DETAILED ACTION
For this Office action, Claims 1-21 are pending.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 01 May 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Page 2 of the Applicant Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment, filed 01 May 2026, with respect to the grounds of rejection of Claims 1-21 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) have been fully considered and are persuasive. The grounds of rejection have been withdrawn. Applicant has amended the claims in a manner that addresses the issues of indefiniteness that required the grounds of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b); therefore, upon further consideration, said grounds of rejection have been withdrawn. Please consult the Applicant Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment filed 01 May 2026 for more detail on why the grounds of rejection have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 2, 13, 17, 18 and 20 under 35 U.S.C. 103 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. Applicant has amended the claims in a manner that clarifies and narrows the scope of the claimed invention, in particular by requiring each of the first and third units to be configured as a building, a room, a box-like mount regardless of shape, or a case, having a connection port at a wall of the unit configured for external connection of at least one of drainage water, the dirty water, tap water, electricity, and communications from the connection port of the wall”. Applicant argues that the cited prior art does not disclose this limitation. The examiner respectfully agrees, and the grounds of rejection are therefore withdrawn. Further search and consideration yields new grounds of rejection addressing the new limitations, wherein the new grounds of rejection are detailed below. Since the applicant does not address these new grounds of rejection, said arguments are considered moot with respect to this argument and will not be addressed further at this time.
Applicant's arguments filed 01 May 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant has amended independent Claim 1 to further include the limitation “the control device in the third unit switches channels and selects at least one of the filter devices to treat the dirty water” and further argues that the cited prior art of the previous Office action does not disclose said amended limitation. Upon further consideration, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Heiss discloses a control device that can select at least one of the filter devices to treat the dirty water by selectively choosing which bank of UF modules to use (Paragraph [0033]) and recirculating water through at least the reverse osmosis membranes (Paragraph [0041]). For these reasons, Heiss reads on the amended limitation.
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 2, 13, 17, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heiss, US Pat Pub. 2005/0139530, in view of Piascik et al. (herein referred to as “Piascik”, US Pat Pub. 2019/0169054) and Gupta et al. (herein referred to as “Gupta”, US Pat Pub. 2012/0021062).
Regarding instant Claim 1, Heiss discloses a water treatment system (Abstract; Figure 1; water purifier) comprising:
a first unit having a generation source of dirty water containing overall domestic drainage water and toilet sewage water (Abstract; Figure 1; Paragraph [0027]; at least water source 1, stationary pump 5 and portable submersible pump 3);
a third unit having a dirty-water inlet fluidly connected to the first unit and further having a pump, filter devices, and a control device, and at least a disinfectant device (Figure 1; Paragraph [0032]; Paragraph [0033]; third unit in storage tank 14 with chlorine injection 15 [disinfectant device], pumps 17/20; filter devices in UF modules 18/19 [filter devices]; ACS/automatic control system is control device for entire system; inlet of storage tank 14 fluidly connected with water source 1/first unit); wherein
the third unit is configured as a box-like mountain regardless of shape, having a connection port at a wall of the unit configured for external connection of at least the dirty water (Figure 2; Figure 3; Paragraph [0043]; at least an external connection for inputting dirty water to be treated),
each of the first and third units includes a sensor and a valve, and is transportable independent of other units by closing the valve (Figure 1; Figure 2; Figure 3; Paragraph [0037]; Paragraph [0031]; Paragraph [0033]; Paragraph [0034]; Paragraph [0037]; analyzers 12, 13, 21-23, various valves and sensors through system; see that individual units such as vessel, UF modules could be removed if valves are closed based on the construction of the system),
the control device performs centralized control of at least any of the valve, the pump, the disinfection device based on the sensor data from the sensor of each of the first to third to units (Abstract; Paragraph [0027]; Paragraph [0033]; various other paragraphs; ACS controls all such operations),
the control device in the third unit switches channels and selects at least one of the filter devices to treat the dirty water (Figure 1; Paragraph [0033]; Paragraph [0041]; control device can select at least one of the filter devices to treat the dirty water by selectively choosing which bank of UF modules to use and recirculating water through at least the reverse osmosis membranes),
the first and third units include a recycling means to treat and recycle the dirty water in a circulation (Figure 1; Paragraph [0033]; see flow path used for backwashing and flushing/cleaning regarding UF modules 17/18; sensors and quality parameters would allow for further recycling of water through UF modules as necessary), and
the recycling means is configured to fluidly connect from the first unit to the filter devices in the third unit, and to fluidly connect from the third unit back to the first unit (Figure 1; Paragraph [0033]; see recycling loop that returns water from downstream of UF modules upstream of UF modules; first unit is fluid source, so returning water upstream is returning it to fluid source).
However, Heiss is silent on the recycling means being further configured to fluidly connect back to the first unit including the generation source of the dirty water, to supply the recycled treated water for at least one of the toilet, washing or domestic water. Heiss is also silent on each of the first and third units being configured as a building, a room, a box-like mount regardless of shape, or a case, having a connection port at a wall of the unit configured for external connection of at least one of drainage water, the dirty water, tap water, electricity, and communications from the connection port of the wall.
Piascik discloses a liquid waste treatment system in the same field of endeavor as the instant application, as it solves the mutual problem of treating liquid waste water (Abstract). Piascik further discloses the return of recycled treated water for a toilet in order to recycle and conserve water used for toilet services (Figure 10; Paragraph [0094]; see return line system 1022 to toilet 1010).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the recycling means and first unit of Heiss to recycle the water to the generation source of the dirty water, to supply the recycled treated water for a toilet as taught by Piascik because Piascik discloses such recycling conserves water used for toilet services (Piacik, Paragraph [0094]).
However, the combined references are silent on the first being configured as a building, a room, a box-like mount regardless of shape, or a case, having a connection port at a wall of the unit configured for external connection of at least one of drainage water, the dirty water, tap water, electricity, and communications from the connection port of the wall.
Gupta discloses methods for the on-site production of chloramine and uses thereof in the same field of endeavor as the instant application, as it solves the mutual problem of treatment of water from domestic water systems (Abstract; Paragraph [0074]). Gupta further discloses a first unit in the form of a building that generates dirty water containing overall domestic drainage water and toilet sewage water having a connection port at a wall of the unit configured for external connection for at least dirty water in order to collect, discharge and treat domestic water (Paragraph [0074]; domestic water system treatment would imply domestic buildings such as houses).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the first unit of Heiss to further being configured as a building having a connection port at a wall of the unit configured for external connection of dirty water as taught by Gupta because Gupta discloses such treatment could be used for domestic water and domestic water systems (Gupta, Paragraph [0074]).
Regarding instant Claim 2, Claim 1, upon which Claim 2 is dependent, has been rejected above. Heiss further discloses wherein the recycling means is configured to fluidly connect from the first unit to the filter devices in the third unit, and to fluidly connect from the filter devices through a water tank in the third unit back to the first unit (Figure 1; Paragraph [0033]; see tank 24).
Regarding instant Claim 13, Claim 1, upon which Claim 13 is dependent, has been rejected above. Heiss further discloses wherein the sensor data is the data required for water treatment, including at least water quality and volume of water (Heiss, Paragraph [0037]; Paragraph [0031]; Paragraph [0033]; Paragraph [0034]; Paragraph [0037]; sensors for flow plus various analyzers for water quality such as TOC and chlorine concentration).
Regarding instant Claim 17, Claim 1, upon which Claim 17 is dependent, has been rejected above. Heiss further discloses comprising a fifth unit that includes a decomposition treatment device for further decomposing and treating concentrated dirty water and impurities generated in the third unit (Figure 1; Paragraph [0042]; ozone injection 41 downstream of UF modules).
Regarding instant Claim 18, Claim 1, upon which Claim 18 is dependent, has been rejected above. Heiss further discloses wherein the dirty water is treated and recycled when a water supply and drainage infrastructure fails to function (Figure 1; Paragraphs [0032]-[0033]; Paragraph [0042]; water quality is monitored and recirculation occurs to meet certain water quality parameters/standards).
Regarding instant Claim 20, Claim 1, upon which Claim 20 is dependent, has been rejected above. Heiss further discloses wherein the third unit is connected to the first unit to set a water quality condition and prepare an equipment, both required for water supply and drainage when drainage water is not flown into an infrastructure sewage system (Figure 1; Paragraphs [0018], [0033], [0042]; water quality parameters are monitored throughout the system, including parameter thresholds).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-12, 14-16, 19 and 21 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Each of these claims is considered allowable, yet they are ultimately dependent on rejected Claim 1. A more detailed reasons for allowance will be provided upon allowance of the entire claim set.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD C GURTOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)272-3189. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am-5:30pm MT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin Lebron can be reached at (571) 272-0475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RICHARD C GURTOWSKI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1773 05/13/2026
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