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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 09/19/2023 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered. Specifically a copy of foreign reference JP2021041705 is not provided in the application wrapper. During examination, all the other references including the foreign references were considered except JP2021041705.
The information disclosure statement filed 02/23/2026 complies with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2) and thus considered by examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Punctuation mark comma, “,” is missing after the phrase, “The method of claim 13…”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-3,5 and 6-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moss (US 20190018579 A1) in view of WO12 (WO 2018141012 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Moss teaches, an apparatus (injection molding apparatus, [0084]), comprising:
a computer-implemented device having a non-transitory computer readable
medium with computer executable instructions stored thereon executable by a processor to perform a method of monitoring system data communicated from a plurality of different local tool-based controllers and sensors of a respective injection molding system (IMS) (non-transitory computer readable medium with processors executing instructions to monitor and control different local tool controllers of injection molding system (IMS), [0074]-[0079]), said local tool-based controllers and sensors arranged to monitor and control an injection process of a respective mold tool of the respective IMS (“…FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a plastic injection molding apparatus for implementing a common graphical interface that communicates (e.g., in computer networked configuration) with multiple tool based independent controllers and sensors that monitor and control an injection molding process
according to one embodiment of the invention…”, [0084] and [0074]-[0079]), the method including the acts of:
receiving system data from various ones of the plurality of different local
tool-based controllers and sensors of one or more injection molding systems (IMSs) (receiving step can comprise receiving system data inputs from the
multiple independent tool based controllers and sensors of multiple injection molding systems-IMSs, [0049] and [0088]), the system data including a local state of one or more system parameters of one or more respective tool-based system functions that are controlled by a respective local tool-based controller (various styles of data from the local tool controllers of the injection molding system are sent to the common graphical interface for monitoring and control, [0088] and [0089], see also [0098]), wherein the plurality of different local tool-based controllers include controllers restricted to particular system parameters and utilizing different protocols (in the injection molding system there are separate controllers for valve pin controller, temperature controller, mold cooling controller and others each designated to monitor and control respective functions of the injection molding machines of the IMS, [0088] and [0107]);
storing the system data in a storage device (all the received monitored data are stored in a storage device, [0088]);
and
communicating at least some of the received user input toward the set of
one or more of local tool-based controllers (the user can remotely access the interface and provide input set up parameters which are transmitted to the local controllers for controlling the machines in the IMS system, [0098]);
for at least one of set-up, control, and monitoring of a set of one or more of the local tool-based controllers (through the common graphical interface, the user can view monitored states and provide inputs to the local controllers of the IMS, [0073] and [0089]).
Moss does not teach the details of receiving as inputs an identification of a user class and an identification of a user access device; processing the system data based on the received identification of the user class and the received identification of the user access device to determine a set of available tasks to be implemented by one or more controllers of a selected IMS for at least one of set-up, control, and monitoring of a certain tool-based system function of the selected IMS; directing a display of the determined set of available tasks on a display screen of a graphical user interface;
receiving and processing user input from a user interface device, the user
input including one or more user selected available tasks and one or more related system parameters associated with the selected one or more user selected available tasks. However Moss et al explicitly teaches to allow the user to view all the states and routines (tasks) of the injection molding system. Selective view per user’s role will be beneficial to further improve system operation.
WO12 teaches, receiving as inputs an identification of a user class and an identification of a user access device (user input data includes user’s role and expertise – user class and location of the user’s device1 – identification of user device, page 5, 3rd and 8th paragraph);
processing the system data based on the received identification of the
user class and the received identification of the user access device to determine a set of available tasks to be implemented by one or more controllers of a selected IMS for at least one of set-up, control, and monitoring of a certain tool-based system function of the selected IMS2 (based on user’s skills and location of user device, upon user’s request for claiming tasks, the process filters the available tasks and displays only the available tasks which matches user’s role and in close proximity to the user, page 24, 3rd paragraph, page 25, 1st paragraph and page 5, 3rd and 8th paragraph3) ;
directing a display of the determined set of available tasks on a display
screen of a graphical user interface (the determined set of available tasks are provided to the user device display, page 24, 3rd and 4th paragraph, page 25, 1st and 2nd paragraph);
receiving and processing user input from a user interface device (the user inputs to claim the available tasks displayed on the user device display, page 25,1st and 2nd paragraph), the user input including one or more user selected available tasks and one or more related system parameters associated with the selected one or more user selected available tasks (the user selects and claims one or more available tasks and can also add comments related to progress and attributes4 to the tasks, page 25, 2nd and 3rd paragraph and page 26, 1st paragraph).
Moss and WO12 are pertinent arts because they are from the same field of endeavor that is monitoring states and performing tasks for one more systems.
Therefore it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the apparatus monitoring and controlling states of local tool based controllers where the user can view and control the machines and processes of injection molding system as taught by Moss by applying the known technique of only displaying the available tasks that matches user’s role/class and user device location as taught by WO12 as an improvement to the monitoring and controlling the injection molding system to yield predictable results of controlling the injection molding system based on user’s expertise and user’s location thus maximizing productivity in a workplace as taught by WO12 in page 26, 3rd paragraph.
Moss teach:
[0074] In another embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided comprising: [0075] instructions stored therein which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: [0076] establish a common graphical user interface (common GUI) for viewing system parameters of a tool based injection molding system (IMS), the IMS including a plurality of different local controllers that control different tool based system functions of the IMS and one common graphical user interface (local GUI) with GUI routines specific to the local controllers for set
up and monitoring of the respective tool based system function of the respective local controllers; [0077] provide set up parameters, to each of the local controllers, for establishing the injection molding processes [0078] receive, from each of the local controllers, data indicating a local state of the respective tool based system function; [0079] propagate to the common GUI one or more common views of the set up parameters and received local states of the various tool based system functions,
the common views comprising a common set of graphical routines for set up and monitoring of the tool based system functions of the IMS and for providing input to one or more of the local controllers.
[0088] In accordance with one embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIGS. 1-2, a common (universal) graphical interface 80 is now provided that communicates with a plurality of the previously described local controllers and sensors. More specifically, the common graphical interface 80 is a computer implemented device for monitoring system data from multiple independent tool based controllers and sensors that monitor and control an injection process. In the present embodiment the interface receives system data from the valve pin controller 40 (which includes data from cavity sensors 50 and valve pin position sensors 40), temperature controller 46 (which includes data from the
heaters and thermocouples 47), controller 56 that transmits system data relating to opening and closing of the mold halves (e.g., counting mold cycles) or other mold activity such as tracking the location of a mold, temperature readings, and pressure readings, and mold cooling controller 54 (that includes data relating to the cooling fluid circulated in the cooling channels of the mold tool). The common interface 80 may further receive data from the injection molding machine 12, via the local machine controller 11, that includes a local user interface and display device and transmits data
relating to the barrel (e.g., screw position or barrel temperature) and/or the material in the barrel that is being processed and then fed to the inlet 13 to the manifold 14. The common interface may further receive input from a local robot 62 associated with the mold, that picks up the molded parts from the mold cavities for cooling and delivery to other locations. The robot may further include a local controller and/or local user interface. The common interface may store the received data (local state of
the various system parameters) in a storage device 81. The individual controllers that communicate with the common graphical interface may or may not have their own local GUI; by providing the common GUI, the local GUI is not necessary.
[0089] The common graphical interface 80 has a common graphical user interface (GUI) for viewing system parameters of the tool based injection molding system 10, wherein the common graphical interface includes a common set of graphical routines for set up and monitoring of the tool based system functions of the IMS and for providing inputs to the local controllers. The interface includes a display screen, which may be a touch screen, for both displaying and receiving user input to select among the common routines, and/or to select among the various system parameters or common
views output on the display screen….
WO12 teach:
(page 5, 3rd and 8th paragraph) In some embodiments the attributes of the workers include one or more of: (i) a location of each worker relative to a location of the task; and (ii) a role or expertise of each worker; and (iii) an indication of the past performance of each worker. In some embodiments, the user data includes, for each worker, data representing a role or expertise of the worker, and the task data includes, for each corresponding task, data representing a role or expertise required by the task, wherein a worker is only able to claim a task if the role or expertise of the worker matches or exceeds the role or expertise required by the task.
(page 24, 3rd paragraph) Figure 6 illustrates the process 600 performed by the user device 102 when user 101 requests to claim a task. At step 602, a task filtering process is performed to identify tasks managed by the system which are eligible to be claimed by the user 101. As described above, in the described embodiments a task is eligible to be claimed by a user, or to have a user designated to it, if the state variable of the
corresponding task status data is set to 'active'. The workplace management client application is allows the user 101 to filter tasks based on one or more search criteria, such as for example the task state, and/or the value of one or more attributes associated with the task. At step 604, the workplace management client application 104 requests task data from the workplace management server 110 representing one or more tasks which match to the search criteria applied during the task filtering
process 602. 5The request for task data includes one or more task search parameter representing the one or more search criteria, and corresponding search values, applied during the filtering process 602. The request handler module 112 processes the request and searches the task database 124 to retrieve task data corresponding to candidate tasks that meet the particular task search criteria values specified by the task search parameters. The request handler module 112 generates task data in the form of workplace task information which represents the candidate tasks, including, for each candidate task, a task identifier, task name, task creation time, and task type.
(Page 25, 2nd paragraph) At step 608, the user device 102 displays, on the user interface 104, the workplace task information representing one or more tasks of the task data received from the workplace management server 1106. At step 610, the user 101 interacts with one or more task selection elements of the user interface 104 to select a displayed task to claim. The workplace management client application 104 generates task claim request data, and transmits the task claim request data to the workplace management server 110 (at step 612). The task claim request data is processed by the workplace management server 110, at step 304 as described above. At step 614, the user device 102 receives task claim confirmation data from the workplace management server 110 indicating the success of the task claim request (and therefore the assignment of the user 101 to the selected task), or otherwise. Figure 14a illustrates a
"Jobs" window element 1400 displaying the candidate tasks returned by the system 100 as a result of the task filtering process 602. For each displayed task, the Jobs window 1400 displays the task type 1402, the values of each task attribute (such as the room location for tasks associated with a hospital workplace) 1404, the task creation date-time value 1406, an indication of the one or more users assigned to the task 1408, and the date-time values of when each assigned user was assigned to the task 1410. The Jobs window 1400 contains "Action" interface elements 1412 allowing the user to
claim particular displayed tasks by operating a 'CLAIM' button in the described embodiments, and interface elements 1413 allowing the user to edit a particular displayed task (as described below). Figure 14b illustrates an alternative "Jobs" window 1420 which displays task information in a compact layout, as described above. In the described embodiments, the Jobs window 1420 displays only the task type 1402, the values of each task attribute (e.g., the room location) 1404, and the Action interface elements 1412 that allow the user to claim particular displayed tasks, and edit tasks 1413. As described above, each task (or job) may have associated: a textual description in the form of a note; and/or an image. The image and/or job note are determined during task creation, as described above. In some embodiments, users of the workplace management system can view the job note and image by selecting the corresponding entry from the Jobs window 1400, 1420. On selecting a task from the Jobs window, the user 101 is presented with a "Job Summary" window 1440, as shown in Figure 14c.
The Job Summary window displays the task type 1442, the values of each task attribute 1444 (e.g. room location), the task creation date-time value 1446, an indication of the one or more users that are assigned to the task 1448, and the date-time values of when each assigned user was assigned to the task 1450. The Job summary window 1440 contains a commentary pane 1452 which displays the text of the job note 1453. The commentary pane can be configured to display comments 1454 made by one or more users in association with the task. A user can associate one or more comments with the
task by entering text into the text field 1455 and operating the "Add comment" button 1456 of the Job Summary window 1440. In some embodiments, the user comments can include one or more images that can be selected from corresponding image files (according to the process described above) via an add image icon 1457. The images are uploaded for association with the task when the comment is added via the "Add Comment" button 1456, and the image is then displayed within the commentary
pane 1452 in addition to any comment text.
Regarding claim 2, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the apparatus of claim 1. In addition Moss teaches, wherein the IMS includes an injection molding machine, a mold tool, and a hot runner system, and the local tool-based controllers direct at least some operations of the mold and the hot runner system (injection molding system having injection molding machines, hot-runner temperature, and controller for controlling hot runner system, mold and others, [0088]-[0097]).
Regarding claim 3, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the apparatus of claim 1. In addition Moss teaches, wherein the local tool-based controllers include one or
more of a hot runner temperature controller (hot runner temperature, [0090]), a valve pin position controller (valve pin position or speed controlled by controller, [0093] and [0088]), a mold cavity sensor controller (mold location and cavity temperature from controller, [0088]), and a mold temperature controller (mold temperature , all the monitored and controlled parameters has individual controllers, [0088]-[0097]).
Regarding claim 5, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the apparatus of claim 1. In addition Moss teaches, wherein the method further includes: receiving, from one or more of the local tool-based controllers (receive form the local controller, updated local state of the respective system function, [0021] and [0022]), system data indicating an updated local state of the respective local tool-based system function (propagate to the common GUI one or more common views of the updated local state, [0021] and [0022]). In addition, WO12 teaches, processing the system data indicating the updated local state based on the input identification of the user class and the input identification of the user access device to determine an updated set of available tasks (based on task status and user role and user device identification/location, the user is always provided with updated set of tasks that matches user’s role and device identification and location, page 24, 3rd paragraph and page 25, 1st paragraph); and
outputting for display on the display screen of the graphical user interface the determined updated set of available tasks (updated available tasks are displayed on the user device display, page 24, 3rd paragraph and page 25, 1st paragraph).
Regarding claim 6, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the apparatus of claim 1. In addition Moss teaches, wherein the method further includes:
remotely monitoring, via the graphical user interface, the local states of the tool-based system functions (“In one embodiment, the common graphical interface enables a user (human) to remotely access the interface via a remote computer device 90 (e.g., a client computing device, such as desktop computer 95 as shown in FIG. 1, or a hand held tablet or phone). The remote computing device displays content items 92 on different regions of the display screen, and accepts input (user requests) to the remote computing device for selecting among the common routines, the common
views, and the system parameters, in order to view the local state of the various system parameters. It also allows the user to input set up parameters or otherwise provide user input that is then transmitted to the local controllers for controlling the IMS system parameters…”, [0098]).
Regarding claim 7, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the apparatus of claim 1. In addition Moss teaches, wherein the one or more system parameters include
one or more of: a hot runner temperature, a hot runner pressure, a valve gate opening, a valve gate closing, a mold cavity temperature, a mold cavity pressure,
a valve pin position, a valve pin speed, a mold cycle; a mold location, a mold maintenance, and a part quality (the injection system monitored parameters include hot runner temperature, valve gate open/close, mold pressure or temperature, valve pin position or speed, mold cycle, mold location, mold maintenance and part quality, [0089-[0097]).
Regarding claim 8, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the apparatus of claim 1. In addition Moss teaches, wherein the graphical user interface includes a client
application running on a client computing device (client computing device having display displaying injection molding system parameters, [0098]).
Regarding claim 9, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the apparatus of claim 1. In addition Moss teaches, wherein the display includes a visual representation of
one or more system parameters over a period of time (on the user interface, visual representation of one or more system parameters over a period of time are displayed, [0057] and [0098]).
Regarding claim 10, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the apparatus of claim 1. In addition Moss teaches, wherein the act of receiving system data includes
receiving system data inputs triggered by detection of system activity by one or more sensors of the injection molding system that monitor one or more of the system parameters (“…the system data inputs can be triggered by detection of system activity by one or more sensors of the injection molding system that monitor one or more of the system parameters…”, [0058] and [0088]).
Regarding claim 11, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the claimed apparatus monitoring system data communicated from a plurality of different local
tool-based controllers and sensors of a respective injection molding system (IMS). Therefore together they teach the method which monitors system data received from multiple tool-based controllers and sensors that monitor and control an injection molding process implementing the functional limitations of the claimed apparatus as taught in claim 1. Claim 11 has an additional limitation which is taught by Moss, an injection fluid distribution system, the injection fluid distribution system arranged to receive an injection fluid from an injection molding machine and further
arranged to deliver the injection fluid to an injection mold (injection fluid distribution system, [0033] and [0107]).
Regarding claim 12, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the method of claim 11. In addition, Moss teaches, further comprising: aggregating the received system data inputs (aggregating the received system data inputs and storing them in aa data repository, [0045] and [0088]); and
storing the aggregated received system data inputs in a data repository (aggregating the received system data inputs and storing them in aa data repository, [0045] and [0088]).
Regarding claim 13, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the method of claim 11. In addition, Moss teaches, wherein the set of available tasks includes one or more of production set-up (user can provide setup parameters, [0071]), monitoring production (user can monitor injection molding systems, [0070] and [0088]), system parameter updates (update local parameters, [0021],[0022] and [0088]), and providing inputs to control one or more of the local tool-based controllers (the user can input system parameters which are sent to local controllers, [0088] and [0089]).
Regarding claim 14, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the method of claim 11. In addition, WO12 teaches, wherein the user selection of at least one of the set of available tasks includes selection of an active object7 (active and unclaimed available tasks are provided to the user, page 25 1st paragraph).
Regarding claim 15, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the method of claim 13. In addition, WO12 teaches, wherein outputting to a user interface includes:
communicating one or more of: at least some of the set of available tasks, at least some of the updated set of available tasks (the user is always provided with set of updated available tasks matching user’s role and device identification, page 25, 1st paragraph and page 24, 3rd paragraph), and the user selection via a network (the user communicates with the system using communication network which informing about user’s selection of available tasks, page 26, 5th paragraph, page 24, 3rd paragraph and page 25, 1st paragraph).
Regarding claim 16, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the claimed apparatus monitoring system data communicated from a plurality of different local
tool-based controllers and sensors of a respective injection molding system (IMS). Therefore together they teach the system which monitors system data received from multiple tool-based controllers and sensors that monitor and control an injection molding process implementing the functional limitations of the claimed apparatus as taught in claim 1.
For claim 17, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the system of claim 16. In addition, Moss teaches, wherein the at least one IMS includes at least two IMS's (receiving local states of the local controllers from plurality of IMSs, [0023]).
Regarding claim 18, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the claimed apparatus monitoring system data communicated from a plurality of different local
tool-based controllers and sensors of a respective injection molding system (IMS). Therefore together they teach the system which monitors system data received from multiple tool-based controllers and sensors that monitor and control an injection molding process implementing the functional limitations of the claimed apparatus as taught in claim 7.
For claim 19, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the system of claim 16. In addition, Moss teaches, wherein the graphical user interface includes a client
application running on a client computing device (client computing device having display displaying injection molding system parameters, [0098]).
For claim 20, combination of Moss and WO12 teach the system of claim 16. In addition, Moss teaches, a remote computing device communicatively coupled to the processor and arranged to provide the user input (the graphical interface provides the user with remote access via remote computer device such computer (have processors) or tablet to view and control the injection molding systems, [0098]).
Claim 4 is are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moss (US 20190018579 A1) in view of WO12 (WO 2018141012 A1) and Dimmer et al. (US 20140156059 A1).
Regarding claim 4 combination of Moss and WO12 teach the apparatus of claim 1. In addition Moss teaches, the identification of user access device includes one or more of a local device and a remote device with respect to the local tool-based controller (the operator can either use the local user interface input device or use the remote device to monitor and input control parameters of the local tool based controllers of the injection molding system, [0087]8 and [0098]).
Neither in combination nor individually, Moss and WO12 teach the details of the identification of user class includes one or more of a production operator, a setup operator and a plant manager.
Dimmler et al. teaches, the identification of user class includes one or more of a production operator, a setup operator and a plant manager (user’s role can include process engineer, quality manager, maintenance and auxiliary personnel-production and set-up operator, and so forth, [0012]).
Moss, WO12 and Dimmler et al. are pertinent arts because they are from the same field of endeavor that is monitoring states and performing tasks for one more systems.
Therefore it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the apparatus monitoring and controlling injection molding system where tasks are managed based on roles by applying the known technique of determining available set of tasks based on specific roles such as operator, manager and others as taught by Dimmler et al. as an improvement user class information to yield predictable results of determining available tasks based on specific roles in addition to expertise and device identification.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Vo et al. (US 20210271272 A1) teaches a distributed control system were based on user skills and location of user, determine set of available tasks for a system distributed across different regions.
Kunjithapatham et al. (US 20070261055 A1) teaches a flexible user interface system for displaying to the users a list of available tasks that matches user’s skill and location and dynamically updating the user interface application based on the user inputs and any changes in the network environment, such as addition or removal of devices/services, thus ensuring only meaningful information is displayed to the user. Further, the user is updated with the newly possible tasks and the ones no longer available as taught in [0007]-[0009].
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANZUMAN SHARMIN whose telephone number is (571)272-7365. The examiner can normally be reached M and Th 7:00am - 3:00pm and Tue 8:00am-12:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KAMINI SHAH can be reached at (571)272-2279. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANZUMAN SHARMIN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2115
/KAMINI S SHAH/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2115
1 Based on location of the user’s device, the system can infer whether the user is local to the workplace or remote to the workplace.
2 Injection molding system in view of Moss.
3 Se also page 9, 1st paragraph.
4 There are only two ways the task parameters-attributes can be provided either by the user or by the system itself (predefined). Both options are obvious variations of each other.
5 Based on user role and device identification determined by device location, a set of available tasks are determined and provided to the user.
6 Tasks matching user’s role and device identification.
7 No definition of active object provided. Examiner interpreted active object as active and unclaimed available task.
8 WO12 teaches that the task management system of the workplace displays set of tasks based on user’s role and device location. From the location it can be inferred whether the user is local to the workplace or remote from the workplace as taught in page 24-26.
Prosecution Insights