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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 10-17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
The claim dependency for claims 10-17 needs to be reviewed and revised.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-8, 11-18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Frick (US 2021/0251139).
Regarding claim 1, Frick discloses a walk-behind working machine (Figure 1), comprising: a body comprising a walking assembly (wheels 106A) and a drive assembly (¶0062 discloses powered wheels) for driving the walking assembly; a handle device (handle assembly 124) comprising a grip (125) for a user to hold; and a connecting rod assembly (122a/122b) for connecting the body to the handle device; wherein the walk-behind working machine further comprises a display (Figure 25, display 166) capable of displaying information related to the walk-behind working machine (The display is a mobile computer as disclosed in ¶0123, therefore it is capable of displaying information related to anything to include the walk-behind working machine).
Regarding claim 3, Frick discloses a self-traveling mode switch (the mower may be switch between manual and autonomous ¶0119), wherein the self-traveling mode switch is capable of adjusting the walk-behind working machine to a self-traveling mode (adjustment is made a training mode portion of the self-traveling mode), and in the self-traveling mode, the walk-behind working machine is capable of adjusting a self-traveling speed according to a magnitude of a thrust applied by the user (¶0125-0126 discloses that the computer regulates the speed of the mower through the display to an operator based upon the thrust/speed the operator is pushing the mower. Issues a warning that the operator must slow down to maintain a desired speed).
Regarding claim 4, Frick discloses a blade mode switch capable of controlling a rotational speed of a blade of the walk-behind working machine (¶0131 discloses the option of a blade speed control between an on and off state presented on display 166).
Regarding claim 5, Frick discloses wherein self-traveling mode information of the walk-behind working machine is displayed on the display (¶0120 self-traveling mode information in the training phase if presented to the operator on the display).
Regarding claim 6, Frick discloses wherein at least one of blade mode information, light information, power information and fault information of the walk-behind working machine is displayed on the display (¶s0125-0126 discloses fault information in the form of a speed fault to maintain the speed during the training phase).
Regarding claim 7, Frick discloses wherein the walk-behind working machine is connected to an electronic device of the user via Bluetooth, and information about the electronic device is displayed on the display (¶0120 discloses a Bluetooth connection).
Regarding claim 8, Frick discloses wherein the display is detachably connected to the handle device (seen in figure 25).
Regarding claim 11, Frick discloses wherein only one side of the display is connected to the handle device (Figure 25 shows that only a bottom side of the display is connected to the handle and not the opposite top side).
Regarding claim 12, Frick discloses wherein the display (166) comprises a bottom at a bottom end (portion pointed to by indicator 162 of figure 25), and the bottom of the display is connected to a switch box (Connected to switch box 164, with switch member 168 connecting to the bottom end).
Regarding claim 13, Frick discloses wherein the display (166) comprises a top at a top end, and the top of the display is connected to the grip (The entire display, to include the top end, is connected to the grip 125 via element 164).
Regarding claim 14, Frick discloses wherein the display comprises a display interface (screen of display 166 shown in figure 25) for presenting information about the walk-behind working machine to the user, and the display viewed from a direction perpendicular to the display interface has at least an upper boundary and a lower boundary (the display is rectangular and within a surrounding boundary), wherein the upper boundary is basically parallel to the lower boundary, and the lower boundary is connected to a switch box (The entire boundary, including the lower boundary is connected to switch box 164).
Regarding claim 15, Frick discloses wherein a first middle plane is defined as a plane perpendicular to a paper surface, the first middle plane extends along a left and right direction of the walk-behind working machine, and the grip is basically symmetrical about the first middle plane (Figure 25 shows that the grip is a circular bar, a plane through this bar would be symmetrical on either side); a second middle plane is defined as a plane perpendicular to the paper surface, the second middle plane extends along the left and right direction of the walk-behind working machine, and the display is basically symmetrical about the second middle plane; and the first middle plane is basically parallel to the second middle plane (A perpendicular plane through the middle of the display, through any perpendicular direction, would make the display symmetrical on the plane. The two planes can be parallel planes with the first handle plane aligned with the display plane while still meeting the symmetrical limitations. A paper surface can be defined as any surface and can be placed perpendicular to the two parallel planes).
Regarding claim 16, Frick discloses wherein an included angle between the first middle plane and the second middle plane is less than or equal to 45 degrees (Any angle can be drawn between the planes. The claim limitations of angles and planes are abstract and are not positively recited to structure).
Regarding claim 17, Frick discloses a telescopic rod assembly (¶0089), wherein the telescopic rod assembly is telescopically adjusted, the telescopic rod assembly connects the body to the handle device (Figure 4-5), and the second middle plane is basically perpendicular to the telescopic rod assembly (Figure 4 shows display holder 160 “basically” perpendicular to the rods. Further, for the sake of argument, ¶0121 discloses that the angle of the display may be adjusted. Adjusting the angle would place the plane basically perpendicular).
Regarding claim 18, Frick discloses wherein the walk-behind working machine is a mower.
Regarding claim 20, Frick discloses a walk-behind working machine (Figure 1), comprising: a body comprising a walking assembly (wheels 106A) and a drive assembly (¶0062 discloses powered wheels)for driving the walking assembly; a handle device (handle device 124) comprising a grip (125) for a user to hold; and a connecting rod assembly (122a/122b) for connecting the body to the handle device; wherein the walk-behind working machine further comprises a display (Figure 27, display 166) capable of displaying information related to the walk-behind working machine (The display is a mobile computer as disclosed in ¶0123, therefore it is capable of displaying information related to anything to include the walk-behind working machine), wherein only one side of the display is connected to the handle device (Figure 27 shows only one side is connected to the handle).
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.
Claim(s) 2, 9-10 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Frick (US 2021/0251139).
Regarding claims 2 and 10, Frick discloses that the cradle of the display may be adjustable such as to adjust the viewing angle (¶0121) and Frick further discloses that any other retention device may be used as well within the scope of the invention (¶0122).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, for the cradle of figure 25 to be rotatable at the clamp portion where it attached to the handle for adjusting the angle of the view for the purpose of meeting the adjustability disclosed by Frick as an obvious design choice. Further It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use any known tablet or phone holder which is rotatable and attached to the handle as well as an obvious design choice for the adjustability disclosed by Frick.
Regarding claim 9, Frick discloses various controls for mower operation when in manual mode to include buttons, levers, etc. (¶0087). A button would be considered to reside in a “switch box” and be an electrical component.
However, for the sake of argument, examiner takes official notice that in the art of lawnmower controls, it is old and well known for manual lawnmower controls to include a switch boxes with electrical components that are for controlling working states of the lawn mower. Therefore, it would be obvious for the manual controls of Frick to include an control as claimed.
Regarding claim 19, Frick discloses a walk-behind working machine (Figure 1), comprising: a body comprising a walking assembly (Wheels 106A) and a drive assembly (¶0062 discloses powered wheels) for driving the walking assembly; a handle device (handle assembly 124) comprising a grip (125) for a user to hold; and a connecting rod assembly (122a/122b) for connecting the body to the handle device; wherein the walk-behind working machine further comprises a display (Figure 25, display 166) capable of displaying information related to the walk-behind working machine (The display is a mobile computer as disclosed in ¶0123, therefore it is capable of displaying information related to anything to include the walk-behind working machine), wherein the display is configured to be slidably and/or rotatably connected to the handle device.
Frick discloses that the cradle of the display may be adjustable such as to adjust the viewing angle (¶0121) and Frick further discloses that any other retention device may be used as well within the scope of the invention (¶0122).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, for the cradle of figure 25 to be rotatable at the clamp portion where it attached to the handle for adjusting the angle of the view for the purpose of meeting the adjustability disclosed by Frick as an obvious design choice. Further It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use any known tablet or phone holder which is rotatable and attached to the handle as well as an obvious design choice for the adjustability disclosed by Frick.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Driscoll (US 2024/0081180).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ADAM J BEHRENS whose telephone number is (303)297-4336. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-2pm MST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph M. Rocca can be reached at (571) 272-8971. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ADAM J BEHRENS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3671