DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/11/25 have been fully considered but they are moot as they do not apply to the current grounds of rejection made in view of amendments to the claims.
Response to Amendments
The rejections of claims 1-12 under 35 USC 103 set forth in the prior Office action are withdrawn in order to present new rejections in view of amendments to the claims.
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 and 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200024784 by Yoon et al. in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20190017207 by Li et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication 20090320530 by Kim et al.
As to claim 1, Yoon teaches a washing machine (e.g. first appliance 301, fig. 4) comprising a control panel 312 including a selection dial 314 (para. 37, user input selector may be a dial), a course display 316 (fig. 5, para. 41), and a dryer control to obtain a user input for switching from a washer control mode to a dryer control mode (fig. 5, para. 41); a communication interface to communicate with a drying machine (para. 48); and a controller 318 (fig. 4) configured to switch display of information corresponding to the washer control mode to display of information corresponding to the dryer control mode (figs. 5 and 6), and transmit information corresponding to a drying course to the drying machine through the communication interface (para. 38).
Yoon teaches that input selectors may be used to select a course (para. 22) and that a selection dial may be provided as an input selector (para. 37). Although Yoon does not explicitly teach an embodiment in which a control panel includes a course selection dial, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious from the teachings of Yoon that various types of input selectors may be suitable for providing user input, including a dial for selecting a course. Furthermore, a course selection dial was known in the art (see Li, fig. 8; Kim, fig. 5, para. 50), and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to use such dial in a washing machine as contemplated by Yoon with a reasonable expectation of success for its established purpose.
Yoon teaches a dryer control to obtain a user input for switching from a washer control mode to a dryer control mode, the dryer control embodied as an icon on a display (fig. 5, para. 41). Yoon teaches that an input selector may be embodied as a displayed icon, a dial, or push button (paras. 33, 37). Although Yoon does not explicitly teach an embodiment in which the dryer control is a button, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious from the teachings of Yoon that various types of input selectors may be suitable for providing user input, including a button for selecting a dryer control mode. Furthermore, a control button to switch between control modes of different appliances was known in the art (see Li, button 7; fig. 3, para. 38), and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to use such control button as a dryer control button in a washing machine as contemplated by Yoon with a reasonable expectation of success for its established purpose of switching control modes.
Yoon contemplates displaying a plurality of washing and drying courses on a display (figs. 5 and 6), but does not explicitly teach displaying a course that is switched in a predetermined order according to a rotation of a course selection dial in respective washer and dryer control modes. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to perform that display function. Kim teaches displaying a plurality of courses on a course display 130 one-by-one in a predetermined order according to a rotation of a course selection dial (fig. 5, paras. 75-59). Kim teaches that displaying courses on a course display, as opposed to printing on a surface of a control panel, improves the exterior design of the appliance and allows for changing or adding of washing courses (paras. 89-90). Based on the teachings of Yoon that various input selectors may be used and manipulated to select a course and that courses may be displayed in respective washer and dryer control modes, and the teachings of Kim that demonstrate that rotation of a course selection dial and switching the display of a plurality of courses in order for respective appliances would achieve the intended, expected results, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized the claimed displaying of courses according to a rotation of a course selection dial to have been obvious with a reasonable expectation of success.
Therefore, the claimed invention would have been obvious at its effective filing date.
As to claim 3, Yoon contemplates an embodiment having a power button (para. 45), but Yoon does not explicitly teach turning off the washing machine in response to a user input through a washer power button in the dryer control mode. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to have a washer power button operable to turn off the washing machine in a dryer control mode. Yoon teaches a dedicated power button for one of the machines and suggests that a dedicated button allows for quick execution of the button’s function while still providing a means for selecting various functions of the machine on the control panel (para. 45). Based on the teachings of suggestions of Yoon, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have a washer power button to allow a user to quickly turn off the washing machine, and would have understood that turning off the washing in a dryer control mode could be performed since the machines of Yoon are intended to be operated independently.
As to claim 4, Yoon teaches that when the washing machine is identified to be connected to the drying machine control of both machines may be combined such that the dryer is controlled by the user interface, including input selectors and display, of the washing machine (para. 48). Yoon explicitly teaches an embodiment in which a drying course is displayed on the washing machine display based on the connection of the washing and drying machines (fig. 6). One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious that when a user inputs a dryer control button that a connection identification would take place in order for combined control to be realized (also note that Yoon teaches feedback data 370 from the drying machine which would require an active connection, see fig. 4).
As to claim 5, Yoon teaches displaying the washing course on a course display in response to obtaining a user input for switching control of the washing machine through the control panel while the drying course is displayed (fig. 5, para. 42, display can be switched between washing and drying displays).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200024784 by Yoon et al. in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20190017207 by Li et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication 20090320530 by Kim et al. as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20180237976 by Li et al. (hereinafter “Li ‘976”).
As to claim 2, Yoon teaches that its control panel may comprise an input selector to obtain a user control input and suggests that its controller is configured to transmit information corresponding to displayed drying course information to the drying machine through the communication interface in response to a user input (fig. 6, para. 37). While Yoon does not explicitly teach a dedicated operation button to start a drying machine operation, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to have a drying machine operation button. Li ‘976 teaches a control panel to control two appliances, the control panel comprising dedicated operation buttons to start operation of a respective appliance (fig. 1, para. 70). One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to use a dedicated operation button for the drying machine in the washing machine as taught by Yoon with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of starting operation of a machine, as demonstrated by Li ‘976, since Yoon contemplates and suggests input selectors used to control the operation of the drying machine. Therefore, the claimed invention would have been obvious at its effective filing date.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200024784 by Yoon et al. in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20190017207 by Li et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication 20090320530 by Kim et al. as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20210189625 by Xu et al.
As to claim 6, Yoon does not teach a remote control button. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to have a remote control button and to display whether a remote control of the washing machine is activated. Xu teaches a laundry apparatus embodied as a washing machine with a drying device (para. 258) that includes a remote control button (activation key 2) to receive an input for activating remote control of the apparatus (para. 44, fig. 1) and further teaches displaying that remote control is activated on an operation interface (para. 120). Xu teaches that remote control allows for control using a computer, mobile terminal, and other sensing devices and enables a user to query a status of the apparatus in real time from a remote location (para. 3). One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have a remote control button so as to enable user activation of a desirable remote control function of the apparatus and to display whether remote control is activated to enable user notification of the activation. Therefore, the claimed invention would have been obvious at its effective filing date.
Claims 7 and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200024784 by Yoon et al. in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20190017207 by Li et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication 20090320530 by Kim et al.
As to claim 7, Yoon teaches a method of controlling a washing machine, the washing machine (e.g. first appliance 301, fig. 4) comprising a control panel 312 including a selection dial 314 (para. 37, user input selector may be a dial), a course display 316 (fig. 5, para. 41), and a dryer control to obtain a user input for switching from a washer control mode to a dryer control mode (fig. 5, para. 41); a communication interface to communicate with a drying machine (para. 48); and a controller 318 (fig. 4), the method comprising switching display of information corresponding to the washer control mode to display of information corresponding to the dryer control mode (figs. 5 and 6), and transmitting information corresponding to a drying course to the drying machine through the communication interface (para. 38).
Yoon teaches that input selectors may be used to select a course (para. 22) and that a selection dial may be provided as an input selector (para. 37). Although Yoon does not explicitly teach an embodiment in which a control panel includes a course selection dial, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious from the teachings of Yoon that various types of input selectors may be suitable for providing user input, including a dial for selecting a course. Furthermore, a course selection dial was known in the art (see Li, fig. 8; Kim, fig. 5, para. 50), and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to use such dial in a washing machine as contemplated by Yoon with a reasonable expectation of success for its established purpose.
Yoon teaches a dryer control to obtain a user input for switching from a washer control mode to a dryer control mode, the dryer control embodied as an icon on a display (fig. 5, para. 41). Yoon teaches that an input selector may be embodied as a displayed icon, a dial, or push button (paras. 33, 37). Although Yoon does not explicitly teach an embodiment in which the dryer control is a button, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious from the teachings of Yoon that various types of input selectors may be suitable for providing user input, including a button for selecting a dryer control mode. Furthermore, a control button to switch between control modes of different appliances was known in the art (see Li, button 7; fig. 3, para. 38), and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to use such control button as a dryer control button in a washing machine as contemplated by Yoon with a reasonable expectation of success for its established purpose of switching control modes.
Yoon contemplates displaying a plurality of washing and drying courses on a display (figs. 5 and 6), but does not explicitly teach displaying a course that is switched in a predetermined order according to a rotation of a course selection dial in respective washer and dryer control modes. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to perform that display function. Kim teaches displaying a plurality of courses on a course display 130 one-by-one in a predetermined order according to a rotation of a course selection dial (fig. 5, paras. 75-59). Kim teaches that displaying courses on a course display, as opposed to printing on a surface of a control panel, improves the exterior design of the appliance and allows for changing or adding of washing courses (paras. 89-90). Based on the teachings of Yoon that various input selectors may be used and manipulated to select a course and that courses may be displayed in respective washer and dryer control modes, and the teachings of Kim that demonstrate that rotation of a course selection dial and switching the display of a plurality of courses in order for respective appliances would achieve the intended, expected results, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized the claimed displaying of courses according to a rotation of a course selection dial to have been obvious with a reasonable expectation of success.
Therefore, the claimed invention would have been obvious at its effective filing date.
As to claim 9, Yoon contemplates an embodiment having a power button (para. 45), but Yoon does not explicitly teach turning off the washing machine in response to a user input through a washer power button in the dryer control mode. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to have a washer power button operable to turn off the washing machine in a dryer control mode. Yoon teaches a dedicated power button for one of the machines and suggests that a dedicated button allows for quick execution of the button’s function while still providing a means for selecting various functions of the machine on the control panel (para. 45). Based on the teachings of suggestions of Yoon, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have a washer power button to allow a user to quickly turn off the washing machine, and would have understood that turning off the washing in a dryer control mode could be performed since the machines of Yoon are intended to be operated independently.
As to claim 10, Yoon teaches that when the washing machine is identified to be connected to the drying machine control of both machines may be combined such that the dryer is controlled by the user interface, including input selectors and display, of the washing machine (para. 48). Yoon explicitly teaches an embodiment in which a drying course is displayed on the washing machine display based on the connection of the washing and drying machines (fig. 6). One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious that when a user inputs a dryer control button that a connection identification would take place in order for combined control to be realized (also note that Yoon teaches feedback data 370 from the drying machine which would require an active connection, see fig. 4).
As to claim 11, Yoon teaches displaying the washing course on a course display in response to obtaining a user input for switching control of the washing machine through the control panel while the drying course is displayed (fig. 5, para. 42, display can be switched between washing and drying displays).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200024784 by Yoon et al. in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20190017207 by Li et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication 20090320530 by Kim et al. as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20180237976 by Li et al. (hereinafter “Li ‘976”).
As to claim 8, Yoon teaches that its control panel may comprise an input selector to obtain a user control input and suggests that its controller is configured to transmit information corresponding to displayed drying course information to the drying machine through the communication interface in response to a user input (fig. 6, para. 37). While Yoon does not explicitly teach a dedicated operation button to start a drying machine operation, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to have a drying machine operation button. Li ‘976 teaches a control panel to control two appliances, the control panel comprising dedicated operation buttons to start operation of a respective appliance (fig. 1, para. 70). One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to use a dedicated operation button for the drying machine in the washing machine as taught by Yoon with a reasonable expectation of success for the purpose of starting operation of a machine, as demonstrated by Li ‘976, since Yoon contemplates and suggests input selectors used to control the operation of the drying machine. Therefore, the claimed invention would have been obvious at its effective filing date.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200024784 by Yoon et al. in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20190017207 by Li et al. and U.S. Patent Application Publication 20090320530 by Kim et al. as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 20210189625 by Xu et al.
As to claim 12, Yoon does not teach a remote control button. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized as obvious to have a remote control button and to display whether a remote control of the washing machine is activated. Xu teaches a laundry apparatus embodied as a washing machine with a drying device (para. 258) that includes a remote control button (activation key 2) to receive an input for activating remote control of the apparatus (para. 44, fig. 1) and further teaches displaying that remote control is activated on an operation interface (para. 120). Xu teaches that remote control allows for control using a computer, mobile terminal, and other sensing devices and enables a user to query a status of the apparatus in real time from a remote location (para. 3). One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have a remote control button so as to enable user activation of a desirable remote control function of the apparatus and to display whether remote control is activated to enable user notification of the activation. Therefore, the claimed invention would have been obvious at its effective filing date.
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.
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/SPENCER E. BELL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
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