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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I including claims 1-8 and 17-20 in the reply filed on 8/4/2025 is acknowledged.
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 1/25/2024 is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Burch et al (US 20140240124 A1, hereinafter Burch) in view of Huggins et al (US 2020/0043321 A1, hereinafter Huggins).
Consider claim 1, Burch discloses an outdoor power equipment system comprising:
outdoor power equipment (tool 105, Fig. 1; outdoor power equipment, paragraph 40);
a battery configured to supply electrical power to the outdoor power equipment, wherein the battery is coupled to a sensor that is configured to provide information indicative of a battery status (A battery controller 593 is within the battery 590. The battery controller 593 is operable to monitor one or more of the state-of-charge of the battery, current charge/discharge rate, temperature, and other battery characteristics, Fig. 9A and paragraph 89);
an endpoint coupled to the battery and including a transmitter configured to transmit an endpoint location and the battery status (The tracking unit 150 operates as described above with respect to tool 105. Accordingly, a remote user is able to locate and monitor the battery 590 via the tool monitoring module 270, as well as receive information about the device to which the battery 590 is coupled, paragraph 89); and
a [near-field communication] transceiver configured to facilitate communication with the outdoor power equipment and the endpoint (The battery controller 593 is also operable to communicate with a tool or device. For example, the battery controller 593 may communicate via the electrical contacts 594, paragraph 89).
However, Burch does not expressly disclose a near-field communication transceiver configured to facilitate communication with the outdoor power equipment and the endpoint.
In the same field of endeavor, Huggins discloses a near-field communication transceiver configured to facilitate communication with the outdoor power equipment and the endpoint (In some embodiments, rather than over the communication terminal 245, the pack electronic processor 220 and the tool electronic processor 200 may communicate over near-field wireless communication link, for example, a Bluetooth® connection or the like. In such embodiments, the power tool device 110 and battery pack 120 include respective wireless transceivers to facilitate the wireless communications, paragraph 17).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use a near-field wireless communication link as disclosed in Huggins in the battery of Burch for ease-of-use and to facilitate mobile access.
Consider claim 2, and as applied to claim 1 above, Burch discloses wherein the sensor is a current sensor, and the battery status includes information indicative of a current (a battery sensor to detect the battery charge level and the rate of increase or decrease of the battery charge level, paragraph 44; The battery controller 593 is operable to monitor one or more of the state-of-charge of the battery, current charge/discharge rate, temperature, and other battery characteristic, paragraph 89).
Consider claim 3, and as applied to claim 1 above, Huggins discloses
wherein the battery supplies power to the near-field communication transceiver (the power tool device 110 and battery pack 120 include respective wireless transceivers to facilitate the wireless communications, See Fig. 2 and paragraph 17).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use a near-field wireless communication link as disclosed in Huggins in the battery of Burch for ease-of-use and to facilitate mobile access.
Consider claim 4, and as applied to claim 1 above, Burch discloses wherein the endpoint is coupled to the outdoor power equipment (FIGS. 9A-9B depict devices related to power tools in which a tracking unit 150 may be used. FIG. 9A depicts a battery 590 with a projection 591 and base 592. The stem includes electrical contacts 594 for engaging contacts of a receiving tool or other device (e.g., a work-site radio). A battery controller 593 is within the battery 590. The battery controller 593 is operable to monitor one or more of the state-of-charge of the battery, current charge/discharge rate, temperature, and other battery characteristics. The battery controller 593 is also operable to communicate with a tool or device. For example, the battery controller 593 may communicate via the electrical contacts 594 the monitored battery characteristics and an identifier that identifies, for example, the type and capacity of the battery 590. The battery controller 593 may also receive tool status and usage data from the tool, paragraph 89).
Consider claim 5, and as applied to claim 1 above, Burch as modified by Huggins discloses wherein the near-field communication transceiver receives the battery status and the endpoint location from the endpoint (Burch discloses that the tracking unit 150 receives global positioning satellite (GPS) signals via the GPS antenna 200 from satellite 110. The GPS signals are transmitted from the GPS antenna 200 to the GPS unit 215. The GPS unit 215 interprets the GPS signals to determine a position of the tracking unit 150. The determined position is output by the GPS unit 215 to the controller 220 as position data. The controller 220 also obtains tool status and usage data (whether from memory 225 or tool controller 145) which, in combination with the position data, is collectively referred to as "tool data.", see paragraph 49; and that FIGS. 9A-9B depict devices related to power tools in which a tracking unit 150 may be used. FIG. 9A depicts a battery 590 with a projection 591 and base 592. The stem includes electrical contacts 594 for engaging contacts of a receiving tool or other device (e.g., a work-site radio). A battery controller 593 is within the battery 590. The battery controller 593 is operable to monitor one or more of the state-of-charge of the battery, current charge/discharge rate, temperature, and other battery characteristics. The battery controller 593 is also operable to communicate with a tool or device. For example, the battery controller 593 may communicate via the electrical contacts 594 the monitored battery characteristics and an identifier that identifies, for example, the type and capacity of the battery 590. The battery controller 593 may also receive tool status and usage data from the tool, see paragraph 89. Huggins discloses that rather than over the communication terminal 245, the pack electronic processor 220 and the tool electronic processor 200 may communicate over near-field wireless communication link, for example, a Bluetooth® connection or the like. In such embodiments, the power tool device 110 and battery pack 120 include respective wireless transceivers to facilitate the wireless communications, see paragraph 17).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use a near-field wireless communication link as disclosed in Huggins in the battery of Burch for ease-of-use and to facilitate mobile access.
Consider claim 6 and as applied to claim 5 above, Burch as modified by Huggins discloses wherein the near-field communication transceiver is configured to communicate with a remote device and communicate the battery status and the endpoint location to the remote device (Burch discloses that other antennas may be included in addition to or in place of the antennas 185 to enable other types of wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth.TM., radio frequency identification (RFID), satellite phone, etc.), see paragraph 44; and that remote user is able to locate and monitor the battery 590 via the tool monitoring module 270, as well as receive information about the device to which the battery 590 is coupled, see paragraph 89).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use a near-field wireless communication link as disclosed in Huggins in the battery of Burch for ease-of-use and to facilitate mobile access.
Consider claim 7, and as applied to claim 1 above, Burch discloses wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor that is configured to detect an operating state of the outdoor power equipment (a trigger sensor to detect whether the trigger is depressed, paragraph 41).
Consider claim 8, and as applied to claim 1 above, Burch discloses wherein the battery is rechargeable and is structured to be charged by the outdoor power equipment (the additional energy storage device 230 is a rechargeable battery, paragraph 47).
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.
Claims 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Burch.
Consider claim 17, Burch discloses an outdoor power equipment system comprising:
outdoor power equipment (tool 105, Fig. 1; outdoor power equipment, paragraph 40);
a battery configured to supply electrical power to the outdoor power equipment, wherein the battery is coupled to a sensor structured to provide information indicative of a battery status( A battery controller 593 is within the battery 590. The battery controller 593 is operable to monitor one or more of the state-of-charge of the battery, current charge/discharge rate, temperature, and other battery characteristics, Fig. 9A and paragraph 89);
an endpoint coupled to the battery and including a transmitter structured to transmit an endpoint location and the battery status (The tracking unit 150 operates as described above with respect to tool 105. Accordingly, a remote user is able to locate and monitor the battery 590 via the tool monitoring module 270, as well as receive information about the device to which the battery 590 is coupled, paragraph 89); and
a gateway structured to facilitate communication with the outdoor power equipment and the endpoint (gateway 615, Fig. 10)
Consider claim 18, and as applied to claim 17 above, Burch discloses wherein the sensor is a first sensor, and further including a second sensor structured to provide information indicative of the battery status (a battery sensor to detect the battery charge level and the rate of increase or decrease of the battery charge level, paragraph 44; The battery controller 593 is operable to monitor one or more of the state-of-charge of the battery, current charge/discharge rate, temperature, and other battery characteristic, paragraph 89) .
Consider claim 19, and as applied to claim 18 above, Burch discloses wherein the first sensor is a current sensor configured to measure a current, and the second sensor is a proximity sensor configured to detect an operating state of the outdoor power equipment (a battery sensor to detect the battery charge level and the rate of increase or decrease of the battery charge level, paragraph 44; The battery controller 593 is operable to monitor one or more of the state-of-charge of the battery, current charge/discharge rate, temperature, and other battery characteristic, paragraph 89; a trigger sensor to detect whether the trigger is depressed, paragraph 41)
Consider claim 20, and as applied to claim 17 above, Burch discloses wherein the gateway is configured to receive the battery status and the endpoint location from the endpoint and communicate the battery status and the endpoint location to a remote device. (a remote user is able to locate and monitor the battery 590 via the tool monitoring module 270, as well as receive information about the device to which the battery 590 is coupled , paragraph 89; The tool monitoring system 600 enables a user to monitor status, usage, and position information of the tool 105 remotely via, for example, the smart phone 120 or computer 135, paragraph 91).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GERMAN VIANA DI PRISCO whose telephone number is (571)270-1781. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Wednesday 8:30-5:00 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, RAFAEL PEREZ-GUTIERREZ can be reached at (571) 272-7915. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GERMAN VIANA DI PRISCO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642
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