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
Applicant has submitted amendments to the claims on 07/21/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 7 recites wherein the microphone accepts input of operation instruction voice for an instruction voice for a target device including a vapor compression type refrigeration cycle. However, this limitation is not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Therefore, claim 7 is rejected.
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)(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.
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 2-3, 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Noriyuki (WIPO, WO2018211619).
Regarding claim 2, Noriyuki teaches An air-conditioning system comprising:
an air conditioner including a controller (page 5 ¶ 11 “The communication unit 203 includes a communication interface for connecting to the wide area network N, and communicates with the air conditioning control device 100 via the wide area network N. Specifically, the communication unit 203 receives voice information from the air conditioning control device 100 under the control of the control unit 201, and transmits information indicating the result of voice recognition to the air conditioning control device 100…The communication unit 108 is connected to the wide area network N via the base station S and communicates with the voice recognition server 200 via the wide area network N.”, page 5 ¶ 12);
and a voice acceptance section including a microphone that accepts a voice instruction for the air conditioner (page 5 ¶ 6 “The sound sensor 107 is also called a microphone and is a sensor that detects sound.”, page 7 ¶ 4-5), and a first information transmitter that transmits first information corresponding to the voice instruction accepted by the voice acceptance section to the controller via wireless communication (page 5 ¶ 12, “The speech recognition server 200 is a server that provides a speech recognition service using cloud computing, and causes the air conditioning system 1 to function in cooperation with the air conditioning control device 100. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the voice recognition server 200 includes a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, and a communication unit 203. These units are connected via a bus 209.”, page 3 ¶ 1),
the controller including a first information receiver that receives the first information transmitted from the first information transmitter (page 6 ¶ 2),
a processor that executes specific processing on the first information accepted by the first information receiver to generate second information having a smaller information amount than the first information (page 8 ¶ 3 “In the air conditioning control device 100, the recognition information receiving unit 140 receives the recognition information transmitted from the voice recognition server 200. The recognition information receiving unit 140 receives the recognition information transmitted from the voice recognition server 200 by communicating with the voice recognition server 200 via the communication unit 108”, page 8 ¶ 4 “The extraction unit 150 extracts words indicating thermal sensation included in the voice acquired by the voice acquisition unit 120. A word indicating a thermal sensation is a phrase representing a human sense of heat or cold, such as “hot”, “cold”, “warm”, “cold”. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, when the user U utters a voice saying “This room is hot”, the extraction unit 150 extracts a character string “hot” as a word indicating thermal sensation”, voice extraction corresponds to forming of a second information that is a smaller information amount),
a second information transmitter that transmits the second information, the second information being transmitted externally of the air conditioner (page 8 ¶ 7 “When words indicating warmth are extracted, there is a high possibility that the user U feels uncomfortable due to the heat. Therefore, the air conditioning control unit 160 transmits a control command for lowering the temperature of the indoor space” (page 8 ¶ 3 “In the air conditioning control device 100, the recognition information receiving unit 140 receives the recognition information transmitted from the voice recognition server 200. The recognition information receiving unit 140 receives the recognition information transmitted from the voice recognition server 200 by communicating with the voice recognition server 200 via the communication unit 108”),
a command receiver that receives a command corresponding to the second information transmitted from the second information transmitter from externally of the air conditioner (page 8 ¶ 7),,
and an air conditioner controller that controls an operation of the air conditioner in accordance with the command (page 8 ¶ 7, 8).
Regarding claim 3, Noriyuki teaches A communication system comprising:
a transmission apparatus including a microphone that accepts input of voice, a processor that converts the voice accepted by the microphone into a text data format (page 7 last paragraph “the speech recognition unit 220 performs lexical interpretation and context interpretation on the obtained character string using a known method, and converts the character string into a character string mixed with kanji characters”), and a transmitter that transmits data based on the voice accepted by the microphone via a communication line (page 5 ¶ 11 “The communication unit 203 includes a communication interface for connecting to the wide area network N, and communicates with the air conditioning control device 100 via the wide area network N. Specifically, the communication unit 203 receives voice information from the air conditioning control device 100 under the control of the control unit 201, and transmits information indicating the result of voice recognition to the air conditioning control device 100.”), the processor being configured to switch a format of the data transmitted from the transmitter between a voice data format and the text data format (page 8 first paragraph “The voice recognition unit 220 obtains a character string representing a word uttered by the user U when the posture of the user U is changed by such voice recognition processing”);
and a reception apparatus including a receiver that receives the data transmitted from the transmitter of the transmission apparatus (page 5 ¶ 11 “The communication unit 203 includes a communication interface for connecting to the wide area network N, and communicates with the air conditioning control device 100 via the wide area network N. Specifically, the communication unit 203 receives voice information from the air conditioning control device 100 under the control of the control unit 201, and transmits information indicating the result of voice recognition to the air conditioning control device 100.”).
Regarding claim 5, the cited prior art teach The air conditioning system according to claim 2.
Noriyuki teaches wherein the second information is transmitted to an analyzer externally of the air conditioner, the command receiver receives the command from a command generator externally of the air conditioner, wherein the air conditioning system further comprises a state-quantity information transmitter that transmits information on a state quantity for at least one of the air conditioner and a space to be air-conditioned by the air conditioner to the command generation apparatus externally of the air conditioner, and the command receiver receives a command generated by the command generator based on an analysis result obtained by the analyzer and the information on the state quantity (page 11 “Each of the plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,... Has the same configuration and function as the air conditioning control device 100 in the first embodiment. Specifically, in each of the plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,..., The change detection unit 110 detects a change in the corresponding user posture and the like. When a change is detected by the change detection unit 110, the voice acquisition unit 120 acquires the user's voice by the voice acquisition unit 120. The voice information transmission unit 130 transmits voice information indicating the voice acquired by the voice acquisition unit 120 to the voice recognition server 200. The voice recognition server 200 has the same configuration and functions as in the first embodiment. Specifically, in the voice recognition server 200, the voice information receiving unit 210 receives voice information transmitted from each of the plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,. The voice recognition unit 220 recognizes the voice indicated by the voice information received by the voice information reception unit 210. The recognition information transmission unit 230 transmits the recognition information indicating the result of the voice recognition by the voice recognition unit 220 to the air conditioning control device 100 that has transmitted the voice information among the plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,. In each of the plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,..., The recognition information receiving unit 140 receives the recognition information when the recognition information is transmitted from the voice recognition server 200. The extraction unit 150 extracts words indicating thermal sensation from the recognition information received by the recognition information receiving unit 140. And the air-conditioning control part 160 controls the air conditioning by several air conditioner 10a, 10b, ... according to the word which shows the thermal feeling extracted by the extraction part 150. FIG. Thus, the air conditioning control unit 160 controls the air conditioning so that the user's comfort is improved based on the user's voice acquired when the corresponding user's posture or the like changes”)
Regarding claim 6, the cited prior art teach The air conditioning system according to claim 2.
Noriyuki teaches wherein the processor executes format conversion on the first information, which is voice information being subjected to A/D conversion by an A/D conversion circuit (page 5)
Claim(s) 4 and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cannon et al (US PAT. 6952471, herein Cannon).
Regarding claim 4, Cannon teaches A device management system that manages a first device including a first speaker that outputs a sound, and a second device different from the first device, the second device including a second speaker that outputs a sound, the device management system (col 3 lines 25-33 “If the remote handset is determined to be within close proximity of the base unit (e.g., less than 10 feet, less than 5 feet, or other appropriate threshold proximity distance), then the gain of the audio path in either direction between the remote handset and its base unit is attenuated.”, col 3 lines 33-35 “The attenuation may be a muting, a fixed amount of attenuation (e.g., 6 decibels (dB), 12 dB, or other appropriate fixed amount), or may be a variable amount of attenuation dependent upon a relationship to the distance between the remote handset and the base unit.” The handset and base can both produce noise and correspond to the first and second device) comprising:
a processor that determines whether the first device and the second device are in a predetermined positional relationship (col 3 lines 25-33 “If the remote handset is determined to be within close proximity of the base unit (e.g., less than 10 feet, less than 5 feet, or other appropriate threshold proximity distance), then the gain of the audio path in either direction between the remote handset and its base unit is attenuated.”, col 3 lines 33-35 “The attenuation may be a muting, a fixed amount of attenuation (e.g., 6 decibels (dB), 12 dB, or other appropriate fixed amount), or may be a variable amount of attenuation dependent upon a relationship to the distance between the remote handset and the base unit.”);
and the processor controlling on/off of sound output or an output sound volume of at least one of the first device and the second device based on a determination result of the processor (col 3 lines 25-33 “If the remote handset is determined to be within close proximity of the base unit (e.g., less than 10 feet, less than 5 feet, or other appropriate threshold proximity distance), then the gain of the audio path in either direction between the remote handset and its base unit is attenuated.”, col 3 lines 33-35 “The attenuation may be a muting, a fixed amount of attenuation (e.g., 6 decibels (dB), 12 dB, or other appropriate fixed amount), or may be a variable amount of attenuation dependent upon a relationship to the distance between the remote handset and the base unit.”)
and a microphone that receives a voice input (1:50-55),
the first device and the second device being configured to output sound in response to the voice input to the microphone (1:50-55),
the first device and the second device being in the predetermined positional relationship is defined as a person making the voice input to the microphone hears the sounds output by the first device and the second device overlapping, and the sounds output by the first device and the second device influence each other (1:50-55 “This causes primary acoustical feedback from sound output by the speaker 760 of the base unit being picked up by the microphone 752 of the handset 702, and even in some cases secondary feedback from sound output by the speaker 750 of the handset being picked up by the microphone 762 of the base unit 700. These are relatively low loss feedback paths which may become unstable, cause howling from the speaker of the base unit and/or from the speaker of the remote handset”, abstract “Apparatus and methods for automatically (i.e., without requiring manual user adjustment) reducing gain in one or both acoustic feedback paths of a cordless telephone when the handset and its base unit are operating in close proximity to one another, preventing uncontrolled feedback and audible howling even before it begins. A proximity detection module determines a distance between the handset and its base unit using an appropriate technique, e.g., using RSSI, round trip delay times, and/or GPS measurements. If the distance indicates that the handset is within close proximity to the base unit, appropriate attenuation of the microphone gain and/or speaker volume of the base unit and/or the handset will be implemented. One or more fixed levels of attenuation may be implemented based on a corresponding one or more measured close proximity distances between the handset and its base unit. Thus, the attenuation may result in a muting, a fixed amount of attenuation (e.g., 6 decibels (dB), 12 dB, or other appropriate fixed amount), or may be a variable amount dependent upon a relationship to the distance between the handset and the base unit”),
the processor being configured to turn on the sound output of the first device and turn off the sound output of the second device when the processor determines that the first device and the second device are in the predetermined positional relationship (2:35 -40 “FIG. 1 shows a cordless telephone including a proximity detection module in a base unit, and gain/volume controllers in both the base unit and the handset, for muting or attenuating a microphone and/or speaker path when a simultaneously handset and base unit come within close proximity of one another, in accordance with the principles of the present invention”).
Regarding claim 8, the cited prior art teach The device management system according to claim 4.
Cannon teaches further comprising a memory that stores position-related information indicating whether the first device and the second device are in the predetermined positional relationship, wherein the processor determines whether the first device and the second device are in the predetermined positional relationship based on the position-related information stored in the memory (4:45-50 “The particular proximity threshold distance used may vary among various makes and models of cordless telephones, and is preferably established based on the particular application. The proximity threshold distance may be arbitrarily set (e.g., 5 feet, 10 feet), or determined empirically by the manufacturer. The proximity threshold distance is preferably stored in appropriate memory accessible by the proximity detection module 100, in accordance with the principles of the present invention”).
Regarding claim 9, the cited prior art teach The device management system according to claim 4.
Cannon teaches further comprising: a detector that detects a position of at least one of the first device and the second device, wherein the processor determines whether the first device and the second device are in the predetermined positional relationship based on a detection result of the detector (4:45-50, 6:35-40 “Given the distance, the proximity determinator 310 determines a desired amount of attenuation to be applied in the audio paths at either the remote handset or at the base unit. The desired amount of attenuation may be fixed and retrieved from an appropriate memory, or variable based on the value of the distance.”).
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noriyuki (WIPO, WO2018211619) in view of Fadell et al (US PUB. 20150167995, herein Fadell).
Regarding claim 1, An air conditioner including an indoor unit having a main body having formed therein a blow-out port through which air-conditioned air is blown out toward a space to be air-conditioned ((page 3, ¶ 7 “The air heat-exchanged by the indoor heat exchanger 25 is supplied to the indoor space as conditioned air. Thereby, indoor space is air-conditioned. When the indoor blower 27 starts the air blowing operation, a negative pressure is generated inside the indoor unit 12 and sucks air in the indoor space. The sucked air is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger 25, exchanged heat with the indoor heat exchanger 25, and then blown out into the indoor space. As the amount of heat exchange between the refrigerant and air in the indoor heat exchanger 25 increases, the cooling capacity or heating capacity of the air conditioning system 1 increases”) and an external device connection port (page 4 “The communication line 16 may be wired, wireless, or another communication medium”, page 11 “air conditioning management device 300 is a device that manages a plurality of air conditioners 10a, 10b,. The air conditioning management device 300 is, for example, a HEMS (Home Energy Management System) or BEMS (Building Energy Management System)
controller that manages the power of the entire office 3 and is installed at an appropriate location in the office 3. . As shown in FIG. 10, the air conditioning management device 300 includes a control unit 301, a storage unit 302, and a communication unit 303. These units are
connected via a bus 309”, page 10 “The plurality of air conditioning controllers 100a, 100b,... Control air conditioning by the plurality of air conditioners 10a, 10b,. The plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,... Are terminal devices such as smartphones, tablet terminals, and mobile phones that are operated by users U1, U2,. The users U1, U2,... Are persons such as workers and workers in the office 3, respectively. For example, the first air conditioning control device 100a is placed and operated on the desk of the first user U1, and the second air conditioning control device 100b is placed and operated on the desk of the second user U2”, page 11 “Each of the plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,... Has the same configuration and function as the air conditioning control device 100 in the first embodiment. Specifically, in each of the plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,..., The change detection unit 110 detects a change in the corresponding user posture and the like. When a change is detected by the change detection unit 110, the voice acquisition unit 120 acquires the user's voice by the voice acquisition unit 120. The voice information transmission unit 130 transmits voice information indicating the voice acquired by the voice acquisition unit 120 to the voice recognition server 200”) , the air conditioner comprising:
an electronic controller including a microphone that accepts input of a voice instruction, the electronic controller being arranged outside the main body (page 5 ¶ 12, “The speech recognition server 200 is a server that provides a speech recognition service using cloud computing, and causes the air conditioning system 1 to function in cooperation with the air conditioning control device 100. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the voice recognition server 200 includes a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, and a communication unit 203. These units are connected via a bus 209.” Page 7 ¶ 4-5, The server is separate from the main body);
a cable that communicably connects the external device connection port of the indoor unit and the electronic controller to each other (page 4 “The communication line 16 may be wired, wireless, or another communication medium”, page 11 “air conditioning management device 300 is a device that manages a plurality of air conditioners 10a, 10b,. The air conditioning management device 300 is, for example, a HEMS (Home Energy Management System) or BEMS (Building Energy Management System) controller that manages the power of the entire office 3 and is installed at an appropriate location in the office 3. . As shown in FIG. 10, the air conditioning management device 300 includes a control unit 301, a storage unit 302, and a communication unit 303. These units are connected via a bus 309” page 5 ¶ 12, “The speech recognition server 200 is a server that provides a speech recognition service using cloud computing, and causes the air conditioning system 1 to function in cooperation with the air conditioning control device 100. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the voice recognition server 200 includes a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, and a communication unit 203. These units are connected via a bus 209.”);
a transmitter that transmits a signal that is based on the voice instruction accepted by the microphone to an analysis apparatus, and transmits information on a state quantity of at least one of the air conditioner (page 5 “the communication unit 108 transmits a control command for the air conditioner 10 to the indoor unit control unit 29 and receives state information indicating the state of the air conditioner 10 from the indoor unit control unit 29 under the control of the control unit 101.”) [and the space to be air-conditioned to a command generation apparatus], the analysis apparatus and the command generation apparatus being disposed externally of the air conditioner (page 5 ¶ 11 “The communication unit 203 includes a communication interface for connecting to the wide area network N, and communicates with the air conditioning control device 100 via the wide area network N. Specifically, the communication unit 203 receives voice information from the air conditioning control device 100 under the control of the control unit 201, and transmits information indicating the result of voice recognition to the air conditioning control device 100.”, page 10 “The plurality of air conditioning controllers 100a, 100b,... Control air conditioning by the plurality of air conditioners 10a, 10b,. The plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,... Are terminal devices such as smartphones, tablet terminals, and mobile phones that are operated by users U1, U2,. The users U1, U2,... Are persons such as workers and workers in the office 3, respectively. For example, the first air conditioning control device 100a is placed and operated on the desk of the first user U1, and the second air conditioning control device 100b is placed and operated on the desk of the second user U2”, page 11 “Each of the plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,... Has the same configuration and function as the air conditioning control device 100 in the first embodiment. Specifically, in each of the plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,..., The change detection unit 110 detects a change in the corresponding user posture and the like. When a change is detected by the change detection unit 110, the voice acquisition unit 120 acquires the user's voice by the voice acquisition unit 120. The voice information transmission unit 130 transmits voice information indicating the voice acquired by the voice acquisition unit 120 to the voice recognition server 200”);
a receiver that receives a command generated by the command generation apparatus based on a result of an analysis of the signal by the analysis apparatus and on the information on the state quantity (page 5 ¶ 11 “The communication unit 203 includes a communication interface for connecting to the wide area network N, and communicates with the air conditioning control device 100 via the wide area network N. Specifically, the communication unit 203 receives voice information from the air conditioning control device 100 under the control of the control unit 201, and transmits information indicating the result of voice recognition to the air conditioning control device 100.”);
and an air conditioner controller that controls an operation of the air conditioner in accordance with the command (page 5 ¶ 11 “The communication unit 203 includes a communication interface for connecting to the wide area network N, and communicates with the air conditioning control device 100 via the wide area network N. Specifically, the communication unit 203 receives voice information from the air conditioning control device 100 under the control of the control unit 201, and transmits information indicating the result of voice recognition to the air conditioning control device 100…The communication unit 108 is connected to the wide area network N via the base station S and communicates with the voice recognition server 200 via the wide area network N.”, page 5 ¶ 12).
The cited prior art do not teach and the space to be air-conditioned to a command generation apparatus.
Fadell teaches and transmits information on a state quantity of at least one of the air conditioner (taught by Noriyuki) and the space to be air-conditioned to a command generation apparatus (0060, 0219 “ the thermostats 46 may utilize a thermal profile of the primary user's home to suitably adjust the operational parameters of the HVAC system 48. In this way, mis-matches between the guest's home system and the primary user's home system will not affect the actual temperature set points that are achieved by the HVAC system 48, such as set points for a schedule. For example, if the guest's preferred schedule calls for the home to be cooler by 5 degrees at a desired time and the guest's home HVAC system takes 15 minutes to cool the guest's home by 5 degrees, the guest's thermostats may cause the guest's HVAC system to begin cooling 15 minutes before the desired time, such that the desired temperature is reached at the desired time. On the other hand, if the primary user's HVAC system 48 takes 5 minutes for the same adjustment, the thermostats 46, in implementing the guest's preferred settings, may cause the HVAC system 48 to operate for the 5 minutes before the desired time so that the temperature is 5 degrees cooler by the desired time”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to have modified the teachings of Noriyuki with the teachings of Fadell since Fadell teaches a means for performing an HVAC operation in time for a more comfortable user experience (0219).
Response to Arguments
Applicant argues on page 8 that Noriyuki does not teach air conditioning control device is communicably connected by a cable to an external device connection port of the indoor unit.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Noriyuki teaches a communication line which is wired or any other communication medium (page 4). Noriyuki further teaches the air conditioning management device manages multiple air conditioners with multiple different units which are all connected by the bus (page 11). Therefore, Noriyuki teaches the broadest reasonable interpretation of the argued limitation.
Applicant then argues that Noriyuki does not teach a command generated based on an analysis of the signal based on the voice instruction and information on a state quantity of the air conditioner and space to be air conditioned.
Examiner agrees. However, as a result of further search and consideration Fadell has been introduced to teach the amendment to the claim. Noriyuki teaches teaches analysis of voice captured signals (page 5). Fadell further teaches information of state quantity of the space with temperature sensors and state quantity of the air conditioner through its transmission to adjust its settings and knowing how long it takes for the HVAC system to reach the desired temperature under broadest reasonable interpretation.
Therefore, the rejection of claim 1 is maintained.
Applicant argues on page 10 that Noriyuki extracts words after transmitting the captured voice instruction and thus Noriyuki does not teach second information having smaller information than the first information is generated prior to transmitting the second information externally of the air conditioner.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. The claim requires that the controller which is included in an air conditioner and that the second information transmitter which is included in the controller transmits the second information externally of the air conditioner.
Noriyuki teaches that the air conditioning control device includes the extract unit (page 6 “the air conditioning control device 100 functionally includes a change detection unit 110, a voice acquisition unit 120, a voice information transmission unit 130, a recognition information reception unit 140, an extraction unit 150,”). This information is then passed to the command receiving unit which is part of the air conditioning management device (page 11 “the air conditioning management device 300 functionally includes a command receiving unit 310”, page 12 “command receiving unit 310 receives a control command transmitted from each of the plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,. The control command is an air conditioning command for the plurality of air conditioners 10a, 10b,... Generated based on the corresponding user's voice in each of the plurality of air conditioning controllers 100a, 100b,. The command receiving unit 310 receives the transmitted control command each time a control command is transmitted from any of the plurality of air conditioning control devices 100a, 100b,. The command receiving unit 310 is realized by the control unit 301 cooperating with the communication unit 303. The command receiving unit 310 functions as a command receiving unit.”).
Therefore claim 2 is rejected.
In regards to claim 3, applicant argues that the cited prior art does not teach being able to switch between voice and text transmissions from the same transmitter. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Noriyuki teaches “When the voice is acquired, the control unit 101 transmits voice information indicating the acquired voice to the voice recognition server 200 via the wide area network” (page 9). Noriyuki further teaches “recognition information receiving unit 140 is realized by the control unit 101 cooperating with the communication unit 108…the air conditioning control unit 160 controls the air conditioning by the air conditioner 10 according to the words indicating the thermal sensation extracted by the extraction unit 150 based on the recognition information received by the recognition information receiving unit 140.” (page 8). Therefore, Noriyuki teaches being able to switch format of the data transmitted from the same transmitter as argued in claim 3.
Therefore, claim 3 is rejected.
Fadell teaches and transmits information on a state quantity of at least one of the air conditioner and the space to be air-conditioned to a command generation apparatus (0060, 0219 “if the guest's preferred schedule calls for the home to be cooler by 5 degrees at a desired time and the guest's home HVAC system takes 15 minutes to cool the guest's home by 5 degrees, the guest's thermostats may cause the guest's HVAC system to begin cooling 15 minutes before the desired time, such that the desired temperature is reached at the desired time. On the other hand, if the primary user's HVAC system 48 takes 5 minutes for the same adjustment, the thermostats 46, in implementing the guest's preferred settings, may cause the HVAC system 48 to operate for the 5 minutes before the desired time so that the temperature is 5 degrees cooler by the desired time”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to have modified the teachings of Noriyuki with the teachings of Fadell since Fadell teaches a means for performing an HVAC operation in time for a more comfortable user experience (0219).
In regards to claim 4, applicant argues on page 14 that Cannon does not teach the amendments to the claim. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Cannon teaches determining fixed levels of attenuation based on measured close proximity distances between the handset and base unit (abstract).
Therefore, the rejection of claim 4 and its dependent claims are maintained.
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAMEEM SIDDIQUEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1627. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kenneth Lo can be reached at (571) 272-9774. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAMEEM D SIDDIQUEE/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2116
Prosecution Insights