DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 9, 14 including depending claim 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 9 recites “a target superheat degree”. It is unclear if the bolded limitation refers to the claimed limitation in the previous line. Not only does the phrase in the claim lacks a definite article (e.g. the or said) but the limitation is inconsistently recited.
Claim 14 recites “a fourth preset time duration”. Claim 14 depends from claim 1, it is not clear whether a first, a second, and a third preset time duration are required by the claim. More clarification is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 8, 13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claim 5 is only objected, because it is depending from allowable claim 4.
Claim 9 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. Claim 10 is only rejected under 112(b) rejection, because it is depending from claim 9 which is rejected under 112(b) rejection.
Therefore, upon the claims being rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections under 35 USC 112(b) set forth in this office action, further consideration of these claims with respect to the prior art will be necessary.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 15, 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Peng (CN 110260458 A).
Claim 1: Peng discloses a method for controlling an air conditioner, comprising:
in accordance with a determination that one of at least two temperature sensors (paragraph [32] [34]: defrost temperature sensor/shell top temperature sensor/ambient temperature sensor) of the air conditioner (paragraph [37]) having an indoor unit (paragraph [4]) is in a fault state (paragraph [44]: system sending fault alarm message wherein fault alarm message includes fault component code information):
obtaining a fault parameter value (paragraph [10] [44]: identify faulty component during operation; obtaining the fault component information via alarm message) in at least two temperature parameter value (parameter values of the sensors) wherein the at least two temperature sensors (defrost temperature sensor/shell top temperature sensor/ambient temperature sensor) are configured to obtain the at least two temperature parameter values (parameter values of the sensors) corresponding to the at least two temperature sensors (paragraph [34]: temperature sensors) in the indoor unit (paragraph [4]);
obtaining a parameter substitution value (paragraph [35]: temperature sensor fails and adjusted obtained temperature value used as a substitute) corresponding to the fault parameter value (paragraph [35]: temperature sensor fails and adjusted obtained temperature value used as a substitute) according to operating parameters of the air conditioner (paragraph [37]); and
controlling (paragraph [55]: controller) the air conditioner based on the parameter substitution value (temperature sensor fails and adjusted obtained temperature value used as a substitute).
Claim 15: Peng discloses an air conditioner (paragraph [4]), comprising:
at least two indoor units (paragraph [4]); a processor (paragraph [63]: processing system); memory storing one or more programs (paragraph [167]: computer-readable storage), the one or more programs comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
in accordance with a determination that one of at least two temperature sensors (paragraph [40]: compressor temperature sensor; pipe temperature sensor) of the air conditioner (paragraph [37]) having an indoor unit is in a fault state (paragraph [44]: system sending fault alarm message wherein fault alarm message includes fault component code information):
obtaining a fault parameter value in at least two temperature parameter values (paragraph [10] [44]: identify faulty component during operation; obtaining the fault component information via alarm message), wherein the at least two temperature sensors are configured to obtain the at least two temperature parameter values corresponding to the at least two temperature sensors in the indoor unit (paragraph [35]: indoor unit;
obtaining a parameter substitution value (paragraph [35]: temperature sensor fails and adjusted obtained temperature value used as a substitute) corresponding to the fault parameter value according to operating parameters of the air conditioner; and controlling (paragraph [55]: controller) the air conditioner based on the parameter substitution value (temperature sensor fails and adjusted obtained temperature value used as a substitute).
Claim 16: Peng discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing a computer program, the computer program, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the one or more processors to perform operations (paragraph [4]) comprising:
in accordance with a determination that one of at least two temperature sensors (paragraph [32] [34]: defrost temperature sensor/shell top temperature sensor/ambient temperature sensor) of an air conditioner having an indoor unit (paragraph [4]) is in a fault state (operating state includes fault state and non-fault state):
obtaining a fault parameter value (paragraph [31]: multi split air conditioner, faulty component is a temperature sensor; indoor unit temperature sensor fails) in at least two temperature parameter values (parameter values of the sensors), wherein the at least two temperature sensors (paragraph [40]: compressor temperature sensor; pipe temperature sensor) are configured to obtain the at least two temperature parameter values corresponding to the at least two temperature sensors (compressor temperature sensor; pipe temperature sensor) in the indoor unit (paragraph [35]: indoor unit);
obtaining a parameter substitution value (paragraph [35]: temperature sensor fails and adjusted obtained temperature value used as a substitute) corresponding to the fault parameter value (paragraph [40]: faulty component is a temperature sensor) according to operating parameters of the air conditioner (paragraph [37]); and
controlling (paragraph [55]: controller) the air conditioner based on the parameter substitution value (temperature sensor fails and adjusted obtained temperature value used as a substitute).
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.
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.
Claims 2, 3, 6, 11, 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng (CN 110260458 A), in view of Ochiai (US 2022/0178603 A1).
Claim 2: Peng discloses the apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indoor unit comprises
a heat exchanger (paragraph [4]: indoor heat exchanger), the at least two temperature sensors comprise a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor and a third temperature sensor (paragraph [32-34]: shell top temperature sensor; ambient temperature sensor; defrost temperature sensor), the third temperature sensor is arranged at an air inlet of the indoor unit (paragraph [40]: faulty component is an indoor unit sensor), and obtaining the fault parameter value (paragraph [31]: faulty component is a temperature sensor) in the at least two temperature parameter values comprises:
determining whether the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the third temperature sensor are in a fault state (paragraph [44]: system sending fault alarm message wherein fault alarm message includes fault component code information); and
determining the fault parameter value according to the fault state (fault parameter values obtained by shell top temperature sensor; ambient temperature sensor; defrost temperature sensor); wherein the fault parameter value comprises a temperature value at a refrigerant inlet (paragraph [87]: replacement method when indoor unit inlet pipe temperature sensor fails), a temperature value at a refrigerant outlet (temperature value obtained by output temperature sensor; paragraph [36]: replacement method when output pipe temperature sensor of indoor unit fails), and an ambient temperature value (the value obtained by ambient temperature sensor).
Peng discloses the claimed limitations in claim 2, but fails to disclose the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are arranged at two ends of the heat exchanger respectively.
However, Ochiai teaches the first temperature sensor (temperature sensor TH2a inlet side of indoor heat exchanger 22a) and the second temperature sensor (temperature sensor TH3a outlet side of indoor heat exchanger 22a) are arranged at two ends of the heat exchanger respectively (paragraph [40-41]) for the purpose of detecting more accurately an abnormality at a value (paragraph [6]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the invention of Peng to include the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are arranged at two ends of the heat exchanger respectively as taught by Ochiai in order to detect more accurately an abnormality at a value.
Claim 3: Peng as modified discloses the apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein prior to obtaining the parameter substitution value corresponding to the fault parameter value according to the operating parameters of the air conditioner, the method further comprises:
controlling the air conditioner to be operated in a preset operation mode (paragraph [21]: preset distance value); and
obtaining the operating parameters of the air conditioner in the preset operation mode (paragraph [46]: after faulty component is repaired, operating data of the repaired component is obtained, and the operating data is used to control device to continue operating), wherein the preset operation mode comprises a refrigeration mode and a heating mode (paragraph [34]: heating mode; cooling mode).
Claim 6: Peng as modified discloses the apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first temperature sensor is in a fault state, obtaining the parameter substitution value corresponding to the fault parameter value according to the operating parameters of the air conditioner comprises:
determining that the fault parameter value is the temperature value at the refrigerant inlet based on an operation of the air conditioner (paragraph [40]: faulty component is an indoor unit sensor) in the refrigeration mode;
obtaining the temperature value at the refrigerant outlet of the indoor unit (temperature value obtained by output temperature sensor; paragraph [36]: replacement method when output pipe temperature sensor of indoor unit fails) every first preset time duration (based on broadest reasonable interpretation, present time duration is the time to replace and repair the faulty values; paragraph [118]: promptly determine which sensor has a fault and fault component type arranged to replace or repair it in a timely manner); and
determining the parameter substitution value (paragraph [35]: temperature sensor fails and adjusted obtained temperature value used as a substitute) corresponding to the temperature value at the refrigerant inlet according to the temperature value at the refrigerant outlet (replacement method when output pipe temperature sensor of indoor unit fails).
Claim 11: Peng as modified discloses the apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the third temperature sensor is in a fault state, and obtaining the parameter substitution value corresponding to the fault parameter value according to the operating parameters of the air conditioner comprises:
determining the fault parameter value (paragraph [10] [44]: identify faulty component during operation; obtaining the fault component information via alarm message) as the ambient temperature value;
obtaining the temperature value at the refrigerant outlet (temperature value obtained by output temperature sensor; paragraph [36]: replacement method when output pipe temperature sensor of indoor unit fails) every third preset time duration (based on broadest reasonable interpretation, present time duration is the time to replace and repair the faulty values; paragraph [118]: promptly determine which sensor has a fault and fault component type arranged to replace or repair it in a timely manner); and determining the parameter substitution value (paragraph [35]: temperature sensor fails and adjusted obtained temperature value used as a substitute) corresponding to the ambient temperature value (the value obtained by ambient temperature sensor) according to the temperature value at the refrigerant outlet (temperature value obtained by output temperature sensor; paragraph [36]: replacement method when output pipe temperature sensor of indoor unit fails).
Claim 17: Peng discloses the apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the indoor unit comprises a heat exchanger (paragraph [4]: indoor heat exchanger), the at least two temperature sensors comprise a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor and a third temperature sensor (paragraph [32-34]: shell top temperature sensor; ambient temperature sensor; defrost temperature sensor), the third temperature sensor is arranged at an air inlet of the indoor unit (paragraph [40]: faulty component is an indoor unit sensor), and obtaining the fault parameter value (paragraph [31]: faulty component is a temperature sensor) in the at least two temperature parameter values comprises:
determining whether the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the third temperature sensor are in a fault state (paragraph [44]: system sending fault alarm message wherein fault alarm message includes fault component code information); and
determining the fault parameter value according to the fault state (fault parameter values obtained by shell top temperature sensor; ambient temperature sensor; defrost temperature sensor); wherein the fault parameter value comprises a temperature value at a refrigerant inlet (paragraph [87]: replacement method when indoor unit inlet pipe temperature sensor fails), a temperature value at a refrigerant outlet (temperature value obtained by output temperature sensor; paragraph [36]: replacement method when output pipe temperature sensor of indoor unit fails), and an ambient temperature value (the value obtained by ambient temperature sensor).
Peng discloses the claimed limitations in claim 17, but fails to disclose the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are arranged at two ends of the heat exchanger respectively.
However, Ochiai teaches the first temperature sensor (temperature sensor TH2a inlet side of indoor heat exchanger 22a) and the second temperature sensor (temperature sensor TH3a outlet side of indoor heat exchanger 22a) are arranged at two ends of the heat exchanger respectively (paragraph [40-41]) for the purpose of detecting more accurately an abnormality at a value (paragraph [6]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the invention of Peng to include the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are arranged at two ends of the heat exchanger respectively as taught by Ochiai in order to detect more accurately an abnormality at a value.
Claim 18: Peng as modified discloses the apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein prior to obtaining the parameter substitution value corresponding to the fault parameter value according to the operating parameters of the air conditioner, the processor performs operations further comprises:
controlling the air conditioner to be operated in a preset operation mode (paragraph [21]: preset distance value); and obtaining the operating parameters of the air conditioner in the preset operation mode (paragraph [46]: after faulty component is repaired, operating data of the repaired component is obtained, and the operating data is used to control device to continue operating), wherein the preset operation mode comprises a refrigeration mode and a heating mode (paragraph [34]: heating mode; cooling mode).
Claim 19: Peng discloses the apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the indoor unit comprises
a heat exchanger (paragraph [4]: indoor heat exchanger), the at least two temperature sensors comprise a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor and a third temperature sensor (paragraph [32-34]: shell top temperature sensor; ambient temperature sensor; defrost temperature sensor), the third temperature sensor is arranged at an air inlet of the indoor unit (paragraph [40]: faulty component is an indoor unit sensor), and obtaining the fault parameter value (paragraph [31]: faulty component is a temperature sensor) in the at least two temperature parameter values comprises:
determining whether the first temperature sensor, the second temperature sensor, and the third temperature sensor are in a fault state (paragraph [44]: system sending fault alarm message wherein fault alarm message includes fault component code information); and
determining the fault parameter value according to the fault state (fault parameter values obtained by shell top temperature sensor; ambient temperature sensor; defrost temperature sensor); wherein the fault parameter value comprises a temperature value at a refrigerant inlet (paragraph [87]: replacement method when indoor unit inlet pipe temperature sensor fails), a temperature value at a refrigerant outlet (temperature value obtained by output temperature sensor; paragraph [36]: replacement method when output pipe temperature sensor of indoor unit fails), and an ambient temperature value (the value obtained by ambient temperature sensor).
Peng discloses the claimed limitations in claim 19, but fails to disclose the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are arranged at two ends of the heat exchanger respectively.
However, Ochiai teaches the first temperature sensor (temperature sensor TH2a inlet side of indoor heat exchanger 22a) and the second temperature sensor (temperature sensor TH3a outlet side of indoor heat exchanger 22a) are arranged at two ends of the heat exchanger respectively (paragraph [40-41]) for the purpose of detecting more accurately an abnormality at a value (paragraph [6]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the invention of Peng to include the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are arranged at two ends of the heat exchanger respectively as taught by Ochiai in order to detect more accurately an abnormality at a value.
Claim 20: Peng discloses the apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein prior to obtaining the parameter substitution value corresponding to the fault parameter value according to the operating parameters of the air conditioner, the one or more processors performs operations further comprising:
controlling the air conditioner to be operated in a preset operation mode (paragraph [21]: preset distance value); and
obtaining the operating parameters of the air conditioner in the preset operation mode (paragraph [46]: after faulty component is repaired, operating data of the repaired component is obtained, and the operating data is used to control device to continue operating), wherein the preset operation mode comprises a refrigeration mode and a heating mode (paragraph [34]: heating mode; cooling mode).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng (CN 110260458 A), in view of Ochiai (US 2022/0178603 A1), and in view of Kamijo (US 2019/0072291 A1).
Claim 7: Peng as modified discloses the apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the indoor unit comprises a draught fan, before obtaining the temperature value at the refrigerant outlet of the indoor unit, the method further comprises:
the draught fan (based on broadest reasonable interpretation, draught fan is a variety of industrial fan also called a blower; paragraph [4]: capacity of heat exchanger adjusted by controlling the fan speed of indoor).
Peng discloses the claimed limitations in claim 7, but fails to disclose controlling the draught fan to stop operation for a second preset time duration.
However, Kamijo teaches controlling the draught fan (paragraph [56]) to stop operation for a second preset time duration (paragraph [56]: indoor fan 7f is stopped after elapse of preset predetermined time at which fan is stopped) for the purpose of controlling the operation of the fan (paragraph [57]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to further modify the invention of Peng to include controlling the draught fan to stop operation for a second preset time duration as taught by Kamijo in order to control the operation of the fan.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng (CN 110260458 A), in view of Ochiai (US 2022/0178603 A1), in view of Li (CN 111425992 B).
Claim 12: Peng as modified fails to disclose controlling a throttle valve to disable a fourth preset time duration.
However, Li teaches controlling a throttle valve to disable a fourth preset time duration (controlling throttle device open to initial opening after preset time and controlling opening of throttle device to increase preset opening degree every second preset time) for the purpose of controlling the operation of the valve to enhance the system efficiency (paragraph [11]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to further modify the invention of Peng to include controlling a throttle valve to disable a fourth preset time duration as taught by Li in order to control a throttle valve to disable a fourth preset time duration.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng (CN 110260458 A), in view of Kim (US 2005/0076657 A1).
Claim 14: Peng discloses the apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
counting a time duration of an operation (based on broadest reasonable interpretation, time duration of an operation is the time to replace and repair the faulty values; paragraph [118]: promptly determine which sensor has a fault and fault component type arranged to replace or repair it in a timely manner) of the air conditioner which is controlled according to the parameter substitution value (paragraph [35]: temperature sensor fails and adjusted obtained temperature value used as a substitute);
Peng discloses the claimed limitations in claim 14, but fails to disclose controlling the air conditioner to stop operation in accordance with a determination that the time duration reaches a fourth preset time duration.
However, Kim teaches controlling the air conditioner to stop operation in accordance with a determination that the time duration reaches a fourth preset time duration (paragraph [16]: controlling air conditioner a computer stops the air conditioner for a preset time) for the purpose of preventing damage of compressor in air conditioner (paragraph [15]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the invention of Peng to include controlling the air conditioner to stop operation in accordance with a determination that the time duration reaches a fourth preset time duration as taught by Kim in order to prevent damage of compressor in air conditioner.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure which is relevant to method controlling air conditioner:
Song (US 2006/0037335 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAMRAN TAVAKOLDAVANI whose telephone number is (313)446-6612. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST.
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/KAMRAN TAVAKOLDAVANI/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/LEN TRAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763