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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on November 25, 2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
This Office Action is in response to the Applicant’s amendment filed on November 25, 2025. Claims 1-157 and 174-177 have been canceled. Claims 158-173 and 178 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 158 and 178 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 158-173 and 178 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.
The phrase “a number of the plurality of fluid distribution devices” in claim 158 is indefinite because it does not specify how many devices are to be selected. It is unclear whether this includes all, some, or a single device, leaving the scope ambiguous to one of ordinary skill in the art. Without a defined range, the claim fails to inform the public of the exact metes and bounds of the invention.
The term “type” in the phrase “a type of the storage commodity” in claim 158 and 178 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear whether “type” refers to NFPA-13 commodity classes, storage material, hazard rating, or some other characteristic. This creates ambiguity as to how the system would select the number of fluid distribution devices.
Claims 159-173 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph because of dependency on claim 158.
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 100not 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 158-162, 164-166, 168-173, and 178 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pahila (US 2011/0036598 A1) in view of Gil (WO 2001/62345 A1) and Golinveaux et al. (US 2008/0319716 A1) and NFPA-13, 2010 Edition – Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems.
With regard to claim 158, Pahila discloses a system, comprising: a plurality of fluid distribution devices (Figs. 4 and 5) beneath a ceiling of a storage occupancy and above a storage commodity of the storage occupancy (Fig. 4), each fluid distribution device of the plurality of fluid distribution devices (100) comprises a frame body (125) comprising an internal passageway between an inlet (115) and an outlet (118 Fig. 1); a deflector (140) coupled with the frame body (125); a seal assembly (120) in the outlet (118); a thermal trigger (150) coupled with the seal assembly (120) and at a position between the outlet (118) and the deflector (140).
However, Pahila does not disclose that an electrically responsive actuator arranged with the frame body to displace the thermal trigger from the position between the outlet and the deflector to control a flow of fluid discharge from the frame body, one or more detectors to monitor the storage occupancy for a fire, the one or more detectors to detect a change in temperature and to detect smoke; and a controller coupled to the one or more detectors and the plurality of fluid distribution devices, the controller to: receive detection data from the one or more detectors; determine a location of the fire based on the detection data; select a number of the plurality of fluid distribution devices based on a type of the storage commodity and the location of the fire; and communicate a control signal to the electrically responsive actuator of a select number of fluid distribution devices of the plurality of fluid distribution devices to operate the electrically responsive actuator to address the detected fire.
Gil teaches a system comprising a fluid distribution device (Fig. 3), the fluid distribution device comprising an electrically responsive actuator (electric heating coil 8/20) arranged with the frame body (2) to displace a thermal trigger (fuse or glass ampule) from the position between the outlet and the deflector (Fig. 3) to control a flow of fluid discharge from the frame body (Fig. 3), one or more detectors (41) to monitor the storage occupancy for a fire, the one or more detectors (41) to detect a change in temperature; and a controller (Fig. 5) coupled to the one or more detectors (41) and the plurality of fluid distribution devices (Fig. 5), the controller to: receive detection data from the one or more detectors (Fig. 6 shows communication of data information); locate the fire based on the detection data; and communicate a control signal to the electrically responsive actuator (20 Fig. 11) of a select number of fluid distribution devices of the plurality of fluid distribution devices to operate the electrically responsive actuator to address the detected fire (pages 15 and 16).
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 thermal trigger of Pahila, by incorporating the electrically responsive actuator (8/20), the glass ampule, the temperature detector (41), and the controller as taught by Gil, for the benefit of providing a firefighting sprinkler apparatus and a method for controlling the same, in which sprinklers with low- temperature lead fuses (or glass ampules) electrically heatable in an indirect manner are installed in various places (page 6).
Golinveaux teaches a system comprising a fluid distribution device, the fluid distribution device comprising one or more detectors to detect smoke (Para. [0257] “detectors 520 can be any one of smoke”), and a controller, the controller to determine a location of the fire based on the detection data; determine a select number of the plurality of fluid distribution devices (in the area 26 shown in Fig. 2C) based on the location of the fire (Fig. 2C).
NFPA-13 further teaches selection based on storage commodity type (NFPA-13, Chapter 5 (§5.6-§5.10), classifies storage commodities into Class I-IV and plastic commodities, each with a different fire hazard level. Chapter 12 (§12.2.3) and 14 (§14.2.4) provide density and design area requirements for sprinklers based on the commodity classification. Chapter 22 calculates the number of sprinklers operating based on the design area for the given commodity. Thus, NFPA-13 explicitly teaches selecting a number of sprinklers based on the type of storage commodity).
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 thermal trigger of Pahila, by incorporating the smoke detectors with the control system (Fig. 2C and Para. [0101]) as taught by Golinveaux and NFPA-13 for controlling the system, doing it would enable the system to promptly respond to fire detection with proper extinguishing agent (Para. [0257] in Golinveaux).
With regard to claim 159, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. Gil and Golinveaux further discloses that each detector of the one or more detectors is to detect a change of at least one of temperature, thermal energy, spectral energy, and smoke to indicate the fire in the storage occupancy.
With regard to claim 160, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. Gil and Golinveaux further discloses that each detector of the one or more detectors comprises a temperature sensor and a smoke detector, and each detector of the one or more detectors is mounted to a corresponding fluid distribution device of the plurality of fluid distribution devices.
With regard to claim 161, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. Gil further discloses that the thermal trigger comprises a glass bulb (fuse or glass ampule).
With regard to claim 162, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. Gil further discloses that the controller (Fig. 5) is to communicate the control signal responsive to the detection data indicating that each of a pre-alarm threshold is met or exceeded and that an alarm threshold is met or exceeded, the alarm threshold greater than the pre-alarm threshold (Fig. 6).
With regard to claim 164, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. Pahila further discloses that the plurality of fluid distribution devices (100) are ceiling-only fluid distribution devices, and a height of the ceiling is twenty feet or greater (the ceiling of storage occupancy is a limitation of an intended use, so it is not part of the claimed system. The system of Pahila is capable of being used in a storage occupancy with at least twenty feet ceiling).
With regard to claim 165, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. Gil further discloses that the controller is to select the number of fluid distribution devices according to a predetermined discharge array (Fig. 5 pages 15 and 16).
With regard to claim 166, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. Gil further discloses that the controller is to select the number of fluid distribution devices according to the detection data from a moment of a defined first detection of the detected fire up to a defined threshold moment in the detected fire (Fig. 5 pages 15 and 16).
With regard to claim 168, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. Pahila further discloses that the ceiling has a height of at least thirty feet, and the storage commodity has a height greater than or equal to twenty feet and less than or equal to fifty five feet, the height of the ceiling being greater than the height of the storage commodity (the ceiling of storage occupancy is a limitation of an intended use, so it is not part of the claimed system. The system of Pahila is capable of being used in a storage occupancy with at least 50 feet ceiling).
With regard to claim 169, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. Pahila further discloses that each fluid distribution device of the plurality of fluid distribution devices has a nominal K- factor of 14.0 GPM/PSI1/2, 16.8 GPM/PSI1/2, 19.6 GPM/PSI1/2, 22.4 GPM/PSI1/2, 25.5 GPM/PSI1/2, 28.0 GPM/PSI1/2, or 33.6 GPM/PSI1/2 (Para. [0013]).
With regard to claim 170, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. Pahila further discloses that the ceiling has a height of at least 50 feet (the ceiling of storage occupancy is a limitation of an intended use, so it is not part of the claimed system. The system of Pahila is capable of being used in a storage occupancy with at least 50 feet ceiling).
With regard to claim 171, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux, and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. NFPA-13 further discloses that the storage commodity including any one of Class |, Il, Ill or 1V, Group A, Group B, or Group C plastics, elastomers, rubber, and exposed expanded plastic commodities ((NFPA-13, Chapter 5 (§5.6-§5.10)).
With regard to claim 172, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. Pahila further discloses that the storage commodity includes a rack storage including one or more of a multi-row rack, a double-row rack, or a single-row rack (Fig. 4 and Para. [0048]).
With regard to claim 173, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. Pahila further discloses that the storage commodity includes a non-rack storage (Para. [0009] “rubber tire storage, roll paper storage, and baled cotton storage”) including one or more of palletized, solid-piled, bin-box, shelf, or back-to-back shelf storage (Fig. 4).
With regard to claim 178, Pahila discloses a system, comprising: a plurality of fluid distribution devices (Figs. 4 and 5) beneath a ceiling of a storage occupancy and above a storage commodity of the storage occupancy (Fig. 4), each fluid distribution device of the plurality of fluid distribution devices (100) comprises a frame body (125) comprising an internal passageway between an inlet (115) and an outlet (118 Fig. 1); a deflector (140) coupled with the frame body (125); a seal assembly (120) in the outlet (118); a thermal trigger (150) coupled with the seal assembly (120) and at a position between the outlet (118) and the deflector (140).
However, Pahila does not disclose that an electrically responsive actuator arranged with the frame body to displace the thermal trigger from the position between the outlet and the deflector to control a flow of fluid discharge from the frame body, one or more detectors to monitor the storage occupancy for a fire, the one or more detectors to detect a change in temperature and to detect smoke; and a controller coupled to the one or more detectors and the plurality of fluid distribution devices, the controller to: receive detection data from the one or more detectors; determine a location of the fire based on the detection data; select a subset of fluid distribution devices corresponding to the location of the fire and a type of the storage commodity; and communicate a control signal to the electrically responsive actuator of the subset of the plurality of fluid distribution devices to operate the electrically responsive actuator to address the detected fire.
Gil teaches a system comprising a fluid distribution device (Fig. 3), the fluid distribution device comprising an electrically responsive actuator (electric heating coil 8/20) arranged with the frame body (2) to displace a thermal trigger (fuse or glass ampule) from the position between the outlet and the deflector (Fig. 3) to control a flow of fluid discharge from the frame body (Fig. 3), one or more detectors (41) to monitor the storage occupancy for a fire, the one or more detectors (41) to detect a change in temperature; and a controller (Fig. 5) coupled to the one or more detectors (41) and the plurality of fluid distribution devices (Fig. 5), the controller to: receive detection data from the one or more detectors (Fig. 6 shows communication of data information); determine a location of the fire based on the detection data; and communicate a control signal to the electrically responsive actuator (20 Fig. 11) of the subset of the plurality of fluid distribution devices to operate the electrically responsive actuator to address the detected fire (pages 15 and 16).
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 thermal trigger of Pahila, by incorporating the electrically responsive actuator (8/20), the glass ampule, the temperature detector (41), and the controller as taught by Gil, for the benefit of providing a firefighting sprinkler apparatus and a method for controlling the same, in which sprinklers with low- temperature lead fuses (or glass ampules) electrically heatable in an indirect manner are installed in various places (page 6).
Golinveaux teaches a system comprising a fluid distribution device, the fluid distribution device comprising one or more detectors to detect smoke (Para. [0257] “detectors 520 can be any one of smoke”), and a controller, the controller to determine a location of the fire based on the detection data; determine a location of the fire based on the detection data; select a subset of the plurality of fluid distribution devices corresponding to the location of the fire (Golinveaux teaches a subset of fluid distribution devices 20 in the area 26 in Fig. 2C is identified when presence of fire 72 is detected).
NFPA-13 further teaches selection based on storage commodity type (NFPA-13, Chapter 5 (§5.6-§5.10), classifies storage commodities into Class I-IV and plastic commodities, each with a different fire hazard level. Chapter 12 (§12.2.3) and 14 (§14.2.4) provide density and design area requirements for sprinklers based on the commodity classification. Chapter 22 calculates the number of sprinklers operating based on the design area for the given commodity. Thus, NFPA-13 explicitly teaches selecting a number of sprinklers based on the type of storage commodity).
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 thermal trigger of Pahila, by incorporating the smoke detectors with the control system (Fig. 2C and Para. [0101]) as taught by Golinveaux and NFPA-13 for controlling the system, doing it would enable the system to promptly respond to fire detection with proper extinguishing agent (Para. [0257] in Golinveaux).
Claims 163 and 167 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pahila in view of Gil, Golinveaux, and NFPA-13 as applied to claim 158 above, and further in view of Butz et al. (US 2012/0043096 A1).
With regard to claims 163 and 167, the device of Pahila as modified by Gil, Golinveaux, and NFPA-13 discloses the invention as disclosed in the rejection of claim 158 above. However, they do not disclose that the controller is to wirelessly receive the detection data from the one or more detectors and the controller is to wirelessly communicate the control signal to the electrically responsive actuator.
Butz teaches a controller is to wirelessly receive the detection data from the one or more detectors (Para. [0082]) and communicate the control signal to the electrically responsive actuator (Para. [0082]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date the Applicant’s invention to modify the device Pahila, by incorporating the means of wireless communication as taught by Butz, doing so would allow users to access information and communicate without being tethered to a fixed location.
Conclusion
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JOEL . ZHOU
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3752
/QINGZHANG ZHOU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752