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 .
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed 6/24/2026 has been entered. Claim 13 has been amended. Claims 1-20 are pending in the application.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Page 1 CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] should be updated to reflect that the current status of parent Application 17/449,892 is now patent No. US 11,847,310.
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 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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Piaskowski et al. (hereinafter Piaskowski), US 2015/0293508 A1, in view of Biesterveld et al. (hereinafter Biesterveld), US 2018/0217621 A1.
Piaskowski and Biesterveld were disclosed in an IDS dated 1/11/2024
Regarding independent claim 1, Piaskowski teaches a method of configuring a building management system, the building management system including a plurality of building system components, the method comprising (Abstract [0001]-[0002] “present invention relates generally to the field of building automation systems”, [0048] "methods described herein may be used to generate equipment definitions for various types of building equipment…building equipment may include any number or type of BAS devices"): selecting a template, wherein the template includes one or more relative addresses for defining a relative binding between one or more points of the building management system ([0048]-[0050], [0098] "equipment object creation module 156 determines which of a plurality of equipment definitions to retrieve", [0138] "A user can select one or more of equipment definitions 1502 via user interface 1500", [0100] “creates an equipment discovery table based on the equipment definition…Each column of the equipment discovery table may correspond to a point definition of the equipment definition”, [0072] "Each point definition may define a data point of a particular type and may include search criteria for automatically discovering and/or identifying data points that satisfy the point definition"; wherein the equipment definition that a user selects (selecting a template) and can include an equipment discovery table with one or more point definitions in columns acting as relative addresses for defining a relative binding through search criteria for automatically discovering a particular data point for that equipment definition of the building equipment (wherein the template includes one or more relative addresses for defining a relative binding between one or more points of the building management system)); searching the building management system to find a building system component of the plurality of building system components that matches the selected template, resulting in a matching building system component ([0048] “building equipment may include any number or type of BAS devices”, [0101] Equipment object creation module 156 may search for data points of the BAS device (searching the building management system to find a building system component of the plurality of building system components) that satisfy one or more of the point definitions included in the equipment definition (resulting in a matching building system component that matches the selected template)); instantiating the template, the instantiated template representing the matching building system component ([0078] "an equipment object can be created by applying an equipment definition to the data points provided by a BAS device"; wherein the equipment object teaches the instantiated template representing the matching building system component); and updating the one or more relative addresses of the instantiated template to bind one or more points defined by the template that correspond to the matching building system component ([0101] “use the equipment definition to automatically identify one or more data points of the selected BAS device to map to the columns of the equipment discovery table”, [0102] "equipment object creation module 156 automatically maps (e.g., links, associates, relates, etc.) the identified data points of selected BAS device to the equipment discovery table", [0078] "A data point that satisfies a point definition can be mapped to an attribute of the equipment object corresponding to the point definition"; wherein updating one or more columns of the equipment discovery table of the equipment definition to bind one or more points defined by the equipment definition that correspond to the matching BAS device).
Piaskowski does not expressly teach a graphical image that corresponds to a building system component type, binding between the graphical image and one or more points of the building management system, and bind the graphical image of the instantiated template with one or more points.
However, Biesterveld teaches a graphical image that corresponds to a building system component type ([0031] "The selected configuration is presented in schematic form to the user where it may be modified by the user as needed, to add, delete, or reposition specific HVAC components"; [0034] "cooling coil 106... position icon 107"; [0040] "Device templates may include terminal devices (e.g., VAV boxes), system components (e.g., cooling coils), control devices (e.g., temperature controllers)"; wherein stencils or icons representing HVAC components like cooling coils or VAV boxes), binding between the graphical image and one or more points of the building management system, bind the graphical image of the instantiated template with one or more points ([0031], [0034]-[0035] "control circuit 116 necessary to communicatively couple temperature controller 115 and system controller 117 is automatically generated"; [0040]-[0041] "The selected device template is placed in the user-specified location, and any necessary connections (fluid, power, control) are automatically generated and displayed in the schematic"; wherein automatically generating connections such as control circuits between the placed device template/graphical image and the system. Notably, "[e]ach stencil includes a mapping of a stencil to configuration and placement candidate locations" (Biesterveld [0040]), such that each graphical stencil carries associated machine-readable rules and mappings).
Because Piaskowski and Biesterveld address the issue of configuring and modeling building management systems and their components, accordingly, it would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of utilizing a widget library of graphical images corresponding to building system component types and binding these graphical images to the system configuration as suggested by Biesterveld into Piaskowski's method, with a reasonable expectation of success, such that Piaskowski incorporates Biesterveld by modifying the template equipment definition of Piaskowski to include a graphical image corresponding to the building system component type that is bound to the points to teach selecting a template, wherein the template includes a graphical image that corresponds to a building system component type and one or more relative addresses for defining a relative binding between the graphical image and one or more points of the building management system; and updating the one or more relative addresses of the instantiated template to bind the graphical image of the instantiated template with one or more points defined by the template that correspond to the matching building system component. This modification would have been motivated by the desire to provide a visual and intuitive graphical user interface for operators to easily monitor, design, and interact with the configured equipment definitions, thereby improving the efficiency and user experience of configuring the building management system (Biesterveld [0031], [0033] and Piaskowski [0053]). This incorporation is further supported by Piaskowski's own template architecture: the equipment definition "includes an indication of display data" and "[d]isplay data may define one or more data points of the BAS device that will be displayed via a user interface" (Piaskowski [0094]), client services "provide client devices with a graphical user interface that consumes data points and/or display data defined by equipment definitions 140 and mapped by equipment objects 144" (Piaskowski [0082]), and the point-definition search criteria include "a net point address attribute 1218" (Piaskowski [0130]). Incorporating Biesterveld's graphical image into a template that already defines display content bound to its point definitions is the use of a known technique to improve a similar method in the same field, with predictable results.
Regarding dependent claim 2, Piaskowski, in view of Biesterveld, teach the method of claim 1 comprising: searching the building management system to find two or more building system components of the plurality of building system components that match the selected template, resulting in two or more matching building system components (see Piaskowski [0099] "equipment object creation module 156 may identify a BAS device of BAS 11 to which the equipment definition applies. For example, equipment object creation module 156 may identify a BAS device that is of the same type of building equipment as the archetypal BAS device used to generate the equipment definition", [0143] "If multiple equipment objects will be generated (e.g., if a user drags multiple BAS devices into the equipment discovery table), equipment object creation module 156 data points may identify a list of data points associated with each BAS device for which an equipment object will be generated"); displaying the two or more matching building system components of the building management system (see Piaskowski [0099] "In various embodiments, the BAS device used to generate the equipment object may be selected automatically (e.g., by equipment object creation module 156), manually (e.g., by a user) or semi-automatically (e.g., by a user in response to an automated prompt from equipment object creation module 156)", [0142] "a user can drag and drop BAS devices 1702 from BAS network tree 1700 into equipment discovery table 1600"; wherein the system can display the matching devices to the user via a prompt or network tree); and receiving a selection of one of the matching building system components, resulting in the matching building system component (see Piaskowski [0099] "selected... manually (e.g., by a user) or semi-automatically (e.g., by a user in response to an automated prompt", [0142] "a user can drag and drop BAS devices 1702").
Regarding dependent claim 3, Piaskowski, in view of Biesterveld, teach the method of claim 1 comprising: searching the building management system to find two or more building system components of the plurality of building system components that match the selected template, resulting in two or more matching building system components; displaying the two or more matching building system components of the building management system; receiving a selection of two of the matching building system components, resulting in two or more matching building system components (see Piaskowski [0099], [0142]-[0143] as discussed above for claim 2, wherein the user can select multiple devices); instantiating a first instantiation of the template to represent a first one of the two matching building system components; instantiating a second instantiation of the template to represent a second one of the two matching building system components (see Piaskowski [0142] "Each of BAS devices 1702 is shown as a separate row in FIG. 18", [0154] "creating equipment objects for each BAS device using the mappings between data points and equipment object attributes established in step 2230"; wherein the system instantiates an equipment object for each selected device); updating the one or more relative addresses of the first instantiation of the template to bind the graphical image of the first instantiation of the template with one or more points defined by the template that correspond to the first one of the two matching building system components; and updating the one or more relative addresses of the second instantiation of the template to bind the graphical image of the second instantiation of the template with one or more points defined by the template that correspond to the second one of the two matching building system components (see Piaskowski [0142] "Columns 1602-1616 may be automatically mapped to a particular data point for each of BAS devices 1702 based on the equipment definition used to generate equipment discovery table 1600"; [0154] "creating equipment objects for each BAS device using the mappings between data points and equipment object attributes established in step 2230"; wherein the system updates the mappings/bindings for each instantiation).
Regarding dependent claim 4, Piaskowski, in view of Biesterveld, teach the method of claim 1, wherein searching the building management system to find a building system component of the plurality of building system components that matches the selected template comprises searching the building management system to find a building system component that includes points that match the one or more points defined by the template (see Piaskowski [0101] "Equipment object creation module 156 may search for data points of the BAS device that satisfy one or more of the point definitions included in the equipment definition").
Regarding dependent claim 5, Piaskowski, in view of Biesterveld, teach the method of claim 4, wherein searching the building management system to find a building system component of the plurality of building system components that matches the selected template comprises searching the building management system to find a building system component that matches the building system component type defined by the template and includes points that match the one or more points defined by the template (see Piaskowski [0098] "equipment object creation module 156 determines which of a plurality of equipment definitions to retrieve based on the type of BAS device used to create the equipment object", [0099] "equipment object creation module 156 may identify a BAS device that is of the same type of building equipment as the archetypal BAS device used to generate the equipment definition", [0101] "Equipment object creation module 156 may search for data points of the BAS device that satisfy one or more of the point definitions included in the equipment definition").
Regarding dependent claim 6, Piaskowski, in view of Biesterveld, teach the method of claim 1, wherein searching the building management system to find a building system component of the plurality of building system components that matches the selected template comprises searching the building management system to find a building system component that matches the building system component type defined by the template (see Piaskowski [0098] "equipment object creation module 156 determines which of a plurality of equipment definitions to retrieve based on the type of BAS device used to create the equipment object", [0099] "equipment object creation module 156 may identify a BAS device that is of the same type of building equipment as the archetypal BAS device used to generate the equipment definition").
Regarding dependent claim 7, Piaskowski, in view of Biesterveld, teach the method of claim 1, wherein the instantiating step is performed before the searching step (see Piaskowski [0100] "equipment object creation module 156 creates an equipment discovery table based on the equipment definition" (instantiating), [0101] "Equipment object creation module 156 may search for data points of the selected BAS device to map to the columns of the equipment discovery table" (searching)).
Regarding dependent claim 8, Piaskowski, in view of Biesterveld, teach the method of claim 1, wherein the instantiating step is performed after the searching step (see Piaskowski [0143] "equipment object creation module 156 may access data points network 1000 to identify all of the data points 1012 associated with each BAS device for which an equipment object will be generated" (searching), [0154] "process 2200 is shown to include creating equipment objects for each BAS device using the mappings between data points and equipment object attributes established in step 2230" (instantiating)).
Regarding dependent claim 9, Piaskowski, in view of Biesterveld, teach the method of claim 1, wherein the instantiating the template includes updating the one or more relative addresses of the instantiated template to bind the graphical image of the instantiated template with one or more points defined by the template that correspond to the matching building system component (see Piaskowski [0154] "creating equipment objects for each BAS device using the mappings between data points and equipment object attributes established in step 2230").
Regarding dependent claim 10, Piaskowski, in view of Biesterveld, teach the method of claim 1, wherein instantiating the template comprises dragging and dropping the selected template onto an editor page (see Biesterveld [0034] "The placement of cooling coil 106 to the system configuration is accomplished by dragging cooling coil 106 to the desired position 107", [0040] "initial user interface consisting of device templates (stencils)... The selected device template is placed in the user-specified location").
Regarding dependent claim 11, Piaskowski, in view of Biesterveld, teach the method of claim 10, further comprising dragging and dropping one or more points of the matching building system component onto the graphical image of the instantiated template on the editor page, and updating the one or more relative addresses of the instantiated template to bind the graphical image of the instantiated template with one or more points defined by the template and dropped and dragged onto the graphical image of the instantiated template (see Piaskowski [0131] "data points 1004 can be dragged and dropped into point definition portion 1202", [0142] "a user can drag and drop BAS devices 1702 from BAS network tree 1700 into equipment discovery table 1600. Each of BAS devices 1702 is shown as a separate row in FIG. 18. Columns 1602-1616 may be automatically mapped to a particular data point for each of BAS devices 1702 based on the equipment definition used to generate equipment discovery table 1600").
Regarding dependent claim 12, Piaskowski, in view of Biesterveld, teach the method of claim 1, wherein selecting the template comprises selecting the template from a plurality of predefined templates (see Piaskowski [0138] "A user can select one or more of equipment definitions 1502 via user interface 1500", [0098] "equipment object creation module 156 determines which of a plurality of equipment definitions to retrieve").
Regarding dependent claim 13, Piaskowski, in view of Biesterveld, teach the method of claim 1, further comprising: operating the building management system (Piaskowski [0106] "Building control services module 160 may be configured to automatically control BAS 11 and the various subsystems thereof"); and displaying the graphical image associated with the instantiated template along with current values or states for the one or more points bound to the graphical image associated with the instantiated template (Piaskowski [0157] "User interface 2400 is shown displaying Zone temperature attribute 2302, occupancy attribute 2304... User interface 2400 is shown to include the reference values mapped to each attribute", including "the value of reference attribute 2308 (i.e., 76.3° F.)" and "the value of reference attribute 2310 (i.e., occupied)", a current value and a current state, respectively; [0077] "The mapping provided by equipment objects 144 may be used to associate a particular data value measured or calculated by BAS 11 with an attribute that can be displayed via a user interface"; wherein, in the combination set forth for claim 1, the graphical image incorporated into Piaskowski's equipment-definition template is displayed along with the current values or states of the points bound to it), wherein the graphical image of the instantiated template is configured to reference a current value or current state of one or more of the bound points of the matching building system component (Piaskowski [0078] "A data point that satisfies a point definition can be mapped to an attribute of the equipment object corresponding to the point definition", [0102] the instantiated template's point definitions are automatically resolved and mapped to the actual data points of the matching device; [0082] client services "provide client devices with a graphical user interface that consumes data points and/or display data defined by equipment definitions 140 and mapped by equipment objects 144"; see also [0162]-[0164] and [0168], e.g., [0164] "Circles that are filled in (e.g., darkened, colored, etc.) indicate that the corresponding stage is currently powered" and "The lower portion of circle 2710 displays the current space temperature", with [0163] providing that the displayed data values "may be mapped to an attribute of an equipment object which serves the space", graphical elements whose own appearance references and indicates current values and states of mapped points).
Regarding independent claim 14, Biesterveld teaches a method of configuring a building management system for operation, the building management system including a plurality of building system components, the method comprising: (Abstract [0003], [0031]); accessing a widget library, the widget library comprising a plurality of individual graphical images that each graphically represent operation of a corresponding building system component having a building system component type; ([0034] "system configuration selection icons 101-104", [0040] "initial user interface consisting of device templates (stencils)... Device templates may include terminal devices (e.g., VAV boxes), system components (e.g., cooling coils), control devices"; wherein the stencils or device templates act as the widget library of graphical images); dragging and dropping a selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images from the widget library onto an editor page; ([0034] "The placement of cooling coil 106 to the system configuration is accomplished by dragging cooling coil 106 to the desired position 107"); automatically binding the one or more points with the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images, wherein the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images is configured to reference a current value or current state of one or more of the bound points and visually display an indication of the current value or current state; and ([0035] "control circuit 116 necessary to communicatively couple temperature controller 115 and system controller 117 is automatically generated"; [0036] "For clarity, floor plan 203 depicts all zones that currently use the same zone level equipment using the same color"; wherein automatically generating the control circuit teaches automatically binding the points with the graphical image, and depicting the zones using the same color teaches visually displaying an indication of the current value or state of the bound points); saving the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images along with the binding with the respective one or more points ([0031] "The new configuration may be added to the predefined HVAC system configurations").
Biesterveld does not expressly teach based on the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images that is dragged and dropped onto the editor page, automatically identifying and displaying one or more points of one or more building system components of the building management system that have the same building system component type as a building system component represented by the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images; dragging and dropping one or more of the displayed points of a selected one of the plurality of building system components that have the same building system component type as the building system component represented by the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images onto the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images on the editor page; in response to dragging and dropping the one or more displayed points of the selected one of the plurality of building system components onto the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images on the editor page.
However, Piaskowski teaches based on the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images that is dragged and dropped onto the editor page, automatically identifying and displaying one or more points of one or more building system components of the building management system that have the same building system component type as a building system component represented by the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images ([0101] "Equipment object creation module 156 may search for data points of the BAS device that satisfy one or more of the point definitions included in the equipment definition", [0142]-[0143] "a user can drag and drop BAS devices 1702 from BAS network tree 1700 into equipment discovery table 1600... identify a list of data points associated with each BAS device"; teaches searching for and displaying data points in an equipment discovery table); dragging and dropping one or more of the displayed points of a selected one of the plurality of building system components that have the same building system component type as the building system component represented by the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images onto the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images on the editor page; in response to dragging and dropping the one or more displayed points of the selected one of the plurality of building system components onto the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images on the editor page ([0131] "data points 1004 can be dragged and dropped into point definition portion 1202", [0142] "a user can drag and drop BAS devices 1702 from BAS network tree 1700 into equipment discovery table 1600", [0147] "in response to a user dragging and dropping multiple BAS devices into an equipment discovery table"; teaches a method of configuring equipment definitions by mapping and binding points to templates via drag-and-drop actions).
Because Biesterveld and Piaskowski address the issue of configuring building management systems through graphical user interfaces and mapping components to data points, accordingly, it would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of identifying and displaying data points and dragging and dropping data points onto templates or graphical representations to bind them as suggested by Piaskowski into Biesterveld's method, with a reasonable expectation of success, such that Biesterveld incorporates Piaskowski by automatically identifying and displaying data points of building system components having the same component type as the selected graphical image, and allowing users to drag and drop the displayed points directly onto the selected graphical images on the editor page to trigger the automatic binding to teach based on the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images that is dragged and dropped onto the editor page, automatically identifying and displaying one or more points of one or more building system components of the building management system that have the same building system component type as a building system component represented by the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images; dragging and dropping one or more of the displayed points of a selected one of the plurality of building system components that have the same building system component type as the building system component represented by the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images onto the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images on the editor page; in response to dragging and dropping the one or more displayed points of the selected one of the plurality of building system components onto the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images on the editor page. This modification would have been motivated by the desire to provide users with flexible, bidirectional drag-and-drop configuration capabilities, allowing for intuitive manual bindings and associations between specific data points and graphical widgets, thereby enhancing the configurability and user-friendliness of the building management system interface (Piaskowski [0053], [0159]).
Regarding claim 15, Biesterveld, in view of Piaskowski, teach the method of claim 14, further comprising: operating the building management system; and displaying the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images along with current values for the one or more points bound to the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images (see Piaskowski [0157] "User interface 2400 is shown displaying Zone temperature attribute 2302, occupancy attribute 2304... User interface 2400 is shown to include the reference values mapped to each attribute... value of reference attribute 2310 (i.e., occupied)", [0106] "Building control services module 160 may be configured to automatically control BAS 11 and the various subsystems thereof").
Regarding claim 16, Biesterveld, in view of Piaskowski, teach the method of claim 14, further comprising: saving the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images along with the binding with the respective one or more points as a template, with the binding represented as a relative address (see Piaskowski [0093] "use the generated point definitions to create an equipment definition for a particular type of building equipment... The equipment definition may include one or more of the generated point definitions"; [0096] "store the equipment definitions in a data storage device"; [0100] "creates an equipment discovery table based on the equipment definition... Each column of the equipment discovery table may correspond to a point definition of the equipment definition").
Regarding claim 17, Biesterveld, in view of Piaskowski, teach the method of claim 16, further comprising: instantiating the template; and updated the relative address of the instantiated template to bind the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images of the instantiated template to one or more points defined by the template that correspond to a particular one of the plurality of building system components that have the building system component type (see Piaskowski [0098] "equipment object creation module 156 determines which of a plurality of equipment definitions to retrieve based on the type of BAS device used to create the equipment object", [0101] "use the equipment definition to automatically identify one or more data points of the selected BAS device to map to the columns of the equipment discovery table", [0102] "equipment object creation module 156 automatically maps (e.g., links, associates, relates, etc.) the identified data points of selected BAS device to the equipment discovery table").
Regarding independent claim 18, Biesterveld teaches a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to ([0044]-[0045] "Storage 730 comprises non-volatile storage... which can be used for storage of a data which persists through power cycling... software program execution"): allow a user access to a widget library, the widget library comprising a plurality of individual graphical images that each represent a corresponding building system component of a building management system ([0034] "system configuration selection icons 101-104", [0040] "initial user interface consisting of device templates (stencils)... Device templates may include terminal devices (e.g., VAV boxes), system components (e.g., cooling coils), control devices"; teaches allowing a user to access system configuration selection icons comprising a plurality of individual icons and user interface can correspond to building system component of a building control system); operate the building management system ([0003], [0033] Building automation system BAS and "simulation engine to evaluate the performance of the system").
Biesterveld does not expressly teach a different state or status reported by a bound point of a corresponding building system component; allow a user to bind each state or status of one or more points of a selected building system component to a corresponding one of the plurality of individual graphical images associated with the selected building system component; and display a corresponding one of the plurality of individual graphical image that is bound to a current state or a current status for the respective one or more points of the selected building system component.
However, Piaskowski teaches a different state or status reported by a bound point of a corresponding building system component [0077] "Equipment objects 144 may be software objects that define a mapping between a data point type (e.g., supply air temperature, room temperature, damper position) and an actual data point (e.g., a measured or calculated value for the corresponding data point type)"); allow a user to bind each state or status of one or more points of a selected building system component to a corresponding one of the plurality of individual graphical images associated with the selected building system component ([0077] "Equipment objects 144 may be software objects that define a mapping between a data point type (e.g., supply air temperature, room temperature, damper position) and an actual data point (e.g., a measured or calculated value for the corresponding data point type)", [0157] "User interface 2400 is shown displaying Zone temperature attribute 2302, occupancy attribute 2304... User interface 2400 is shown to include the reference values mapped to each attribute... value of reference attribute 2310 (i.e., occupied)"; teaches binding specific states or statuses of data points (e.g., occupied command, room temperature, damper position) to corresponding attributes or representations of the selected building system component); and display a corresponding one of the plurality of individual graphical image that is bound to a current state or a current status for the respective one or more points of the selected building system component ([0157] "User interface 2400 is shown displaying Zone temperature attribute 2302, occupancy attribute 2304... User interface 2400 is shown to include the reference values mapped to each attribute... value of reference attribute 2310 (i.e., occupied)"; teaches displaying the current values or states of bound attributes).
Because Biesterveld and Piaskowski address the issue of visually representing and configuring building management system components and their operational data, accordingly, it would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of binding specific states or statuses of data points to corresponding graphical representations as suggested by Piaskowski into Biesterveld's computer-readable storage medium’s instructions, with a reasonable expectation of success, such that Biesterveld incorporates Piaskowski by configuring the widget library images to represent different states or statuses and allowing the user to bind these states or statuses of points to the graphical images and displaying the graphical image bound to the current state or status to teach the widget library comprising a plurality of individual graphical images that each represent a different state or status reported by a bound point of a corresponding building system component of a building management system; allow a user to bind each state or status of one or more points of a selected building system component to a corresponding one of the plurality of individual graphical images associated with the selected building system component; and display a corresponding one of the plurality of individual graphical image that is bound to a current state or a current status for the respective one or more points of the selected building system component. This modification would have been motivated by the desire to facilitate the presentation of equipment-specific data points in an intuitive and user-friendly manner by associating each data point's state or value with a visual attribute that can be easily monitored via the user interface (Piaskowski [0077], [0157]).
Regarding claim 19, Biesterveld, in view of Piaskowski, teach the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to save the plurality of individual graphical images along with the binding with their respective one or more points as a template, with the binding represented as a relative address (see Piaskowski [0093] "use the generated point definitions to create an equipment definition for a particular type of building equipment... The equipment definition may include one or more of the generated point definitions", [0096] "store the equipment definitions in a data storage device", [0100] "creates an equipment discovery table based on the equipment definition... Each column of the equipment discovery table may correspond to a point definition of the equipment definition").
Regarding claim 20, Biesterveld, in view of Piaskowski, teach the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to allow a user to instantiate the template and updated the relative address of the instantiated template to bind each state or status of one or more points of subsequently selected building system component (see Piaskowski [0098] "equipment object creation module 156 determines which of a plurality of equipment definitions to retrieve based on the type of BAS device used to create the equipment object", [0101] "use the equipment definition to automatically identify one or more data points of the selected BAS device to map to the columns of the equipment discovery table", [0102] "equipment object creation module 156 automatically maps (e.g., links, associates, relates, etc.) the identified data points of selected BAS device to the equipment discovery table").
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/24/2026 with respect to the rejection of claims 1-20 under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Piaskowski in view of Biesterveld have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Biesterveld [0031], [0035], and [0040]-[0041] teach "schematic line connections or engineering-design relationships among HVAC components, not a relative address that represents a binding between a graphical image and one or more BMS points defined by a template" (Remarks, p. 8).
Examiner respectfully disagrees. This argument is not persuasive because it attacks Biesterveld individually, whereas the rejection is based on the combination of Piaskowski in view of Biesterveld. One cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejection is based on a combination of references (In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986); MPEP 2145(IV)).
Biesterveld was not relied upon to teach the recited relative addresses. The rejection relies on Piaskowski for the relative-address architecture (Piaskowski [0048]-[0050], [0072], [0098], [0100], [0138]) and on Biesterveld for the graphical image that corresponds to a building system component type; the binding between the graphical image and the one or more points arises from the combination as articulated in the rejection, in which Biesterveld's graphical image is incorporated into Piaskowski's equipment-definition template so that Piaskowski's point-resolution machinery binds the image with the points. The citations to Biesterveld [0031], [0034]-[0035], [0040]-[0041] for the image-binding aspect are supplemented, not replaced, by the passages discussed below (Piaskowski [0082], [0094], [0130]; Biesterveld [0040]).
Piaskowski teaches the relative-address element. Each of Piaskowski's equipment definitions includes point definitions, and each "may define a data point of a particular type and may include search criteria for automatically discovering and/or identifying data points that satisfy the point definition" (Piaskowski [0072]). The point definitions are specified "without regard to the model, manufacturer, vendor, or other differences between building equipment of the same general type" (Piaskowski [0049]), i.e., they are instance-independent references that are resolved, upon application of the equipment definition to a particular device, to the actual data points of that device: "if a data point of the selected BAS device has the name 'VMA-18.SUP-FLOW' and a search criterion is the text string 'SUP-FLOW,' equipment object creation module 156 may determine that the search criterion is met. Accordingly, equipment object creation module 156 may map the data point of the selected BAS device to the corresponding column of the equipment discovery table" (Piaskowski [0102]; see also [0078]). Piaskowski's search criteria further expressly include "a net point address attribute 1218" (Piaskowski [0130]). When relative address is given its broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the specification, which describes the relative address as the representation of a binding saved in the template and updated upon instantiation to bind to each matching component (specification [0029], [0033]), without requiring any particular address syntax or data format. Piaskowski's instance independent, search criteria based point definitions are such relative addresses.
Biesterveld is relied upon for the graphical image. Biesterveld teaches "device templates (stencils)" including "terminal devices (e.g., VAV boxes), system components (e.g., cooling coils), control devices (e.g., temperature controllers)" (Biesterveld [0040]) and teaches selecting and placing such an image on a schematic workspace, e.g., "dragging cooling coil 106 to the desired position 107" (Biesterveld [0034]). Notably, "[e]ach stencil includes a mapping of a stencil to configuration and placement candidate locations" (Biesterveld [0040]), so each graphical stencil already carries an associated data mapping. In the combination as articulated in the rejection, Biesterveld's component type graphical image is folded into Piaskowski's equipment definition template so that the template includes both the image and the point definitions, and the relative binding between the graphical image and one or more points arises from the combined template not from Biesterveld's schematic interconnect lines standing alone. The test for obviousness is not whether the claimed invention must be expressly suggested in any one reference; the test is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art (In re Keller).
Moreover, Piaskowski itself ties graphical display content to the template's point definitions: the equipment definition "includes an indication of display data" and "[d]isplay data may define one or more data points of the BAS device that will be displayed via a user interface" (Piaskowski [0094]), and client services "provide client devices with a graphical user interface that consumes data points and/or display data defined by equipment definitions 140 and mapped by equipment objects 144" (Piaskowski [0082]). Piaskowski's template thus already carries a display element associated with its point definitions, and incorporating Biesterveld's graphical image into that template is the use of a known technique to improve a similar method in the same field with predictable results. Accordingly, Applicant's characterization of Biesterveld [0031], [0035], and [0041] as teaching only schematic interconnections, even if accurate as to those paragraphs taken in isolation, does not address the rejection as articulated, and the rejection of claim 1 is maintained.
Applicant argues (Remarks, p. 8-9) that the Office acknowledged Piaskowski does not teach the claimed limitation, that "Piaskowski's mappings are data-object mappings, not graphical-image bindings," and that even if combined, the references "would at most provide data-point discovery and schematic component placement" rather than the claimed template architecture.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. This argument is not persuasive. First, the argument mischaracterizes the Office Action. The rejection acknowledged only that Piaskowski does not expressly teach the graphical-image aspects of claim 1, a graphical image that corresponds to a building system component type and the binding of that image with the points, and applied Biesterveld for those aspects. The acknowledgment did not extend to the remainder of the claimed architecture, which Piaskowski itself teaches. As to one or more relative addresses for defining a relative binding between the graphical image and one or more points of the building management system, Piaskowski teaches that each equipment definition includes point definitions, where "[e]ach point definition may define a data point of a particular type and may include search criteria for automatically discovering and/or identifying data points that satisfy the point definition" (Piaskowski [0072]). These point definitions are instance independent, specifying "data point types as generalized types of data without regard to the model, manufacturer, vendor, or other differences between building equipment of the same general type" (Piaskowski [0049]), and are automatically resolved to the actual points of a matching device upon instantiation: "if a data point of the selected BAS device has the name 'VMA-18.SUP-FLOW' and a search criterion is the text string 'SUP-FLOW,' equipment object creation module 156 may determine that the search criterion is met" and may then "map the data point of the selected BAS device to the corresponding column" (Piaskowski [0102]; see also [0078], [0101]). Piaskowski therefore teaches the relative-address and updating architecture; only the graphical image aspects, the image and its binding with the points, required resort to Biesterveld.
Second, the argument attacks the references individually where the rejection is based on a combination of references. One cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejection is based on a combination of references (In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091 (Fed. Cir. 1986)). That Piaskowski's mappings are data-object mappings rather than graphical-image bindings is precisely the acknowledged gap the rejection fills with Biesterveld, whose "device templates (stencils)" include graphical images of "terminal devices (e.g., VAV boxes), system components (e.g., cooling coils), control devices (e.g., temperature controllers)" (Biesterveld [0040]). The rejection modifies Piaskowski's template equipment definition to include such a graphical image corresponding to the component type, so that the image is part of the template itself. When the modified equipment definition is applied to the matching BAS device and its point definitions are automatically resolved to that device's actual data points (Piaskowski [0101]-[0102]; "[a] data point that satisfies a point definition can be mapped to an attribute of the equipment object corresponding to the point definition," Piaskowski [0078]), the graphical image carried by the instantiated template is thereby bound with the resolved points, meeting updating the one or more relative addresses of the instantiated template to bind the graphical image of the instantiated template with one or more points defined by the template that correspond to the matching building system component. Applicant's characterization of the result as "at most ... data-point discovery and schematic component placement" describes a side by side aggregation of the two references, not the combination the rejection articulated. The test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference; rather, the test is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to one of ordinary skill in the art (In re Keller, 642 F.2d at 425).
Third, the proposed combination is a natural extension of Piaskowski's own template architecture, which already ties displayed content to the template's point definitions: "the equipment definition ... includes an indication of display data for BAS devices that reference the equipment definition. Display data may define one or more data points of the BAS device that will be displayed via a user interface" (Piaskowski [0094]), and client services "provide client devices with a graphical user interface that consumes data points and/or display data defined by equipment definitions 140 and mapped by equipment objects 144" (Piaskowski [0082]). Biesterveld likewise teaches that each graphical stencil carries associated machine-readable rules and mappings ("Each stencil includes a mapping of a stencil to configuration and placement candidate locations," Biesterveld [0040]). Incorporating Biesterveld's graphical image into a template that already defines display content bound to its point definitions is the use of a known technique to improve a similar method in the same field, with predictable results.
Fourth, the argument relies in part on features not recited in claim 1. Applicant contends the combination fails to teach an architecture in which the bound graphical image "can reference and visually display current values or states of those bound points." Claim 1 recites no displaying step and no requirement that the graphical image reference or display current values or states; that language appears in claims 13 and 14. A claim cannot be distinguished from the prior art on the basis of limitations it does not recite (In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181 (Fed. Cir. 1993)). Moreover, where such features are actually claimed, Piaskowski teaches them, for example "displaying the value of reference attribute 2308 (i.e., 76.3° F.) ... and the value of reference attribute 2310 (i.e., occupied)" (Piaskowski [0157]) and graphical elements that "indicate that the corresponding stage is currently powered" and "provide an indication of the current occupancy status of the space" (Piaskowski [0164]), as addressed in the response to Applicant's argument regarding claim 13.
The rejection of claim 1 and dependent claims 2-13 over Piaskowski in view of Biesterveld is maintained.
Applicant's arguments (Remarks, p. 9) with respect to amended claim 13, that Piaskowski [0157] "concerns equipment-object mappings, not a graphical image of an instantiated template configured to reference current values or states of points bound to that graphical image," and that "Piaskowski does not disclose such an instantiated graphical template or updated relative address bindings," have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
First, the argument attacks Piaskowski individually, whereas the rejection of claim 13 is based on the combination of Piaskowski in view of Biesterveld. One cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejection is based on a combination of references (In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091 (Fed. Cir. 1986)). In the rejection of claim 1, from which claim 13 depends, Biesterveld, not Piaskowski, is relied upon to teach the graphical image: Biesterveld teaches a palette of "device templates (stencils)" including "terminal devices (e.g., VAV boxes), system components (e.g., cooling coils), control devices (e.g., temperature controllers)" (Biesterveld [0040]) and placement of the component image by "dragging cooling coil 106 to the desired position 107" (Biesterveld [0034]). As set forth in the rejection of claim 1, the combination modifies Piaskowski's template equipment definition to include Biesterveld's graphical image bound to the template's points, so that the instantiated template of the combination is a graphical instantiated template. Applicant's observation that Piaskowski's user interface 2400 standing alone shows equipment object attributes rather than such a graphical image addresses Piaskowski alone and does not address what the combined teachings would have conveyed to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Second, the premise that Piaskowski lacks updating the one or more relative addresses of the instantiated template restates the arguments presented against claim 1 and is factually incorrect. Piaskowski teaches that "A data point that satisfies a point definition can be mapped to an attribute of the equipment object corresponding to the point definition" (Piaskowski [0078]) and that "equipment object creation module 156 automatically maps (e.g., links, associates, relates, etc.) the identified data points of selected BAS device to the equipment discovery table" (Piaskowski [0102]), the template's instance independent point definitions are resolved, upon instantiation, to the actual data points of the matching device.
Third, the applied combination teaches the amended language. As to current values or states, Piaskowski's user interface 2400 is shown "displaying the value of reference attribute 2308 (i.e., 76.3° F.) ... and the value of reference attribute 2310 (i.e., occupied)" (Piaskowski [0157]) - a current value and a current state, respectively. Those displayed attributes are actual point values of the building system: equipment objects "define a mapping between a data point type ... and an actual data point (e.g., a measured or calculated value for the corresponding data point type)" and are "used to associate a particular data value measured or calculated by BAS 11 with an attribute that can be displayed via a user interface" (Piaskowski [0077]). With building control services module 160 "configured to automatically control BAS 11 and the various subsystems thereof" (Piaskowski [0106]), the displayed measured values are current values and states of the operating building management system, teaching operating the building management system and the display of current values or states.
As to the added clause wherein the graphical image of the instantiated template is configured to reference a current value or current state of one or more of the bound points of the matching building system component, "configured to reference" is functional language requiring only an arrangement capable of performing the recited function. The combination provides that arrangement: the graphical image incorporated into Piaskowski's template is bound, upon instantiation, to the resolved points of the matching device (Piaskowski [0078], [0102]), and Piaskowski's client services "provide client devices with a graphical user interface that consumes data points and/or display data defined by equipment definitions 140 and mapped by equipment objects 144" (Piaskowski [0082]), such that the displayed instantiation references the current values of its bound points. Moreover, Piaskowski expressly teaches graphical elements whose own appearance indicates current values and states of mapped points: "Circles that are filled in (e.g., darkened, colored, etc.) indicate that the corresponding stage is currently powered. Occupancy status indicators 2718 and 2818 provide an indication of the current occupancy status of the space (e.g., occupied, unoccupied). The lower portion of circle 2710 displays the current space temperature" (Piaskowski [0164]), in user interfaces that "provide a visualization of data points mapped to equipment objects and/or building objects" for monitoring and controlling BAS devices and spaces (Piaskowski [0162]-[0163]; see also [0168], [0202]; [0163]: displayed data values "may be mapped to an attribute of an equipment object which serves the space").
Accordingly, the amendment to claim 13 does not patentably distinguish over Piaskowski in view of Biesterveld, and the rejection of claim 13 is maintained.
Applicant argues (Remarks, p. 9-10) that Biesterveld does not teach claim 14 limitations wherein the selected one of the plurality of individual graphical images is configured to reference a current value or current state of one or more of the bound points and visually display an indication of the current value or current state, because the control circuit of Biesterveld [0035] is a schematic interconnection between two components rather than a binding of building management system points to a graphical image, and because the same-color zones of Biesterveld [0036] indicate that zones share common zone-level equipment rather than indicating a current value or current state of any bound point.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicant's reading of Biesterveld [0035]-[0036] standing alone is acknowledged, but it identifies no deficiency in the combination as articulated, because the rejection of claim 14 rests on Biesterveld in view of Piaskowski, and the combined teachings, including Piaskowski's automatic point mapping (Piaskowski [0102], [0142]-[0143], [0147]) and its display of current values and states of the mapped points (Piaskowski [0077], [0157]), already applied to claims 15 and 18 within this same ground of rejection, teach the disputed limitation. The test for obviousness is not what any single reference shows alone, but what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to one of ordinary skill in the art (In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 425 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 1097 (Fed. Cir. 1986)).
Biesterveld [0035]-[0036] were cited to show that Biesterveld's graphical editor automatically associates elements with one another immediately upon placement of a selected image ("Immediately upon placement the rules based engine updates schematic 105," Biesterveld [0034]; "the control circuit 116 necessary to communicatively couple temperature controller 115 and system controller 117 is automatically generated," Biesterveld [0035]). The binding of points to the selected graphical image, however, is supplied in the rejection by Piaskowski, whose identification, display, and drag and drop binding of data points the rejection expressly incorporates into Biesterveld's graphical editor (Piaskowski [0101], [0131], [0142]-[0143], [0147]; motivation at Piaskowski [0053], [0159]). Piaskowski teaches that the system "automatically maps (e.g., links, associates, relates, etc.) the identified data points of selected BAS device" when a point satisfies the applicable point definition (Piaskowski [0102]), that "Columns 1602-1616 may be automatically mapped to a particular data point for each of BAS devices 1702" (Piaskowski [0142]), and that the mapping may be "performed in response to a user dragging and dropping BAS devices into an equipment discovery table" (Piaskowski [0143]; see also [0147]).
Piaskowski further teaches that this same point mapping is what enables live display: "The mapping provided by equipment objects 144 may be used to associate a particular data value measured or calculated by BAS 11 with an attribute that can be displayed via a user interface" (Piaskowski [0077]), and user interface 2400 is shown "displaying the value of reference attribute 2308 (i.e., 76.3° F.) ... and the value of reference attribute 2310 (i.e., occupied)" (Piaskowski [0157]), a current value and a current state of the mapped points. These teachings are already of record within this same ground of rejection: Piaskowski [0157] and [0106] were applied to claim 15, which depends from claim 14, and Piaskowski [0077] and [0157] were applied to claim 18. In the system resulting from the combination, the selected graphical image from Biesterveld's widget library (Biesterveld [0034], [0040]) resides on the editor page bound to the data points identified and automatically mapped as taught by Piaskowski, and an image so bound is an arrangement configured to reference and visually display a current value ("76.3° F.") or a current state ("occupied") of the bound points, as the claim requires. Accordingly, the limitation is taught by the combined teachings of Piaskowski and Biesterveld as articulated in the rejection, and the rejection of claims 14-17 is maintained with the foregoing clarification of the combination.
As to claim 18, Applicant asserts only that "similar arguments support the patentability of claims 14 and 18, and the claims dependent on either" (Remarks, p. 10). This argument does not apply to claim 18, because the rejection of claim 18 did not rely on Biesterveld [0035]-[0036] for any state or status limitation. In the rejection of claim 18, Biesterveld was applied for the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium (Biesterveld [0044]-[0045]), the widget library of individual graphical images (Biesterveld [0034], [0040]), and operate the building management system (Biesterveld [0003], [0033]), while the limitations directed to images that each represent a different state or status reported by a bound point, binding each state or status of one or more points of a selected building system component to a corresponding image, and displaying the image bound to a current state or a current status were mapped to Piaskowski [0077] and [0157]. As set forth above, Piaskowski [0077] teaches associating "a particular data value measured or calculated by BAS 11" with an attribute displayable via a user interface, and Piaskowski [0157] teaches displaying the current state "occupied" and current values of the mapped points during operation of the building automation system controlled by building control services module 160 (Piaskowski [0106]). An argument directed to passages that were not relied upon for the disputed limitations identifies no deficiency in the rejection of claim 18, and no separate argument addressing the Piaskowski mapping actually applied to claim 18 has been presented. The rejection of claims 18-20 is maintained.
Conclusion
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