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 .
Status of the Application
2. Claim 1-15 have been examined in this application. This communication is the first action on the merits.
Drawings
3. The drawings filed on 12/13/23 are acceptable for examination proceedings.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5, 9, and 15 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 6 and 10 are also objected due to their dependency over the claim 5, and 9 respectively.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. Claims 1, 7-8, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (1) as being anticipated by Park (US PG Pub: 2008/0066485).
6. Regarding claim 1, Park discloses:
A refrigerator comprising: a storage compartment (e.g., Referring to FIG. 2, a Kimchi refrigerator 100 basically comprises Kimchi storage compartments 210 and 310 to store Kimchi and a cooling system, including a compressor 500, to cool the Kimchi storage compartments 210 and 310. The Kimchi refrigerator 100 further comprises a control panel (not shown) mounted at the front part thereof, as shown in FIG. 1.) (Para. [0077]);
a temperature sensor (e.g., As shown in FIG. 7, the interior temperature of the storage compartment, in which Kimchi is stored, is continuously detected by a temperature sensor (not shown) mounted in the refrigerator while the keeping mode is performed) (Para. [0113]);
a cooling device (e.g., a cooling system, including a compressor 500, to cool the Kimchi storage compartments 210 and 310. The Kimchi refrigerator 100 further comprises a control panel (not shown) mounted at the front part thereof, as shown in FIG. 1.) (Para. [0077]);
and a processor configured to: based on a user command to change a temperature of the storage compartment set to a first temperature, to a second temperature, being input, control the cooling device such that the temperature of the storage compartment is changed to the second temperature based on the temperature of the storage compartment sensed by the temperature sensor (e.g., More preferably, the Kimchi refrigerator may have an input unit, such as an input button, to allow a user to select a point of time when the mode is changed from the first keeping mode to the second keeping mode. Even in the first keeping mode, the Kimchi is gradually fermented. At this time, when the Kimchi is fermented to the degree that the taste of the Kimchi is suitable to the user's taste, the user may press the input button. As a result, the control unit controls the cooling system to change the mode from the first keeping mode to the second keeping mode. Also, the control unit controls the cooling system to perform the cold shock operation at the predetermined time intervals in the second keeping mode) (Para. [0046]),
and based on a certain period of time elapsing after a point in time when the user command is input, control the cooling device such that the temperature of the storage compartment returns to the first temperature based on the temperature of the storage compartment sensed by the temperature sensor (e.g., In the cold shock operation, it is possible to perform a control operation such that the interior temperature of the storage compartment is increased and returned to the predetermined interior temperature of the storage compartment as soon as the interior temperature of the storage compartment reaches the cold shock temperature. Alternatively, when the interior temperature of the storage compartment reaches the cold shock temperature, the storage compartment may be maintained at the cold shock temperature for a predetermined period of time, and then the interior temperature of the storage compartment may be increased and returned to the predetermined interior temperature of the storage compartment) (Para. [0058]).
7. Regarding claim 7, Park discloses:
The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to: based on a user command to return the temperature of the storage compartment to the first temperature being input before the certain period of time elapses, control the cooling device such that the temperature of the storage compartment returns to the first temperature based on the temperature of the storage compartment sensed by the temperature sensor (e.g., The user may input the cycle of the cold shock operation through the input device 420 from the beginning. Also, the user may change the cycle of the cold shock operation through the input device 420.
[0089] The above-described input device 420 may not be included in the Kimchi refrigerator. In this case, the cycle of the cold shock operation is previously set in the control unit. When predetermined conditions are satisfied, the control unit changes the cycle of the cold shock operation based on a numerical formula previously set in the control unit. Even in this case, the input device 420 may be further included to change the cycle of the cold shock operation when such change is needed by the user) (Para. [0088]-[0089]).
8. Regarding claim 8, Park discloses:
The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to: based on a user command to extend the certain period of time being input before the certain period of time elapses, control the cooling device such that the temperature of the storage compartment returns to the first temperature based on the temperature of the storage compartment sensed by the temperature sensor (e.g., The point of time tc at which the cycle of the cold shock operation is changed may be a point of time at which the user operates the input device 420 shown in FIG. 3 to change the cycle of the cold shock operation. The cycle of the cold shock operation changed at this time is a value newly input by the user.
[0098] Preferably, the initial cycle of the cold shock operation is approximately 8 hours, and the time required until the interior temperature is returned to the keeping temperature after the commencement of the cold shock operation is approximately 15 minutes.
[0099] Meanwhile, when a mode change MC is performed, i.e., the mode is changed from the fermentation mode to the keeping mode, the cooling operation is performed at rapid cooling speeds 2 and 3 faster than the average cooling speed 1 for the mode change. Preferably, the first cooling speed 2 of the rapid cooling speeds is a cooling speed at which the cooling temperature is lowered by 4.degree. C. per hour) (Para. [0097]-[0099]).
9. Regarding claim 11, Claim 11 recites a method that implement the refrigerator of claim 1, with substantially the same limitations, respectively. Therefore the rejection applied to claim 1, also applies to claim 11 respectively.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
10. 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.
11. Claim 2-4 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park in view of Kim (Pub: 2019/0264975).
12. Regarding claim 2, Park teaches the refrigerator of claim 1 but does not specifically teach wherein the processor is configured to, before the certain period of time elapses, provide a notification that indicates that the temperature of the storage compartment is to return to the first temperature at a predetermined time interval.
Kim teaches wherein the processor is configured to, before the certain period of time elapses, provide a notification that indicates that the temperature of the storage compartment is to return to the first temperature at a predetermined time interval (e.g., Referring to FIG. 3, the portable device 301 may transmit a cycle set by the user to the server 300, as shown in 1101. The server 300 may determine whether to transmit a notification message notifying the load responsive operation of the refrigerator to the portable device 301 in real time or at a predetermined interval (morning/afternoon, 1 day/3 days/7 days, etc.) within a relevant period according to this information) (Para. [0126], also refer to Para. [0083]).
Because Kim is also directed to refrigerator and a method for controlling the same., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having teachings of Park and Kim before him/her, to modify the teachings of Park to include the teaching of Kim in order to check a state of the refrigerator in real time or cyclically (Kim: Para. [0096]).
13. Regarding claim 3, the combination of Park and Kim teaches the refrigerator of claim 2, wherein Park further comprising: a display, wherein the processor is configured to control the display to display the notification (e.g., The control panel has an input unit to allow a user to input an operation command, a display unit, such as a liquid crystal screen, and a control unit to control the operation of the Kimchi refrigerator according to the operation command input by the user) (Para. [0078], Fig. 3).
14. Regarding claim 4, the combination of Park and Kim teaches the refrigerator of claim 2, wherein Kim further comprising: a communication interface (e.g., Also, the refrigerator 100 may further include a communication unit 230 for communicating with an external device (a server disposed outside or a portable device). An embodiment of the external device may be a server (not shown in the drawings) that provides information or logic, programs, and the like required for the temperature context awareness unit 210 of the refrigerator 100 to operate, for example. Another embodiment of the external device may include a server that is disposed outside to provide information, logic, and programs required for the temperature context awareness unit 210 to a plurality of refrigerators or to share a database. Further, the portable device may include a smart phone, a tablet PC, and the like. The portable device may be a device capable of providing information or logic, programs, or the above-described database required for the temperature context awareness unit 210 of the refrigerator 100 to operate, or monitoring an operation condition of the refrigerator 100 (not shown in the drawing)) (Para. [0042], Fig. 2), wherein the processor is configured to transmit, through the communication interface, the notification to a server that communicates with an electronic apparatus so that the notification is displayed on the electronic apparatus (e.g., According to a request of the portable device at step S340, or according to a predetermined notification cycle, the server 300 may transmit information on the load responsive operation (history or current state, etc.) to the portable device 301 at step S350. The history of the load responsive operation may be information extracted from the above-described load responsive operation flags, such as time at which the load responsive operation is performed, an actual temperature in the storage space where the load responsive operation was performed, or a target temperature applied when the load responsive operation is performed, the number of times the load responsive operations has been performed, and the like. A method in which the portable device 301 displays information will be described later.) (Para. [0063])
Because Kim is also directed to refrigerator and a method for controlling the same., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having teachings of Park and Kim before him/her, to modify the teachings of Park to include the teaching of Kim in order to check a state of the refrigerator in real time or cyclically (Kim: Para. [0096]).
15. Regarding claim 12-14, Claim 12-14 recites a method that implement the refrigerator of claim 2-4, with substantially the same limitations, respectively. Therefore the rejection applied to claim 2-4, also applies to claim 12-14 respectively.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yun (Pub: 2022/0235977) disclose a method for controlling a refrigerator, which is capable of rapidly removing a load in a deep freezing compartment while minimizing an increase in temperature in other storage compartments when a situation in which the load in the deep freezing compartment rapidly increases occurs (Para. [0025]).
Song (Pub: 2019/0128598) disclose a refrigerator and a method of controlling a refrigerator (Para. [0002]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIGNESHKUMAR C PATEL whose telephone number is (571)270-0698. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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/JIGNESHKUMAR C PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116