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 5/29/26 has been entered. Claims 1-5 and 7-18 remain pending.
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, 7-12,14 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miranda (US 20230272917 A1, cited previously) in view of Sumihiro (JP 2019086282 A)
Regarding claim 1, Miranda teaches a cooking appliance (oven in Abstract, at least Fig.1, 3 and 5) and comprising: a main body (under roof 104) having a cooking chamber defined therein; a door 120 ([0029]) disposed at a front side of the main body to open and close the cooking chamber; a camera 220 ([0049]) disposed inside the door to film the cooking chamber; and a lighting (216 and 218 in [0052]) disposed inside the door to illuminate an area filmed by the camera, wherein the lighting includes a first lighting (plurality of 216 on one side and 218 on the other side) and a second lighting 217/219 (217/219 between 216 and the camera) disposed on at least one of one side and another side in a lateral direction of the camera; and the second lighting 217/219 is disposed between the camera 220 and the first lighting 216.
Further regarding the first direction of the first lighting: Miranda discloses: Plurality of light sources 216, 218 (that is first lighting) may be configured to illuminate internal cavity 136 or articles placed therein, therefore the light sources 216 and 218 are considered to face the chamber/cavity in order to light the internal cavity or its articles.
Miranda already teaches plurality of lighting elements 216/218 (and also 217,219 adjacent/closest to the camera ) but does not teach:
the first lighting and the second lighting irradiate light in different directions from each other,
the second lighting irradiates light in a direction inclined toward the camera,
However, it is well known technique in the art to use such second lighting element that particularly face the cameras and are disposed closest to and/or on either side adjacent to the cameras.
Sumihiro discloses this feature in a chamber of a refrigerator that provides imaging: Sumihiro discloses:
For example, as shown in FIG. 37, when imaging the inside of the storage 701 with the imaging camera 706 provided on one side (for example, the left side in FIG. 37) of the storage 701, the refrigerator 700 is The illumination LED 707 provided on the surface facing the imaging camera 706.
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to make adjustable/different the orientation of the light from the first and second light sources, such that the second light sources face the camera and form the second lighting devices from the teachings of Sumihiro, as claimed, whereas the first lighting elements face the cavity/articles from the teachings of Miranda, thereby the first and second lighting elements illuminate in different directions, in order to illuminate the cavity using the first lighting elements and also facilitate improved imaging from the camera using the second lighting elements that face the camera.
Regarding claim 2, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches a cooking appliance (see inclination of the bracket 256 in Fig.7, Fig.9 and [0049] in Miranda), wherein the first lighting is disposed at a location biased upward from a center in a vertical direction of the door, and irradiates light in a direction inclined downward ([0060], also see During use, forward surface 267 angle CV may allow camera and lighting to be directed toward articles placed within internal chamber 116 in [0061] in Miranda).
Regarding claim 3, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches a cooking appliance, wherein the first lighting irradiates light in a direction toward a bottom surface of the cooking chamber ([0049], [0060] in Miranda) but does not explicitly teach: in a direction that is between a direction toward a rear surface of the cooking chamber and a direction toward a bottom surface of the cooking chamber.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to make adjustable the orientation of the light from the light sources, by routine experimentation, in order to achieve the desired orientation.
Regarding claim 7, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches the first and second lighting elements but does not explicitly teach the particular orientation of the second lighting irradiates light in a direction that is between a direction toward a rear surface of the cooking chamber and the lateral direction toward the camera. However, Miranda already teaches multiple light sources on both sides of the camera and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to use well known design techniques of camera related illumination, to use the orientation as claimed, by routine experimentation, in order to efficiently use the camera within the oven.
Regarding claim 8, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches the cooking appliance, wherein the first lighting includes a pair of first lightings arranged in the lateral direction and the camera is disposed between the pair of first lightings, wherein the second lighting includes a pair of second lightings, and one of the pair of second lightings is disposed between the camera and one of the pair of first lightings and another of the pair of second lightings is disposed between the camera and another of the pair of first lightings (pairs of multiple lighting elements on two sides of the camera in Miranda, are considered as the pair of first and second lightings).
Regarding claim 9, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches the cooking appliance, wherein the first lighting and the second lighting are disposed between an end in the lateral direction of the door and the camera, and are disposed at locations closer to the end in the lateral direction of the door than to the camera (from the arrangement of the lighting sources on the two sides of the camera).
Regarding claim 10, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches the cooking appliance, wherein the second lighting includes a pair of second lightings arranged in the lateral direction of the door with the camera interposed therebetween, wherein the second lighting includes a pair of second lightings arranged in the lateral direction of the door with the camera interposed therebetween (pairs of multiple lighting elements on two sides of the camera in Miranda, are considered as the pair of first and second lightings and from the arrangement of the lighting sources on the two sides of the camera).
Regarding claim 11, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches the cooking appliance, wherein the first lighting includes a pair of first lightings and the pair of first lightings are arranged in the lateral direction of the door with the camera and the pair of second lightings interposed between the pair of first lightings (pairs of multiple lighting elements on two sides of the camera in Miranda, are considered as the pair of first and second lightings and from the arrangement of the lighting sources on the two sides of the camera).
Regarding claim 12, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches the cooking appliance, wherein the second lighting is disposed at a location closer to the first lighting than to the camera (second lighting 217/219 ([0051] and [0052] in Miranda) disposed between the camera 220 and the first lighting 216 (Fig.5)).
Regarding claim 14, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches the cooking appliance, further comprising a supporter (208 in Fig.4-5 and [0049], [0048], [0047] in Miranda) supporting at least one of the first lighting and the second lighting and coupled to the door, wherein the first lighting and the second lighting includes a light source configured to irradiate light rearward toward the cooking chamber (see in Miranda:
During use, forward surface 267 angle CV may allow camera and lighting to be directed toward articles placed within internal chamber 116.
; wherein the light source of at least one of the first lighting and the second lighting is coupled to the supporter (at least from Fig.4-5 in Miranda).
Regarding claim 17, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches the cooking appliance, wherein the supporter includes: a first support 262 (in Miranda) supporting the light source disposed in the first lighting; a second support 260 supporting the light source disposed in the second lighting; a third support 258 supporting the camera ([0060]); and
a supporter main body (248, [0047] in Miranda) supporting the first support, the second support, and the third support and coupled to the door.
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Regarding claim 18, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches the cooking appliance, further comprising a supporter cover 204 and 206 ([0044], trim panels that partially support the supporter 208 in Miranda) covering the supporter 208 from a rear of the supporter and coupled to the supporter main body, wherein a receiving space 222 ([0062]) is defined between the supporter main body 208 and the supporter cover 204/206;
but does not teach: at least a portion of a cable connected to the camera and the light source of the first lighting and the second lighting, the camera, and the light source of the first lighting and the second lighting are accommodated in the receiving space.
However, throughout its disclosure (of Miranda) Miranda in view of Sumihiro discloses various ways of connecting the front cover in Fig.7 to the back cover of Fig.6 below, by various attaching ways, and with options of forming gaps and projections between the front and back covers ([0059]- [0060]; and [0054], [0059] in Miranda).
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And it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to use well known design techniques of hard wiring the camera, when needed, by placing wiring or cables behind the front cover and placing the wiring and cables in the space between the front and back covers, as shown by arrows below, in order to operate the electronic devices:
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Claims 4,5 ,13 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miranda in view of Sumihiro and further in view of Nakashima (US 20210095862 A1, cited previously)
Regarding claim 4, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches a cooking appliance, wherein the first lighting includes a light source to irradiate light in a direction inclined downward ([0061], [0060] of Mirada and see rejection in claims 2 and 3 above) but does not teach a diffusion member covering the light source.
However, it is well known in the art to use diffuser before the lighting device in cooking devices. Nakashima teaches this feature in at least [0006] and [0064], [0068] and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to use a diffuser in the path of light, from the teachings of Nakashima, in the device of Miranda in view of Sumihiro, in order to achieve the desired orientation or uniform illumination, by the diffused/scattered light ([0068] in Nakashima).
Regarding claim 5, Miranda in view of Sumihiro and Nakashima, teaches the cooking appliance, wherein the diffusion member forms a plane perpendicular to the light irradiating direction of the light source ([0068] in Nakashima, also see rejection in claim 4 above).
Regarding claim 13, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches the cooking appliance, wherein the second lighting includes a light source (second lighting 217/219 ([0051] and [0052]) disposed between the camera 220 and the first lighting 216 (Fig.5)).
Miranda in view of Sumihiro further teaches (in Miranda):
The camera may be angled toward an internal chamber of the appliance and may notably be able to achieve a more true-to-life color to the images produced by the camera (as compared to existing systems in Miranda)
Additionally or alternatively, forward surface 267 (in Miranda) may be angled at a non-zero angle (e.g., angle CV in FIG. 9) relative to vertical direction V. During use, forward surface 267 angle CV may allow camera and lighting to be directed toward articles placed within internal chamber 116. Angle of forward surface 267 may be an acute angle. As shown, camera 220 is directed downward in vertical direction V and rearward in transverse direction T by the angle of forward surface 267. In the illustrated embodiments, camera 220 is flush or parallel to forward surface 267
During use, forward surface 267 (in Miranda) angle CV may allow camera and lighting to be directed toward articles placed within internal chamber 116.
And that it is configured to irradiate light rearward toward the cooking chamber (see item 3. above), but does not teach a diffusion member forming a plane inclined toward the camera and covering the light source from a rear of the light source.
However, it is well known in the art to use diffuser before the lighting device in cooking devices. Nakashima teaches this feature in at least [0006] and [0064],[0068] and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to use a diffusion member, from the teachings of Nakashima, by forming a plane inclined toward the camera and covering the light source from a rear of the light source, by routine experimentation, in the device of Miranda in view of Sumihiro, in order to achieve the desired orientation by the diffused/scattered light ([0068] in Nakashima).
Regarding claim 15, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches the invention set forth in claim 14 above, but is silent regarding a diffusion member covering the light source disposed in the first lighting from a rear of the light source, wherein the diffusion member forms a plane perpendicular to a light irradiating direction of the light source of the first lighting.
However, it is well known in the art to use diffuser before the lighting device in cooking devices. Nakashima teaches this feature in at least [0006] and [0064],[0068] and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to use a diffusion member, from the teachings of Nakashima, such that the diffusion member forms a plane perpendicular to a light irradiating direction of the light source of the first lighting, in the device of Miranda in view of Sumihiro, in order to achieve the desired orientation by the diffused/scattered light ([0068] in Nakashima).
Regarding claim 16, Miranda in view of Sumihiro teaches the invention set forth in claim 14 above, but is silent regarding a diffusion member covering the light source of the at least one of the first lighting and the second lighting from a rear of the light source; and a supporter cover supporting the diffusion member and coupled to the supporter.
However, using a diffusive member covering the lighting elements is a well known technique in order to scatter the light, and achieve uniform illumination. Miranda in view of Sumihiro (in Miranda) teaches the lighting elements in a bare position in Fig. 5, in which the light emitting elements are visible as shown below:
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Or in another position wherein the individual elements are covered and are not visible as shown below:
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A person of ordinary skill in the art would consider covering the individual lighting elements of the top Figure, with a diffusive cover, such that it appears as the bottom Figure.
Furthermore, in the same field of endeavor, Nakashima teaches a diffuser 170 (Fig.14 and 13; [0064]). and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to use a diffuser in the path of light, from the teachings of Nakashima, in the device of Miranda in view of Sumihiro, such that supporter cover (260,262 in Fig.7) supporting the diffusion member and coupled to the supporter 208 (in Miranda) in order to achieve the desired orientation by the diffused/scattered light ([0068] in Nakashima).
Other art
Cited previously
US 20160033194 A1-with camera 18 and image capturing light 19
US 20170234602 A1-with camera 162 and light emitter 164
CN 210197365 U-with camera 3 and light emitter 4
WO 2023007895 A1-with light source 66 adjacent camera 62
JP 2019143965 A-with camera 18 and imaging light 19
Response to Arguments
The arguments filed by the Applicant on 4/30/26 is acknowledged however they are moot in light of new grounds of rejection.
Sumihiro explicitly teaches lighting elements disposed adjacent cameras in an enclosed chamber, wherein these second lighting elements face the camera, whereas Miranda already discloses a plurality of lighting elements on both sides of the camera.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to make adjustable/different the orientation of the light from the first and second light sources, such that the second light sources face the camera and form the second lighting devices from the teachings of Sumihiro, as claimed, whereas the first lighting elements face the cavity/articles from the teachings of Miranda, thereby the first and second lighting elements illuminate in different directions, in order to illuminate the cavity using the first lighting elements and also facilitate improved imaging from the camera using the second lighting elements that face the camera.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Fatima Farokhrooz whose telephone number is (571)-272-6043. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday- Friday, 9 am - 5 pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s Supervisor, James Greece can be reached on (571) 272-3711.
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/Fatima N Farokhrooz/
Examiner, Art Unit 2875
Prosecution Insights