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.
Claim(s) 1-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by MINSKOFF et al. (US 2014/0246035).
Minskoff teaches a combination of a vaporizer (100 in figure 76) and a charger (500 in figure 76) comprising at least one user interface output (para. 0169: (b), (n), (o), (q), (s)-(y)); at least one user interface input (para. 0101); and a control (para. 0212), wherein all of the at least one user interface outputs are provided on the vaporizer (para. 0101), the charger lacking any of the at least one user interface output (para. 0146), and wherein the vaporizer (100) includes at least one of the at least one user interface input (para. 0101); wherein the control is adapted to control at least a first one of the at least one user interface output so as to distinguish between output information related to the vaporizer and output information related to the charger (para. 0169).
Regarding claim 2, Minskoff teaches the charger (500) is a charging case; in which the vaporizer (100) can be accommodated (para. 0144).
Regarding claim 3, Minskoff teaches at least one item of output information is related to a battery level of the vaporizer or the charger, vaping time, heating up time, puff intensity, or charging state (para. 0169).
Regarding claim 4, Minskoff teaches the control is adapted to control the first one of the at least one user interface output so as to show output information related to the vaporizer when the vaporizer is not connected to the charger, and so as to show output information related to the charger when the vaporizer is connected to the charger (para. 0146).
Regarding claim 5, Minskoff teaches the first one of the at least one user interface output on the vaporizer indicates whether output information related to the vaporizer or output information related to the charger is output (para. 0169).
Regarding claim 6, Minskoff teaches at least a first one of the at least one user interface input of the vaporizer and/or the charger is adapted to switch at least the first one of the at least one user interface output between output information related to the vaporizer and output information related to the charger (para. 0169).
Regarding claim 7, Minskoff teaches the vaporizer has a single one of the at least one user interface input (para. 0101).
Regarding claim 8, Minskoff teaches a method of outputting information related to a combination of a vaporizer (100) and a charger (500) comprising outputting, by means of at least one user interface output on the vaporizer, at least one item of output information with no item of output information being on the charger (para. 0169: (b), (n), (o), (q), (s)-(y)); and inputting at least one item of input information on the vaporizer (para. 0101), but with no item of input information being input on the charger (para. 0144); and controlling the at least one item of output information in a manner so as to distinguish between output information related to the vaporizer and output information related to the charger (para. 0169).
Regarding claim 9, see the discussion of claim 3 above.
Regarding claim 10, see the discussion of claim 4 above.
Regarding claim 11, see the discussion of claim 5 above.
Regarding claim 12, see the discussion of claim 6 above.
Regarding claim 13, Minskoff teaches the at least one user interface output includes one or more light sources (para. 0119).
Regarding claim 14, Minskoff teaches the one or more light sources includes LEDs (para. 0119).
Regarding claim 15, Minskoff teaches the at least one user interface input includes capacitive touch sensors (para. 0101).
Regarding claim 16, Minskoff teaches the charging case is portable (para. 0144).
Regarding claim 17, see the discussion of claim 13 above.
Regarding claim 18, see the discussion of claim 14 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Barron (US 2014/0041655).
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/CYNTHIA SZEWCZYK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1741
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