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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicants amendments to Independent claims 1 and 15 overcome the previous restriction requirement. As a result, claims 1-20 are hereby rejoined and fully examined for patentability under 37 CFR 1.104.
Because all claims have been rejoined, the restriction requirement as set forth in the Office action mailed on 12/16/25 is hereby withdrawn. In view of the withdrawal of the restriction requirement as to the rejoined inventions, applicant(s) are advised that if any claim presented in a divisional application is anticipated by, or includes all the limitations of, a claim that is allowable in the present application, such claim may be subject to provisional statutory and/or nonstatutory double patenting rejections over the claims of the instant application. Once the restriction requirement is withdrawn, the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 121 are no longer applicable. See In re Ziegler, 443 F.2d 1211, 1215, 170 USPQ 129, 131-32 (CCPA 1971). See also MPEP § 804.01.
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 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.
Claims 1-5, 8-12, 14-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hilgers et al. (EP3269280; ids 8/3/23)
Hilgers teaches with respect Independent claim 1, a computer-implemented method (par. 0033) for recipe dependent cleaning (par. 0036) of a multifunction cooking apparatus having a bowl (fig. 1 ref. 205; par. 0004) with an integrated heating element and an integrated stirring element (par. 0029 HSE), comprising:
receiving a recipe program with a plurality of recipe instructions for preparation of a food product (par. 0049) wherein at least a subset of recipe instructions is to be executed in said bowl (par. 0049 heating and stirring functions), executing at least the subset of recipe instructions (par. 0048; pg. 12 lines 54-58), including, for each recipe instruction of at least the subset of the recipe program (par. 0048):
analyzing the respective recipe instruction with regard to: a cooking mode of the multifunction cooking apparatus (par. 0049 heating; par. 0042 cooking scenarios), one or more control parameters for said cooking mode (par. 0049 temperature of heating function), and one or more ingredient identifiers (par. 0049 recipe program associated with course) by:
performing a mode-check to identify if said cooking mode belongs to a subset of cooking modes which require cleaning after execution of a corresponding cooking action (par. 0048; pg. 13 line 36)
performing a temperature-control-parameter-check to identify if a temperature control parameter of the at least one control parameters indicates a cleaning requirement (par. 0044 temperature in each separate step, range specific; par. 0048) and
performing an ingredients-check to identify whether at least one of the ingredient identifiers or a particular combination of ingredient identifiers is associated with a subset of ingredients requiring cleaning after execution of the respective recipe instruction (par. 0049 recipe program associated with course)
determining one or more suitable cleaning modes (par. 0048; pg. 13 line 36) for said bowl dependent on results of the mode-check, temperature-control-parameter-check and ingredients- check by using a decision module (par. 0048 second rule) which associates one or more cleaning modes with the combination of cooking mode, temperature-control-parameter and the one or more ingredient identifiers of the respective recipe instruction (par. 0048; pg. 13 lines 25-26)
selecting, in accordance with predefined selection rules (par. 0048 line 1), a particular cleaning mode from the suitable one or more cleaning modes (par. 0048 cleaning steps reduced; pg. 13 lines 20-21, 39-40)
if the respective recipe instruction is associated with a non-cleaning indicator in the recipe program (par. 0048 identified as unnecessary cleaning step), executing a next recipe instruction (par. 0048 cleaning step removed), else, executing the selected cleaning mode after completed execution of the respective recipe instruction and executing the next recipe instruction (par. 0048 required cleaning step).
With respect to Independent claim 9, a computer system (par. 0033) for controlling recipe dependent cleaning (par. 0036) of a multifunction cooking apparatus having a bowl (fig. 1 ref. 205; par. 0004) with an integrated heating element and an integrated stirring element (par. 0029 HSE), comprising:
an interface (par. 0033) adapted to receive a recipe program with a plurality of recipe instructions for preparation of a food product (par. 0033) wherein at least a subset of recipe instructions is to be executed in said bowl (par. 0049 heating and stirring functions)
a recipe execution engine (par. 0033 ref. 220) adapted to execute the recipe instructions to control at least the execution of respective cooking steps by the multifunction cooking apparatus (par. 0033)
a cleaning control module (par. 0035 control system; partition module; pg. 11 line 29 2.9 program instruction clean bowl) comprising a recipe instruction analyzer module (par. 0037 program analyzer), a cleaning mode selector module (fig. 4 ref. 2320; par. 0036 relative different HSE, heating or cooling dependent), and a cleaning execution module (fig. 4 ref. 2321; par. 0036 plurality of cleaning steps; par. 0048 identify necessary vs unnecessary) with
the recipe instruction analyzer module adapted to analyze a respective recipe instruction with regard to: a cooking mode of the multifunction cooking apparatus (par. 0049 heating function), one or more control parameters for said cooking mode (par. 0049 temperature, time), and one or more ingredient identifiers (par. 0049 individual course) by:
performing a mode-check to identify if said cooking mode belongs to a subset of cooking modes which require cleaning after execution of a corresponding cooking action (par. 0048; pg. 13 line 36)
performing a temperature-control-parameter-check to identify if a temperature control parameter of the at least one control parameters indicates a cleaning requirement (par. 0044 temperature in each separate step, range specific; par. 0048) and
performing an ingredients-check to identify whether at least one of the ingredient identifiers or a particular combination of ingredient identifiers is associated with a subset of ingredients requiring cleaning after execution of the respective recipe instruction (par. 0049 recipe program associated with course)
the recipe instruction analyzer module (par. 0037 program analyzer) further adapted to determine one or more suitable cleaning modes (par. 0048 necessary vs unnecessary; pg. 13 line 36) for said bowl dependent on results of the mode-check, temperature-control-parameter-check and ingredients- check by using a decision module (par. 0048 second rule analysis) which associates one or more cleaning modes with the combination of cooking mode, temperature-control-parameter and the one or more ingredient identifiers of the respective recipe instruction (par. 0048; pg. 13 lines 25-26)
the cleaning mode selector module (fig. 4 ref. 2320; par. 0036 relative different HSE, heating or cooling dependent; pg. 11 line 29 2.9 program instructions) adapted to select, in accordance with predefined selection rules (par. 0048 line 1; fig. 4 ref. 2321 yes; pg. 11 line 29 2.9 program instructions), a particular cleaning mode from the suitable one or more cleaning modes (par. 0048 cleaning steps reduced; pg. 13 lines 20-21, 39-40; fig. 4 ref. 2400; pg. 11 line 29 2.9 program instructions)
the cleaning execution module adapted to execute the selected cleaning mode (fig. 4 ref. 2400 generate; pg. 11 line 29 2.9 clean bowl) after completed execution of the respective recipe instruction if the respective recipe instruction is not associated with a non-cleaning indicator in the recipe program (par. 0048 identified as necessary cleaning step) and to trigger the analyzer module for proceeding with a next recipe instruction (par. 0048 combined recipe program, next program step; par. 0049), else, to trigger the analyzer module for proceeding with the next recipe instruction (par. 0048 required cleaning step).
With respect to Independent claim 15, a computer program product (par. 0108) for recipe dependent cleaning (par. 0036) of a multifunction cooking apparatus having a bowl (fig. 1 ref. 205; par. 0004) with an integrated heating element and an integrated stirring element (par. 0029 HSE), the computer program product being tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (par. 0108) and comprising computer readable instructions (par. 0108) that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device (par. 0105), cause the computing device to
receive a recipe program with a plurality of recipe instructions for preparation of a food product (par. 0049) wherein at least a subset of recipe instructions is to be executed in said bowl (par. 0049 heating and stirring functions), execute at least the subset of recipe instructions (par. 0048; pg. 12 lines 54-58), including, for each recipe instruction of at least the subset of the recipe program (par. 0048):
analyze the respective recipe instruction with regard to: a cooking mode of the multifunction cooking apparatus (par. 0049 heating; par. 0042 cooking scenarios), one or more control parameters for said cooking mode (par. 0049 temperature of heating function), and one or more ingredient identifiers (par. 0049 recipe program associated with course) by:
perform a mode-check to identify if said cooking mode belongs to a subset of cooking modes which require cleaning after execution of a corresponding cooking action (par. 0048; pg. 13 line 36)
perform a temperature-control-parameter-check to identify if a temperature control parameter of the at least one control parameters indicates a cleaning requirement (par. 0044 temperature in each separate step, range specific; par. 0048) and
performing an ingredients-check to identify whether at least one of the ingredient identifiers or a particular combination of ingredient identifiers is associated with a subset of ingredients requiring cleaning after execution of the respective recipe instruction (par. 0049 recipe program associated with course)
determine one or more suitable cleaning modes (par. 0048; pg. 13 line 36) for said bowl dependent on results of the mode-check, temperature-control-parameter-check and ingredients- check by using a decision module (par. 0048 second rule) which associates one or more cleaning modes with the combination of cooking mode, temperature-control-parameter and the one or more ingredient identifiers of the respective recipe instruction (par. 0048; pg. 13 lines 25-26)
select, in accordance with predefined selection rules (par. 0048 line 1), a particular cleaning mode from the suitable one or more cleaning modes (par. 0048 cleaning steps reduced; pg. 13 lines 20-21, 39-40)
if the respective recipe instruction is associated with a non-cleaning indicator in the recipe program (par. 0048 identified as unnecessary cleaning step), execute a next recipe instruction (par. 0048 cleaning step removed), else, execute the selected cleaning mode after completed execution of the respective recipe instruction and execute the next recipe instruction (par. 0048 required cleaning step).
With respect to claims 2 and 10, wherein, in the analyzing, one or more further checks are performed with regard to any of the following additional parameters associated with the respective recipe instruction: rotational-speed-control parameter for the stirring element, rotation-direction-control parameter, ingredient quantities, time interval between an end of a cooking step associated with the respective recipe instruction and a beginning of the cooking step associated with a subsequent recipe instruction, and relative time point associated with the respective recipe instruction in relation to an overall execution time of an entire recipe program (par. 0047, 0049), and
wherein the decision module and the predefined selection rules are further adapted such that the determining and selecting steps take the additional parameters into account (par. 0049).
Claims 3 and 11 and 16, wherein the selected cleaning mode defines a setting of cleaning duration (pg. 11 line 28 table 1; 2.9 clean bowl).
Claims 4 and 12 and 17, wherein default control parameters of the selected cleaning mode are adjusted in accordance with predefined dependencies on a lead indicator of the respective recipe instruction (par. 0058).
Claims 5 and 18, wherein the lead indicator is the temperature-control- parameter or a combination of ingredient identifiers (par. 0049).
Claims 8 and 20, if the respective recipe instruction is associated with a non-cleaning indicator in the recipe program, storing the selected cleaning mode for the respective recipe instruction (par. 0048 unnecessary) and
consolidating the stored cleaning mode with one or more stored or selected cleaning modes of further consolidated recipe instructions so that control parameters of a resulting consolidated cleaning mode are adjusted to remove dirt resulting from all respective cooking steps when executing the consolidated cleaning mode after completed execution of a first consolidated recipe instruction not being associated with a non-cleaning indicator (par. 0048 maintained cleaning steps, required).
Claim 14, further comprising a cleaning mode consolidation module (par. 0048) adapted to:
store the selected cleaning mode for the respective recipe instruction if the respective recipe instruction is associated with a non-cleaning indicator in the recipe program (par. 0048 remove unnecessary cleaning step)
consolidate the stored cleaning mode with one or more stored or selected cleaning modes of further consolidated recipe instructions so that the control parameters of the resulting consolidated cleaning mode are adjusted to remove dirt resulting from all respective cooking steps when executing a consolidated cleaning mode after completed execution of a first consolidated recipe instruction not being associated with a non-cleaning indicator (par. 0048 maintained cleaning steps, required).
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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 6-7, 13 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hilgers et al. (EP3269280; ids 8/3/23).
With respect to claim 6, Hilgers teaches a display device for interaction with a user (par. 0115). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide the option the selected particular cleaning mode is replaced by a cleaning mode received from a user of the cooking apparatus prior to executing thus providing input from the user as taught (par. 0015 last line) and achieving a same plurality of heating cycles which require a plurality of cleaning steps to be executed as a combined recipe program (par. 0048, par. 0062).
With respect to claims 7, 13 and 19,
Hilger teaches the recipe program includes external recipe instructions to be executed by one or more further cooking appliances requiring cleaning (par. 0030, par. 0062), and wherein analyzing includes an analysis of such external recipe instructions (par. 0030).
Thus since Hilger teaches remote controlled appliances for wireless communication (par. 0111) and since Hilger teaches cleaning, though silent to the appliance type. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide the instruction relative to a remote cleaning appliance for its art recognized purpose of achieving cleaning of the bowl prior to execution of subsequent steps (par. 0048).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to program the cleaning mode selected for the remote cleaning appliance includes cleaning control parameters for said remote cleaning appliance such as with respect to distinguishing between rinsing as opposed to washing as taught (par. 0061, 1.5) and achieving the art recognized advantage of consolidated recipe programs which maintain necessary cleaning steps and reducing overall processing time as further taught (par. 0084)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. 20170224148, 20140147564.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Steven Leff whose telephone number is (571) 272-6527. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 8:30 - 5:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Erik Kashnikow can be reached at (571) 270-3475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/STEVEN N LEFF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1792