OJOFEITIMI/Examiner, Art Unit 3651
/GENE O CRAWFORD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3651