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 .
This office action is a response to an application filed 08/30/2023, in which claims 1-20 are pending and ready for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Examiner has considered the references listed on the Information Disclosure Statement submitted on 08/30/2023.
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
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 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.
Claims 1-4, 6-9, 11-13, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Publication No. 2015/0323208 to Son (hereinafter Son), in view of US Patent Publication No. 2022/0035361 to Casa (hereinafter Casa), and in further view of US Patent No. 6,099,609 to Lira et al., (hereinafter Lira)
Regarding claim 1, Son teaches an air conditioning system for conditioning process air (Air conditioning, see abs., Son), the air conditioning system comprising:
a rotor, the rotor to allow the process air to flow therethrough (A fan, that includes a rotating member, see Fig. 11, p3, 46, Son); a sensor positioned to capture data of at least a portion of the rotor (Sensors, see p66, 166-67, Son); and a processor configured to: receive the data captured by the sensor (Data from sensors is analyzed and displayed, meaning it is received for processing, see 134, p66, 166-67, p84, 110, 159, 134, 138, 157,167, Son); analyze, using an analysis process executed by the processor, the data to determine an operating condition of the rotor (Analyzing data, see p84, Son), the analysis process being configured to detect at least one anomalous operating condition of the rotor (Data analysis used to detect a state condition, including abnormal conditions, see p84, 110, 159, 134, 138, 157,167, Son); and generate, when the processor identifies the at least one anomalous operating condition, an output corresponding to the anomalous operating condition (Displaying a state condition, including when abnormal condition identified, see p84, 110, 159, 134, 138, 157,167, Son).
Son does not explicitly teach a sorbent; an image sensor
However, Casa from the same or similar field of air conditioning systems, teaches where a sensor for a rotor device can be an image sensor (Monitoring system can include a camera, including optionally for a fan, see Fig. 5, Fig. 8, 47, 6-7, Casa).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air conditioning and monitoring as described by Son and incorporating an image sensor, as taught by Casa.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better include data that provides visual state characteristics of a component, and that can be used for analysis, (see 47, 6-7, Fig. 8, Fig. 5, Casa).
Son does not explicitly teach a sorbent;
However, Lira from the same or similar field of air moving systems, teaches a sorbent (A rotating fan device with sorbent material, thus a rotor containing sorbent, see Abs. Figs. C1 L4-6, C9 L30-40, C6 L35-50, Lira).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air conditioning and monitoring as described by the combination including Son and incorporating sorbent, as taught by Lira.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better filter air that is being conditioned by using an absorbent material that can scrub carbon dioxide and be placed in a convenient manner (see C1, C9 L30-40, C6 L35-50, Figs., Lira).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Casa further teaches wherein an image analysis process executed by an image processor includes executing a neural network model (Neural network artificial intelligence used with sensor data, see Abs., Fig. 5, p5, p48, Casa)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air conditioning and monitoring as described by the combination including Son and incorporating a neural network, as taught by Casa.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better analyze and interpret captured data with a computational analysis that can help provide greater analysis on current data and provide prediction (see p5, p48-49, Fig. 5, Casa).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Casa further teaches wherein a neural network model is a convolutional neural network model (Convolutional neural network artificial intelligence used with sensor data, see p48, Abs., Fig. 5, p5, , Casa)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air conditioning and monitoring as described by the combination including Son and incorporating a convolutional neural network, as taught by Casa.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better analyze and interpret captured data with a known computational model from among a finite number of known models that can help provide greater analysis on current data and provide prediction (see p48, p5, p48-49, Fig. 5, Casa).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Son further teaches a rotor (A fan, that includes a rotating member, is Fig. 11, p3, 46, Son)
Casa further teaches wherein a neural network model has been trained using a training database comprising a plurality of images of at least a portion of a component (Neural network trained with sensor data from components, see p46, Abs., Fig. 33, Fig. 5, p5, p44, p48, fig. 7, p40, p15, Casa)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air conditioning and monitoring as described by the combination including Son and incorporating a neural network trained with images, as taught by Casa.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better refine a neural network model based on relevant data for a particular analysis desired (see p46, Abs., Fig. 33, Fig. 5, p5, p44, p48, fig. 7, p40, p15, Casa).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Son further teaches wherein an image is a moisture content image showing relative moisture content of a portion of a rotor (Image if humidity moisture content of a portion of a rotor air, see Fig. 12, 101, Son).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Son further teaches further comprising an indicator communicatively coupled to an image processor to receive an output corresponding to an anomalous operating condition, the indicator providing an alert based on the output corresponding to the anomalous operating condition (A display can provide alert indicator, such as in the form of color indicators or status indicators including one that alert to an abnormal condition, see p138, 157, 159, Son).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Son further teaches wherein an indicator is a display screen and an alert includes at least one of a type of anomaly detected and a location of an anomalous operating condition detected (A display can provide alert indicator, such as in the form of color indicators or status indicators including one that alert to an abnormal condition associated with a particular component that serves to indicate the location of the abnormality being alerted, see p138, 157, 159, Figs., Son).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Son further teaches further comprising: at least one adjustable component (At least a fan component is adjustable, at least by speed or stopping, see P110, Son); and a controller operatively coupled to an at least one adjustable component and communicatively coupled to an image processor to receive an output corresponding to an anomalous operating condition, the controller being configured to adjust the at least one adjustable component of the air conditioning system based on the output corresponding to the anomalous operating condition (An abnormal component, that can be indicated bi image indicators, can be adjusted such as by stopping based on the abnormal condition, see p110, p138, 157, 159, Figs., 169, Son).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Casa further teaches an image sensor being positioned such that an image of at least a portion of a rotor captured by the image sensor is a portion of a first segment (Monitoring system can include a camera, including optionally for a fan portion, see Fig. 5, Fig. 8, 47, 6-7, Casa).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air conditioning and monitoring as described by Son and incorporating an image sensor for capturing portions of a system, as taught by Casa.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better include data that provides visual state characteristics of a desired component, and that can be used for analysis, (see 47, 6-7, Fig. 8, Fig. 5, Casa).
Lira further teaches wherein a rotor includes a plurality of segments including a first segment and a second segment (A rotor includes at least two segments such as housing blades, etc., see Figs., Lira)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air conditioning and monitoring as described by the combination including Son and incorporating a plurality of segments, as taught by Lira.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better consider constituent parts of a device that function in a system (see C1, C9 L30-40, C6 L35-50, Figs., Lira).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Son further teaches wherein a rotor includes a face (A rotating fan is imaged that includes a face, see Fig. 11-13 , Son)
Casa further teaches an image sensor being positioned such that an image of at least a portion of a rotor captured by the image sensor is a portion of a face of the rotor in a first segment (Monitoring system can include a camera, including optionally for a fan portion, see Fig. 5, Fig. 8, 47, 6-7, Casa).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air conditioning and monitoring as described by Son and incorporating an image sensor for capturing desired portions of a system, as taught by Casa.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better include data that provides visual state characteristics of a desired components, and that can be used for analysis, (see 47, 6-7, Fig. 8, Fig. 5, Casa).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Son further teaches wherein a rotor is configured to have air flow through the rotor in a first segment in an airflow direction, the air flowing through the rotor in the first segment is a process air (A fan rotates to flow air, meaning air flows in a direction to process through the blades, see Fig. 11, p3, 46, Son).
Claim 16 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 1.
Claim 17 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 2.
Claim 18 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 1.
Claim 19 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 1.
Claim 20 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 2.
Claims 10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Son, in view of Casa, in further view of Lira, and in further view of US Patent Publication No. 2019/0193019 to Okano, (hereinafter Okano)
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Son further teaches an air conditioning system and a dehumidification system (Dehumidification, see p180, Fig. 11, Son)
Son does not explicitly teach further teaches a sorbent is a desiccant.
However, Okano from the same or similar field of air conditioning systems, teaches a sorbent is a desiccant (A sorbent used in dehumidification and used to absorb moisture (i.e. a desiccant), see p10, p45, 59, Okano).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air conditioning and monitoring as described by the combination including Son and incorporating sorbent that is a desiccant, as taught by Okano.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better filter air that is being conditioned by using an absorbent material that can further absorb excess humidity as desired (see p10, p45, 59, Okano).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Son further teaches wherein a rotor is configured to have air flow through the rotor in the first segment in an airflow direction (Air through a rotating fan is a segment and flows in a direction, see see Fig. 11, p3, 46, Son)
Son does not explicitly teach an air flowing through a first segment is reactivation air.
However, Okano from the same or similar field of air conditioning systems, teaches an air flowing through a first segment is reactivation air (Air can be passed through desorption (reactivation air), see abs., 22, Okano).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air conditioning and monitoring as described by the combination including Son and incorporating a reactivation desorption, as taught by Okano.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better evaporate water for release outside or humidifying elsewhere (see p23, p10, p45, 59, Okano).
Claims 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Son, in view of Casa, in further view of Lira, and in further view of US Patent Publication No. 2022/0378367 to Watanabe, (hereinafter Watanabe)
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Son further teaches a portion of a rotor (A fan, that includes a rotating member, see Fig. 11, p3, 46, Son)
Son does not explicitly teach wherein an image is a thermal image showing relative temperatures.
However, Watanabe from the same or similar field of air conditioning, teaches wherein an image is a thermal image showing relative temperatures (Temperatures obtained from thermal imaging in an air conditioning system, see p69, Watanabe).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air conditioning and monitoring as described by the combination including thermal imaging, as taught by Watanabe.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better include data that provides visual state characteristics of a component, and that can be used for analysis, such as temperatures of a system that impacts temperature (see 47, 6-7, Fig. 8, Fig. 5, Casa; p69, Watanabe).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Son, in view of Casa, in further view of Lira, and in further view of US Patent Publication No. 2009/0290971 to Shamseldin et al, (hereinafter Shamseldin)
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Son, Casa, and Lira teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Son does not explicitly teach wherein a rotor includes a seal and an at least one anomalous operating condition of the rotor is a leak in the seal.
However, Shamseldin from the same or similar field of rotating devices, teaches wherein an image is a thermal image showing relative temperatures (A rotor seal and notifying of an abnormal condition regarding a seal, see p7-8, 79, Shamseldin).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the air conditioning and monitoring as described by the combination including a seal and notification, as taught by Shamseldin.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better avert leaking by providing a seal to a components that needs to maintain a substance, and to provide a user information that a seal is compromised so that a leak or potential leakage that can be caused by an abnormal seal can be mitigated (see 4 p7-8, 79, Shamseldin).
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Denkmann et al., US. Patent Publication No 2012/0100987 teaches a sorbent material that can coat an aluminum strip and used in roto and dehumidifier.
Kim et al., US. Patent Publication No 2024/0022488 teaches an artificial intelligence apparatus, and receiving image and sensor data of an air purifier and analyzing a portion of a circulation fan based on the data to diagnose a type and cause of an abnormality.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMILIO J SAAVEDRA whose telephone number is (571)270-5617. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30am-5:30pm (EST).
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, Robert E Fennema can be reached at (571) 272-2748. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EMILIO J SAAVEDRA/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2117