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
Claims 14-16 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group and Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 02/09/2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I and Species I in the reply filed on 02/09/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
In regard to claim 17, line 4, the term “the information acquisition means” lacks positive antecedent basis. Possibly the term --means-- should be inserted after “information acquisition” at line 2 of claim 17.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-13, 17, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Blackadar et al. 2018/0295829.
In regard to claim 1, Blackadar et al. disclose a fishing information processing system, comprising an acquisition unit (AESD 2002, angling sensor 2210) configured to acquire prescribed fishing information; a controller (microcontroller of AESD 2002) configured to cause a storage unit (database 6000) to accumulate the prescribed information (data) acquired by the acquisition unit as accumulated information; an estimation unit (processor 3000) configured to estimate optimum fishing conditions (recommendations 3200) based on the accumulated information accumulated by the controller; and a provision unit (display on smartphone) configured to provide the optimum fishing conditions (recommendations 3200) estimated by the estimation unit to a user.
In regard to claim 2, Blackadar et al. disclose a determination unit (identification of sporting events 3100 involves processor 3000; see para. 0099) configured to determine an event occurred based on the accumulated information accumulated by the controller, and a storage control unit (microcontroller of AESD 2002 controls sending of data to database 6000 which may communicate with processor 3000, sensor device 2000, sensors 2200; see para. 0093) configured to cause a storage unit (database 600) to store the accumulated information corresponding to the occurrence of the event determined by the determination unit (identification of sporting events 3100 involves processor 3000) as event information (angling/sporting event), the estimation unit (processor 3000) is configured to update (see para. 0373) the optimum fishing conditions based on the event information stored in the storage unit (database 6000).
In regard to claim 3, Blackadar et al. disclose wherein the provision unit (display on smartphone) is configured to provide the optimum fishing conditions (recommendations 3200) or the accumulated information base on the accumulated information to device correspond to other users.
In regard to claim 4, Blackadar et al. disclose wherein the accumulated information (casting information, reel speed, retrieval speed; see paras. 0086, 0171-72) is reel information related to a fishing reel (1110).
In regard to claim 5, Blackadar et al. disclose wherein the estimation unit (processor 3000) is configured to estimate optimum reel conditions (recommendations 3200 include location to fish) based on the reel information (angling related event detected could be cast, drag, stripping, bale click, initiation of cast, flight time, length [e.g. based on the number of reel revolutions] and or direction of a cast from a fishing rod; see paras. 0009, 0086).
In regard to claim 7, Blackadar et al. disclose wherein the estimation unit (processor 3000) is configured to update (see para. 0373; also the accumulated data from the recordation of the angling events adds to the knowledge base which affects the recommendations and cause them to change over time) the optimum reel conditions based on the accumulated information.
In regard to claim 8, Blackadar et al. disclose wherein the accumulated information is rod information (sensors 2200 include motion sensors, piezo-electric sensors, strain/flex sensors to measure precast, fish on, or some other action relating to the casting action associated with a rod, angling sensor 2210 may detect motion related events, such as that associated with a user casting a rod, such as speed of rod motion, the duration of rod motion, distance of rod motion; see paras. 0084, 0172) related to a fishing rod (1110).
In regard to claim 9, Blackadar et al. disclose wherein the estimation unit (processor 3000) is configured to estimate optimum rod conditions based on the rod information (angling event detected could be strike of a fish, a strike of a certain species of fish, a cast, initiation of a cast, snag, fish bump, different types of cast; see paras. 0009, 0086).
In regard to claim 10, Blackadar et al. disclose wherein the estimation unit (processor 3000) is configured to update (see para. 0373; also the accumulated data from the recordation of the angling events adds to the knowledge base which affects the recommendations and cause them to change over time) the optimum fishing rod conditions based on the accumulated information.
In regard to claim 11, Blackadar et al. disclose wherein the accumulated information is fishing trip-related information (force and/or direction of cast, fish strike, time of strike, type of fish, types of cast, reel speed, retrieval speed, length of the fight between fish strike and catch, lost fish, etc.; see paras. 0171-72) related to a fishing trip.
In regard to claim 12, Blackadar et al. disclose wherein the estimation unit (processor 3000) is configured to estimate, based on the fishing trip-related information (force and/or direction of cast, fish strike, time of strike, type of fish, types of cast, reel speed, retrieval speed, length of the fight between fish strike and catch, lost fish, etc.), optimum fishing trip conditions (recommendations 3200) related to the fishing trip.
In regard to claim 13, Blackadar et al. disclose wherein the estimation unit (processor 3000) is configured to update (see para. 0373; also the accumulated data from the recordation of the angling events adds to the knowledge base which affects the recommendations and cause them to change over time) the optimum fishing trip conditions based on the accumulated information (data).
In regard to claim 17, Blackadar et al. disclose a fishing information processing system, comprising an information acquisition (AESD 2002, angling sensor 2210) for acquiring prescribed fishing information; an information accumulation control means (microcontroller of AESD 2002) for causing a storage unit (database 6000) to accumulate the prescribed information acquired by the information acquisition means as accumulated information (data); an optimum conditions estimation means (processor 3000) for estimating optimum fishing conditions based on the accumulated information accumulated by the information accumulation control means; and a provision means (display on smartphone) for providing the optimum fishing conditions (recommendations 3200) estimated by the optimum conditions estimation means to a user.
In regard to claim 18, Blackadar et al. disclose a determination means (identification of sporting events 3100 involves processor 3000; see para. 0099) for determining an event occurred based on the accumulated information accumulated by the information accumulation control means, and a storage control means (microcontroller of AESD 2002 controls sending of data to database 6000 which may communicate with processor 3000, sensor device 2000, sensors 2200; see para. 0093) for causing a storage unit (database 600) to store the accumulated information corresponding to the occurrence of the event determined by the determination means (identification of sporting events 3100 involves processor 3000) as event information (angling/sporting event), the optimum conditions estimation means for updating (see para. 0373) the optimum fishing conditions based on the event information stored in the storage unit (database 6000).
Claim(s) 1, 3, 11-13, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being clearly anticipated by CN 113907055 to Wang.
In regard to claim 1, Wang discloses a fishing information processing system, comprising an acquisition unit (wind speed measuring device 17, differential pressure probe 21, water temperature probe 22) configured to acquire prescribed fishing information (wind speed, water depth, water temperature); a controller (signal processor 16) configured to cause a storage unit (data to be stored on program storage circuit board 20 to be analyzed) to accumulate the prescribed information acquired by the acquisition unit as accumulated information (data); an estimation unit (analysis component stored on program storage circuit 20, analysis component and program storage circuit 20 calculating and then giving the suggestion information based on the data provided through the signal processor 16) configured to estimate optimum fishing conditions based on the accumulated information accumulated by the controller; and a provision unit (display 7 or mobile phone APP synchronous display) configured to provide the optimum fishing conditions estimated by the estimation unit to a user (suggestion information can be viewed by user).
In regard to claim 3, Wang discloses wherein the provision unit (display 7 or mobile phone APP synchronous display) is configured to provide the optimum fishing conditions (the suggestion information) or the accumulated information base on the accumulated information to device correspond to other users.
In regard to claim 11, Wang discloses wherein the accumulated information is fishing trip-related information (wind speed, water depth, water temperature) related to a fishing trip.
In regard to claim 12, Wang discloses wherein the estimation unit (analysis component stored on program storage circuit 20, analysis component and program storage circuit 20 calculating and then giving the suggestion information based on the data provided through the signal processor 16) is configured to estimate, based on the fishing trip-related information (wind speed, water depth, water temperature), optimum fishing trip conditions (suggestion information) related to the fishing trip.
In regard to claim 13, Wang discloses wherein the estimation unit (analysis component stored on program storage circuit 20, analysis component and program storage circuit 20 calculating and then giving the suggestion information based on the data provided through the signal processor 16) is configured to update the optimum fishing trip conditions based on the accumulated information (data analyzed is synchronously displayed by the display or mobile phone APP, the data provided by the analysis component and the program storage circuit board processes the data through the signal processor, and makes the calculation, and then gives the suggestion).
In regard to claim 17, Wang discloses a fishing information processing system, comprising an information acquisition (wind speed measuring device 17, differential pressure probe 21, water temperature probe 22) for acquiring prescribed fishing information; an information accumulation control means (signal processor 16) for causing a storage unit (data to be stored on program storage circuit board 20 to be analyzed) to accumulate the prescribed information acquired by the information acquisition means as accumulated information (data); an optimum conditions estimation means (analysis component stored on program storage circuit 20, analysis component and program storage circuit 20 calculating and then giving the suggestion information based on the data provided through the signal processor 16) for estimating optimum fishing conditions based on the accumulated information accumulated by the information accumulation control means; and a provision means (display 7 or mobile phone APP synchronous display) for providing the optimum fishing conditions estimated by the optimum conditions estimation means to a user (suggestion information can be viewed by user).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over in view of Summer et al. 2019/0039856.
In regard to claim 6, Blackadar et al. disclose environmental sensors (sensors 2500 include environmental sensors such as UV sensors, thermometers, barometric pressure sensors) so as to determine the environmental operating conditions of the reel during use, but do not disclose a setting unit configured to set prescribed parameters set in the fishing reel based on at least the optimum reel conditions. Summer et al. disclose a setting unit (pressure applied to retaining plate 626 is adjusted automatically for setting the drag torque to its optimal value at the present moment [i.e., the current time of day, humidity, temperature, level of dust in the air, etc.]; see para. 0067) configured to set prescribed parameters set in the fishing reel based on at least the optimum reel conditions (i.e., the current time of day, humidity, temperature, level of dust in the air, etc.). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fishing information processing system of Blackadar et al. such that it further comprises a setting unit configured to set prescribed parameters set in the fishing reel based on at least the optimum reel conditions in view of Summer et al. so as to ensure optimal operation of the reel given the current operating conditions to be experienced by the reel during use.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DARREN W ARK whose telephone number is (571)272-6885. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kimberly Berona can be reached at (571) 272-6909. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DARREN W ARK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3647
DWA
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