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 § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-10, 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Langhammer (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0014852) in view of Guan (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0253006).
Regarding claim 1.
Langhammer discloses:
A domestic appliance for heating a foodstuff, comprising:
an interior space(abstract, and [0003]) configured to receive the foodstuff (microwave for for receiving food [0018]);
a magnetron(abstract) configured to generate microwave radiation(abstract);
a switched-mode power supply([0006]-[0008]) configured to operate the magnetron([0006] [0018] [0023]); and
a control unit ([0024] [0035])configured to control the switched-mode power supply,
Langhammer does not disclose:
wherein the domestic appliance is configured to detect and evaluate a pulse width of an anode current of the magnetron.
In related art, Guan discloses:
wherein the domestic appliance is configured to detect and evaluate a pulse width of an anode current of the magnetron. (See Fig. 15, 51-52 [0046] [0047] [0085]).
Guan discloses that the recited features provide the benefit of allowing the temperature of the magnetron to be regulated during use. As such, It would have been obvious to modify Langhammer to include the recite features to obtain the benefits taught by Guan. Thus, the features of claim 1 would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill In the art.
Regarding claim 2.
Langhammer discloses all of the features of claim 1.
Langhammer does not disclose:
The domestic appliance of claim 1, wherein the switched-mode power supply is configured to detect the pulse width of the anode current of the magnetron.
In related art, Guan discloses:
The domestic appliance of claim 1, wherein the switched-mode power supply is configured to detect the pulse width of the anode current of the magnetron.([0046] [0085])
Guan discloses that the recited features provide the benefit of allowing the temperature of the magnetron to be regulated during use. As such, It would have been obvious to modify Langhammer to include the recited features to obtain the benefits taught by Guan. Thus, the features of claim 2 would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill In the art.
Regarding claim 3.
Langhammer discloses all of the features of claim 1.
Langhammer does not disclose:
The domestic appliance of claim 2, wherein the switched-mode power supply is configured to output the pulse width of the anode current of the magnetron as a value comprising a digital value.
In related art, Guan discloses:
The domestic appliance of claim 2, wherein the switched-mode power supply is configured to output the pulse width of the anode current of the magnetron as a value comprising a digital value.[0094] [0116] [0122]-[0129], [0134]-[0143])
Guan discloses that the recited features provide the benefit of allowing the temperature of the magnetron to be regulated during use. As such, It would have been obvious to modify Langhammer to include the recited features to obtain the benefits taught by Guan. Thus, the features of claim 3 would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill In the art.
Regarding claim 4.
Langhammer discloses all of the features of claim 1.
Langhammer does not disclose:
The domestic appliance of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to evaluate the pulse width of the anode current of the magnetron.
In related art, Guan discloses:
The domestic appliance of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to evaluate the pulse width of the anode current of the magnetron.[0094] [0116] [0122]-[0129], [0134]-[0143])
Guan discloses that the recited features provide the benefit of allowing the temperature of the magnetron to be regulated during use. As such, It would have been obvious to modify Langhammer to include the recited features to obtain the benefits taught by Guan. Thus, the features of claim 4 would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill In the art.
Regarding claim 5.
Langhammer discloses:
The domestic appliance of claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to receive a value output by the switched-mode power supply. ([0006]-[0008] [0018] [0023][0035]).
Regarding claim 6.
Langhammer discloses:
The domestic appliance of claim 1, wherein the domestic appliance comprises a microwave appliance or an oven having a microwave function. (See abstract)
Regarding claim 7.
Langhammer discloses:
A method for operating the domestic appliance of claim 1, comprising: detecting and evaluating the pulse width of the anode current of the magnetron as a detected pulse width.
In related art, Guan discloses:
A method for operating the domestic appliance of claim 1, comprising: detecting and evaluating the pulse width of the anode current of the magnetron as a detected pulse width.([0046] [0085])
Guan discloses that the recited features provide the benefit of allowing the temperature of the magnetron to be regulated during use. As such, It would have been obvious to modify Langhammer to include the recited features to obtain the benefits taught by Guan. Thus, the features of claim 7 would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill In the art.
Regarding claim 8.
Langhammer discloses all of the features of claim 7.
Langhammer does not disclose:
The method of claim 7, wherein, above a first limit value for the detected pulse width, a notification of a low load state is output to a person using the domestic appliance.
However, Langhammer discloses that the device may include a user interface at [0025]. It would have been obvious a matter of design choice to provide an output to the user regarding the recited issue, as a mere utilization of the user output interface as art recognized as suitable for the intended purpose of providing the user the output. See MPEP 2144.07. Here the output screen would proper the function it was designed to by providing a notification but the notification would provide the output to let the user have desired information. Thus, the features of claim 8 would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 9.
Langhammer discloses all of the features of claim 1:
Langhammer does not disclose:
The method of claim 8, wherein, above a second limit value for the detected pulse width, a power of the magnetron is reduced.
In related art, Guan discloses:
The method of claim 8, wherein, above a second limit value for the detected pulse width, a power of the magnetron is reduced. (See Fig. 15, 51-52 [0046] [0047] [0074][0085]).
Guan discloses that the recited features provide the benefit of allowing the temperature of the magnetron to be regulated during use. As such, It would have been obvious to modify Langhammer to include the recite features to obtain the benefits taught by Guan. Thus, the features of claim 9 would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill In the art.
Regarding claim 10.
Langhammer discloses
The method of claim 9, wherein, above a third limit value for the detected pulse width, an operating mode of the magnetron is set. (See abstract [0013].) Langhammer discloses that when features are sensed, that the mode may be changed. As such, it would have been obvious to set a mode to keep the magnetron in a desired temperature state as taught by Guan and applied to claim 1, to obtained good operation of the device of Langhammer. Thus, the features of claim 10 would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 12.
Langhammer discloses all of the features of claim 7.
Langhammer does not disclose:
The method of claim 7, wherein the pulse width comprises a starting pulse width for a periodically recurring anode current signal.
IN related art, Guan discloses:
The method of claim 7, wherein the pulse width comprises a starting pulse width for a periodically recurring anode current signal. ([0046][0085][0094][0116]).
Guan discloses that the recited features provide the benefit of allowing the temperature of the magnetron to be regulated during use. As such, It would have been obvious to modify Langhammer to include the recite features to obtain the benefits taught by Guan. Thus, the features of claim 12 would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill In the art.
Regarding claim 13.
Langhammer discloses all of the features of claim 12.
Langhammer does not disclose:
The method of claim 12, wherein the starting pulse width comprises a first microsecond up to 100 microseconds of the anode current pulse.
IN related art, Guan discloses:
At ([0046][0085][0094][0116]) that the pulse width may be measured. It would have been obvious to provide the recited signal as a recited as a mere matter of design choice to regulate the magnetron to a desired operation temperature. See MPEP 2144.04(IV)(A). The recited features would provide the benefit of providing a desired pulse width measurement to provide the benefit of allowing the device to be operated in a desired temperature range. Thus, the features of claim 13 would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Langhammer (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0014852) in view of Guan (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0253006) further in view of Metz (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0014852).
Regarding claim 11.
Langhammer discloses all the features of claim 10.
Langhammer does not disclose:
The method of claim 10, wherein, after the operating mode of the magnetron has been set, the magnetron is blocked from operating again until a door of the domestic appliance is opened and/or closed again.
Metz discloses:
wherein, after the operating mode of the magnetron has been set, the magnetron is blocked from operating again until a door of the domestic appliance is opened and/or closed again.([0048]).
Metz discloses that the recited features provide a safety to prevent the microwave from working with the door opened. As such, it would have been obvious to provide the safety device of Metz to the device of Langhammer for the benefit of requiring the door to be closed. Thus, the features of claim 11 would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT G BACHNER whose telephone number is (571)270-3888. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 10-6 EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Leonard Chang can be reached at (571) 270-3691. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERT G BACHNER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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