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 .
DETAILED ACTION
2. The action is responsive to the communications filed on 1/26/2026. Claims 1-32 are pending in the case. Claims 1, 27, 31 are amended. Claims 1, 27, 31 are independent claims. Claims 1-32 are rejected.
Summary of claims
3. Claims 1-32 are pending,
Claims 1, 27, 31 are amended,
Claims 1, 27, 31 are independent claims,
Claims 1-32 are rejected.
Remarks
4. Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 1/26/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-32 under 103 have been fully considered and are not persuasive in view of new rejection ground(s).
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
3. Claims 1-27, 29-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Randy Montgomery et al (US Publication 20180014480 A1, hereinafter Montgomery), and in view of Dzuy Nguyen (US Publication 20140343737 A1, hereinafter Nguyen), and Michael Wilbur et al (US Publication 20170041407 A1, hereinafter Wilbur), and Paul Standerfer et al (US Publication 20120041606 A1, hereinafter Standerfer).
As for independent claim 1, Montgomery discloses: An irrigation management system (Montgomery: Abstract, Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein related to irrigation control systems) comprising: an irrigation management application for use in monitoring and/or controlling irrigation of at least one irrigation area (Montgomery: [0132], the user is able to monitor all functionality of the irrigation controller via the alarm application) including a plurality of irrigation stations (Montgomery: [0084], Each card 1226 is associated with a device or group of devices. That is, each card 1126 is a visual representation of a device or group of devices. The device(s) can be irrigation controllers), wherein the irrigation management application is configured to be executed by an electronic device including a control circuit, and a memory, the irrigation management application being stored in the memory (Montgomery: [0109], The microcontroller 2102 includes a processor 2104 and memory 2106); wherein, when executed by the control circuit, the irrigation management application is configured to: cause a user interface to be displayed on a display to a user, the user interface including a map of a geographic region that includes the at least one irrigation area (Montgomery: [0097], The application can aggregate all of the components as they are marked by the user and create and map of the user's irrigation system based on the components);
cause the user interface to display station icons on the map, each station icon of the station icons corresponding to an irrigation station of the plurality of irrigation stations (Montgomery: [0071], the user can set irrigation schedules for each zone or area of the irrigation system, as indicated by the station selection);
Montgomery does not clearly disclose displaying station icon on the map, in an analogous art of automatic irrigation control system, Nguyen discloses: cause the user interface to display station icons on the map, each station icon of the station icons corresponding to an irrigation station of the plurality of irrigation stations (Nguyen: Fig. 8, display zone icons, a zone may include one or more devices; please note the icon may represent the device);
Montgomery and Nguyen are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, automatic irrigation control system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Montgomery using the teachings of Nguyen to include display zone/device icons on the map. It would provide Montgomery’s system with enhanced capabilities of allowing user to easily manage setting the irrigation components.
Further, Montgomery does not clearly disclose a hierarchy view, in an analogous art of automatic irrigation control system, Wilbur discloses: cause the user interface to display station icons on the map, each station icon of the station icons corresponding to an irrigation station of the plurality of irrigation stations (Wilbur: [0192], Scouting symbols (sc1, sc2, sc3) are shown on the map of the grower's operation for each scouting entry at the geolocation corresponding to each scouting entry. Each scouting symbol (sc1, sc2, sc3) can be activated to display details of the corresponding scouting entry. Also, each scouting entry in the scouting entry listing 4101 can be selected to display details of the scouting entry); and cause the user interface to display an interactive tree view selection menu … wherein the user interface is configured, in response to an interaction by a user with the interactive tree view selection menu, to permit the user to create a group of the irrigation stations, and wherein … the map visually indicates the station icons corresponding to the irrigation stations of the at least one group of the irrigation stations (Wilbur: [0169], An activatable hierarchy view button 1915 is provided that upon activation shows a hierarchy view 1917 of the currently selected farm. The hierarchy view 1917 is a tree view of the associations of the currently selected farm up to the currently selected grower. Also, an activatable view/edit farm icon 1919 is provided that when activated will allow the user to view and edit information about the currently selected farm using the interface as shown in FIG. 18; [0176], An activatable hierarchy view button 2515 is provided that upon activation shows a hierarchy view 2517 of the currently selected field. The hierarchy view 2517 is a tree view of the associations of the currently selected field up to the currently selected grower. Also, an activatable view/edit field icon 2519 is provided that when activated will allow the user to view and edit information about the currently selected field using the interface as shown in FIG. 21).
Montgomery and Wilbur are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, automatic irrigation control system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Montgomery using the teachings of Wilbur to include a hierarchy view. It would provide Montgomery’s system with enhanced capabilities of allowing user to easily manage setting the irrigation components.
Furthermore, Wilbur discloses a tree view interactive menu in Fig. 23 and displaying in Fig. 41 that the interactive menu and the map in the same view and the station icon will display in the map in response to user input in the menu, but Wilbur does not clearly disclose the interactive tree view selection menu and the map are displayed together, in another analogous art of automatic irrigation control system, Standerfer discloses: cause the user interface to display an interactive tree view selection menu wherein the interactive tree view selection menu and the map are displayed together within the user interface…wherein the interaction by the user with the interactive tree view selection menu to create the group of the irrigation stations causes the map to visually indicate the station icons corresponding to the irrigation stations of the at least one group of the irrigation stations created by the user via the interactive tree view selection menu (Standerfer: Fig. 9 and [0041], a hierarchical list display 188 is an interactive tree view selection menu and the map 182 are displayed with the hierarchical selection menu, a map display 182 displays the relative location of station icons 184 in response to user input in the interactive tree view selection menu 188);
Montgomery and Standerfer are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, automatic irrigation control system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Montgomery using the teachings of Standerfer to include a hierarchy view and a map are displayed in the same user interface. It would provide Montgomery’s system with enhanced capabilities of allowing user to easily and intuitively manage setting the irrigation components and can see the selection directly.
As for claim 2, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the irrigation management application is configured to cause the user interface to display the interactive tree view selection menu in response to an interaction by the user with a tree view select icon configured to activate the interactive tree view selection menu (Wilbur: [0176], An activatable hierarchy view button 2515 is provided that upon activation shows a hierarchy view 2517 of the currently selected field. The hierarchy view 2517 is a tree view of the associations of the currently selected field up to the currently selected grower. Also, an activatable view/edit field icon 2519 is provided that when activated will allow the user to view and edit information about the currently selected field using the interface as shown in FIG. 21).
As for claim 3, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the irrigation management application is configured to cause the user interface, in response to the interaction by the user with the interactive tree view selection menu, to generate the tree view selection menu configured to individually list the irrigation stations in the at least one group of the irrigation stations according to a tree branch parameter selected by the user (Wilbur: Fig. 40, user may use the tree view selection menu to make selection and configuring).
As for claim 4, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein each of the irrigation stations listed in the at least one group of the irrigation stations is associated with a visible identifier that uniquely identifies a respective one of the irrigation stations and includes: first indicator of a category type associated with a given irrigation station; and a second indicator assigned to the given irrigation station within the category type (Nguyen: Fig. 10, display an unique name for the zone; Fig. 21-22, unique identifier “id” for zone, device, etc.; please note the unique identifier may be displayed).
As for claim 5, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the tree view selection menu includes a listing of expandable and contractable branch parameters and sub-branch parameters to permit the user to view and select the irrigation stations in the at least one group of the irrigation stations (Wilbur: Figs. 40-46, the selection menu is expandable and contractable).
As for claim 6, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the tree branch parameter of the tree view selection menu is expandable and contractable in the tree view selection menu (Wilbur: Figs. 40-46, the selection menu is expandable and contractable).
As for claim 7, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein at least one sub-branch is not visible within the tree view selection menu until the selection of an expansion feature by the user to expand the tree branch parameter (Wilbur: Figs. 40-46, the selection menu is expandable and contractable, while contracted, the item is not visible).
As for claim 8, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the tree branch parameter of the tree view selection menu that is expandable includes an indicator to visually indicate whether the tree branch parameter of the tree view selection menu has been expanded or not by the user (Wilbur: Figs. 40-46, the selection menu is expandable and contractable, the indicator arrows are displayed in different directions, based on the direction of the arrow, user may aware if the tree view has been expanded).
As for claim 9, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the indicator is a directional indicator that is oriented one way when the tree branch parameter of the tree view selection menu that is expandable has not been expanded by the user, and oriented a different way when the tree branch parameter of the tree view selection menu that is expandable has been expanded by the user (Wilbur: Figs. 40-46, the selection menu is expandable and contractable, the indicator arrows are displayed in different directions, based on the direction of the arrow, user may aware if the tree view has been expanded).
As for claim 10, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the tree branch parameter of the tree view selection menu is contractable in response to a selection by the user to hide at least one sub-branch from view within the tree view selection menu until a subsequent selection of the expandable tree branch parameter by the user to expand the expandable tree branch parameter (Wilbur: Figs. 40-46, the selection menu is expandable and contractable, while contracted, the item is not visible).
As for claim 11, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the tree view selection menu includes a station selection field associated with each of the irrigation stations listed in the tree view selection menu to permit the user to individually select any one of the irrigation stations listed in the tree view selection menu; and wherein the tree view selection menu permits the user to create the at least one group of the irrigation stations by selecting one or more station selection fields associated with one of the irrigation stations that the user intends to include in the at least one group of the irrigation stations (Montgomery: Figs. 13-15, creating groups of irrigation controllers).
As for claim 12, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the irrigation management application is configured to cause the user interface, in response to an interaction by the user with the station selection field, to generate a visual indicator on the map in association with the station icon that corresponds to the station selection field selected by the user (Montgomery: [0079], The blocks can represent different zones or areas and be distinguished by different colors, labels, hashing, or any other indicator; Nguyen: Fig. 8, display zone icons, a zone may include one or more devices; please note the icon may represent the device).
As for claim 13, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the visual indicator generated on the map is at least one of: an indicator that surrounds the station icon that corresponds to the station selection field selected by the user; and
a color that visually identifies the station icon that corresponds to the station selection field selected by the user (Montgomery: [0079], The blocks can represent different zones or areas and be distinguished by different colors, labels, hashing, or any other indicator; Nguyen: Fig. 8, display zone icons, a zone may include one or more devices; please note the icon may represent the device).
As for claim 14, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein each of the station icons of the at least one group of the irrigation stations selected by the user within the tree view selection menu is depicted in an identical color to visually indicate that the station icons that share the identical color are a part of the at least one group of the irrigation stations selected by the user within the tree view selection menu (Montgomery: [0079], The blocks can represent different zones or areas and be distinguished by different colors, labels, hashing, or any other indicator; Nguyen: Fig. 8, display zone icons, a zone may include one or more devices; please note the icon may represent the device).
As for claim 15, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the tree view selection menu includes a main branch selection field which, when selected by the user, automatically selects a station selection field associated with each one of the irrigation stations listed under a user selected main branch of the tree view selection menu (Wilbur: Fig. 19, when a field is selected, the devices in the field are selected).
As for claim 16, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the tree view selection menu includes a sub-branch selection field which, when selected by the user, automatically selects a station selection field associated with each one of the irrigation stations listed under a user selected sub-branch of the tree view selection menu (Wilbur: Fig. 19, when a field is selected, the devices in the field are selected).
As for claim 17, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the tree view selection menu includes a filter select field which, when selected, causes the user interface to generate a filter menu, wherein the filter menu is configured to permit the user to select the irrigation stations according to one or more filters selected by the user within the filter menu (Wilbur: [0073], The GUIs may form part of a user interface that provides control and access to information, functions for filtering, selection, optimizing and/or sending requests to severs from local computers, portable devices or any computing device that can serve data and/or process data and/or present data in one or more GUIs; Fig. 14, Search icon; [0162], an activatable search icon 1315 is provided to enable the user to search for a particular grower within the listing of growers 1311. FIG. 14 shows the user interface 1300 upon selection of the activatable search icon 1315, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. Upon activation of the search icon 1315 a search field 1401 is displayed to allow the user to enter a search term for locating a particular grower within the listing of growers 1311).
As for claim 18, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the filter menu causes the display of irrigation stations meeting filter criteria in the tree view selection menu and not the display of irrigation stations not meeting the filter criteria in the tree view selection menu (Wilbur: [0073], The GUIs may form part of a user interface that provides control and access to information, functions for filtering, selection, optimizing and/or sending requests to severs from local computers, portable devices or any computing device that can serve data and/or process data and/or present data in one or more GUIs; Fig. 14, Search icon; [0162], an activatable search icon 1315 is provided to enable the user to search for a particular grower within the listing of growers 1311. FIG. 14 shows the user interface 1300 upon selection of the activatable search icon 1315, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. Upon activation of the search icon 1315 a search field 1401 is displayed to allow the user to enter a search term for locating a particular grower within the listing of growers 1311).
As for claim 19, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the filter menu permits the user to use one or more category filters to select the irrigation stations to filter the display of irrigation stations (Wilbur: [0073], The GUIs may form part of a user interface that provides control and access to information, functions for filtering, selection, optimizing and/or sending requests to severs from local computers, portable devices or any computing device that can serve data and/or process data and/or present data in one or more GUIs; Fig. 14, Search icon; [0162], an activatable search icon 1315 is provided to enable the user to search for a particular grower within the listing of growers 1311. FIG. 14 shows the user interface 1300 upon selection of the activatable search icon 1315, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. Upon activation of the search icon 1315 a search field 1401 is displayed to allow the user to enter a search term for locating a particular grower within the listing of growers 1311).
As for claim 20, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the filter menu includes a text entry field that permits the user to filter irrigation stations for display in the tree view selection menu by text entered by the user in the text entry field (Wilbur: [0073], The GUIs may form part of a user interface that provides control and access to information, functions for filtering, selection, optimizing and/or sending requests to severs from local computers, portable devices or any computing device that can serve data and/or process data and/or present data in one or more GUIs; Fig. 14, Search icon; [0162], an activatable search icon 1315 is provided to enable the user to search for a particular grower within the listing of growers 1311. FIG. 14 shows the user interface 1300 upon selection of the activatable search icon 1315, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. Upon activation of the search icon 1315 a search field 1401 is displayed to allow the user to enter a search term for locating a particular grower within the listing of growers 1311).
As for claim 21, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the user interface is configured to permit the user apply a user-selectable control action from an interactive control menu to be applied to the irrigation stations of the at least one group of the irrigation stations created by the user (Nguyen: Fig. 10, user may select Zone 3 and configure settings applied to the group).
As for claim 22, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the interactive control menu includes control action options comprising one or more of:
a start control to start watering for the at least one group of the irrigation stations created by the user; a stop control to stop watering for the at least one group of the irrigation stations created by the user; a pause control to pause watering for the at least one group of the irrigation stations created by the user; a resume control to resume paused watering for the at least one group of the irrigation stations created by the user; an edit control to allow the user to batch edit parameters of the at least one group of the irrigation stations created by the user;
a diagnostics control to start a diagnostic test for the at least one group of the irrigation stations created by the user; and a reselect control to go back to a last prior created group of the irrigation stations (Nguyen: Fig. 12, user may set “Start Date,” “Stop Date”).
As for claim 23, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the interactive tree view selection menu comprises a hierarchical listing including: a main branch comprising expandable and contractable branch parameters to each reveal and hide a first sub-branch; and the first sub-branch comprising expandable and contractable sub-branch parameters to each reveal and hide a second sub-branch (Wilbur: Figs. 40-46, the selection menu is expandable and contractable).
As for claim 24, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the interactive tree view selection menu comprises a hierarchical listing including expandable and contractable branch parameters and sub-branch parameters to each reveal and hide a respective listing of sub-branch parameters, and a given sub-branch lists irrigation stations for selection by the user to create the at least one group of the irrigation stations (Montgomery: Figs. 13-15, creating groups of irrigation controllers Wilbur: Figs. 40-46, the selection menu is expandable and contractable).
As for claim 25, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the hierarchical listing comprises one of: a hole main branch, a category sub-branch, and an irrigation station sub-branch; and the hole main branch, the category sub-branch, an area sub-branch, and the irrigation station sub-branch (Wilbur: Fig. 19, hierarchy view of main branch and sub-branch).
As for claim 26, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the tree view selection menu includes a selection count indicator which is caused to display a number of irrigation stations in a group of the irrigation stations (Wilbur: Fig. 19, show the number of active devices and the number of inactive devices).
As for independent claim 27, it recites features that are substantially same as those features claimed by claim 1, thus the rationales for rejecting claim 1 are incorporated herein, in addition, Montgomery also discloses: the user to create at least one group of the irrigation stations (Montgomery: Figs. 13-15, creating groups of irrigation controllers);
As for claim 29, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: causing the user interface to display an interactive control menu to permit the user apply a user-selectable control action from the interactive control menu to be applied to the irrigation stations of the at least one group of the irrigation stations created by the user (Nguyen: Fig. 10, user may select Zone 3 and configure settings applied to the group).
As for claim 30, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: causing the display of a filter menu to permit the user to select the irrigation stations according to one or more filters selected by the user within the filter menu (Wilbur: [0073], The GUIs may form part of a user interface that provides control and access to information, functions for filtering, selection, optimizing and/or sending requests to severs from local computers, portable devices or any computing device that can serve data and/or process data and/or present data in one or more GUIs; Fig. 14, Search icon; [0162], an activatable search icon 1315 is provided to enable the user to search for a particular grower within the listing of growers 1311. FIG. 14 shows the user interface 1300 upon selection of the activatable search icon 1315, in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention. Upon activation of the search icon 1315 a search field 1401 is displayed to allow the user to enter a search term for locating a particular grower within the listing of growers 1311).
As for independent claim 31, it recites features that are substantially same as those features claimed by claim 27, thus the rationales for rejecting claim 27 are incorporated herein, in addition, Montgomery also discloses: cause the user interface to display irrigation feature icons on the map, each feature icon of the feature icons corresponding to an irrigation feature of the plurality of irrigation features (Montgomery: [0077], the user can enter a menu to create an irrigation program (e.g., accessed by tapping or clicking the “pencil” icon) from the home screen);
As for claim 32, Montgomery-Nguyen-Wilbur discloses: wherein the user interface is configured to permit the user apply a user-selectable control action from an interactive control menu to be applied to the irrigation features of the at least one group of the irrigation features created by the user (Montgomery: [0077], the user can enter a menu to create an irrigation program (e.g., accessed by tapping or clicking the “pencil” icon) from the home screen).
6. Claim 28 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Montgomery, Nguyen and Wilbur and Standerfer as applied on claim 27, and further in view of Pelin Ersavas et al (US Publication 20130207771 A1, hereinafter Ersavas).
As for claim 28, Ersavas further discloses: causing the user interface to generate the tree view selection menu to individually list the irrigation stations in the at least one group of the irrigation stations according to a tree branch parameter selected by the user (Ersavas: [0074], The system displays the current site map through, e.g., "Google maps" at step (I1) as shown on exemplary FIG. 42. The name of the station is shown when the cursor moves over the stations pivots).
Montgomery and Ersavas are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, automatic irrigation control system. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Montgomery using the teachings of Ersavas to include managing irrigation stations on the map. It would provide Montgomery’s system with enhanced capabilities of allowing user to easily manage setting the irrigation components.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hua Lu whose telephone number is 571-270-1410 and fax number is 571-270-2410. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9:00 am to 6:00 pm EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Scott Baderman can be reached on 571-272-3644. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-273-8300.
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/Hua Lu/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2118