DETAILED ACTION
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 Claims
Claims 1-15 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 06/03/2025 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(3)(i) because it does not include a concise explanation of the relevance, as it is presently understood by the individual designated in 37 CFR 1.56(c) most knowledgeable about the content of the information, of each reference listed that is not in the English language. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
The information disclosure statement filed 11/22/2023 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
The information disclosure statements filed 01/22/2025, 06/03/2025, 03/23/2026 fails to comply with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.98(a)(4) because it lacks the appropriate size fee assertion. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered as to the merits.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 9-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamaguchi et al. [US 20230329335].
As to Claim 1 Yamaguchi discloses An aerosol generating device comprising:
a main body including a semi-exterior portion on a surface, [fig. 4C, 0100] main housing 200, of which a 1-1 st contact electrode and a 1-2nd contact electrode are formed to be apart from each other, [fig. 4C, 099, 0100] a plurality of electrical contacts 250 exposed towards the cover 300;
a cover detachably coupled to the main body, [fig. 4C, 0099, 0100] cover 300, and including a 2-1st contact electrode corresponding to the 1-1st contact electrode and a 2-2nd contact electrode corresponding to the 1-2nd contact electrode, [fig. 4C, 0099, 0100] cover element 300 provided with electrically conductive element 320 in the form of pogo pins that engage with the electrical contacts 250; and
a controller configured to determine that the cover is mounted on the main body when the 1-1st contact electrode and the 1-2nd contact electrode are electrically connected to each other, [0099] a circuitry for controlling the operation of the aerosol generation device 100 based on information from a cover detection means 250; [0099] wherein the cover detection means 250 detects the cover 300 based on the open contacts 250 are in contact with the electrically conductive element 320 of the cover 300 such that the open circuit is closed.
As to Claim 2 Yamaguchi discloses The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein the cover includes an upper surface corresponding to the surface of the semi-exterior portion and a side surface extending in a thickness direction along a circumference of the upper surface, and the 2-1st contact electrode and the 2-2nd contact electrode are arranged on an inner surface of the upper surface and electrically connected to each other, [fig. 4C, 0089, 0099].
As to Claim 3 Yamaguchi discloses The aerosol generating device of claim 2, wherein the cover includes a connection portion electrically connecting the 2-1st contact electrode with the 2-2nd contact electrode, wherein the connection portion is formed throughout an inner surface of the side surface, [fig. 4C, 0099].
As to Claim 9 Yamaguchi disclose The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein the semi-exterior portion includes: a 1-1st magnetic substance arranged at an inner portion of the 1-1st contact electrode; and a 1-2nd magnetic substance arranged at an inner portion of the 1-2nd contact electrode, [fig. 3C, 0097] a first and second magnetic means 210 on the housing 200.
As to Claim 10 Yamaguchi fails to disclose The aerosol generating device of claim 9, wherein the cover includes: a 2-1st magnetic substance arranged at an inner portion of the 2-1st contact electrode and generating a tensile force with respect to the 1-1st magnetic substance; and a 2-2nd magnetic substance arranged at an inner portion of the 2-2nd contact electrode and generating a tensile force with respect to the 1-2nd magnetic substance, [fig. 3C, 0097] a first and second magnetic means 210 on the housing 200, and a second conductive element 340 on the cover; [fig. 3C, 0097] wherein the two magnets 210 exert a magnetic force on the element 340.
As to Claim 11 Yamaguchi discloses An operating method of an aerosol generating device including
a main body that includes a semi-exterior portion on a surface, [fig. 4C, 0100] main housing 200, of which a 1-1st contact electrode and a 1-2nd contact electrode are formed to be apart from each other, [fig. 4C, 099, 0100] a plurality of electrical contacts 250 exposed towards the cover 300, and
a cover detachably coupled to the main body, [fig. 4C, 0099, 0100] cover 300, and including a 2-1st contact electrode corresponding to the 1-1st contact electrode and a 2-2nd contact electrode corresponding to the 1-2nd contact electrode, [fig. 4C, 0099, 0100] cover element 300 provided with electrically conductive element 320 in the form of pogo pins that engage with the electrical contacts 250,
the method comprising:
transmitting an output signal of a high level to a general-purpose input and output terminal, [0099] the cover detection means 250 detects the cover 300 based on the open contacts 250 are in contact with the electrically conductive element 320 of the cover 300 such that the open circuit is closed, and outputs a signal with a predetermined value;
receiving an input signal through the general-purpose input and output terminal, [0099] a circuitry for controlling the operation of the aerosol generation device 100 based on information from a cover detection means 250; [0099] wherein the cover detection means 250 detects the cover 300 based on the open contacts 250 are in contact with the electrically conductive element 320 of the cover 300 such that the open circuit is closed; and
determining, based on a change of the input signal, whether or not the cover and the main body are coupled to each other, [0099] a circuitry for controlling the operation of the aerosol generation device 100 based on information from a cover detection means 250; [0099] wherein the cover detection means 250 detects the cover 300 based on the open contacts 250 are in contact with the electrically conductive element 320 of the cover 300 such that the open circuit is closed.
As to Claim 12 Yamaguchi discloses The operating method of claim 11, wherein the 2-1st contact electrode and the 2-2nd contact electrode are electrically connected to each other, [fig. 4C, 0099].
As to Claim 13 Yamaguchi discloses The operating method of claim 11, wherein the determining of whether or not the cover and the main body are coupled to each other includes determining that the cover is mounted on the main body, when the input signal has a low level, [0099] cover detected when a voltage drop is detected.
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 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.
Claim(s) 4-8, 14, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi in view of Lord [US 20180153223].
As to Claim 4 Yamaguchi fails to disclose The aerosol generating device of claim 1, wherein the controller includes: a ground terminal connected to the 1-1st contact electrode; and a general-purpose input and output terminal connected to the 1-2nd contact electrode.
Lord teaches an electric vapor provision device comprising a cover 2 detachably coupled to a main body 8, [fig.1, 0033]; wherein the cover 2 comprises contact terminals 30, 34 electrically connected through a vaporizer 24, [fig. 3, 0034], and the main body 8 comprises terminals 28, 32 arranged to couple with the cover terminals 30, 34, [fig. 3, 0034], and a computer 12 to detect if the cover 2 is connected with the body 8, [0036]; wherein one of the contacts 28 or 32 is connected to a negative terminal of the power cell 10 and the other terminal is connected to a input of the computer 12, [fig. 10].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yamaguchi with that of Lord so that the system can be implemented using a basic circuit arrangement where a negative terminal of a power supply is used as a reference point for measuring electrical levels in the circuit.
As to Claim 5 Yamaguchi discloses The aerosol generating device of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit an output signal of a high level through the general-purpose input and output terminal, [0099] cover detected with a signal having predetermined value is detected.
As to Claim 6 Yamaguchi discloses The aerosol generating device of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to, when the controller receives an input signal of a low level through the general-purpose input and output terminal, determine that the cover is mounted on the main body, [0099] cover detected when a voltage drop is detected.
As to Claim 7 Yamaguchi fails to disclose The aerosol generating device of claim 5, further comprising an analog-to-digital converter between the 1-2nd contact electrode and the general-purpose input and output terminal, the analog-to-digital converter being configured to convert an analog input signal to a digital input signal.
Lord teaches an electric vapor provision device comprising a cover 2 detachably coupled to a main body 8, [fig.1, 0033]; wherein the cover 2 comprises contact terminals 30, 34 electrically connected through a vaporizer 24, [fig. 3, 0034], and the main body 8 comprises terminals 28, 32 arranged to couple with the cover terminals 30, 34, [fig. 3, 0034], and a computer 12 to detect if the cover 2 is connected with the body 8, [0036]; wherein the system uses a digital multimeter 44 to determine if the cover is connected, [fig. 10, 0039]; which requires an analog to digital converter to convert the analog signal through the capacitor 38 into a digital format for the digital multimeter.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yamaguchi with that of Lord so that the system of Lord can perform the digital comparison.
As to Claim 8 Yamaguchi discloses The aerosol generating device of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to, when the general-purpose input and output terminal receives the input signal that is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, determine that the cover is mounted on the main body, [0099] cover detected when a signal drops to a predetermined value.
Yamaguchi fails to disclose wherein the signal is digital.
Lord teaches an electric vapor provision device comprising a cover 2 detachably coupled to a main body 8, [fig.1, 0033]; wherein the cover 2 comprises contact terminals 30, 34 electrically connected through a vaporizer 24, [fig. 3, 0034], and the main body 8 comprises terminals 28, 32 arranged to couple with the cover terminals 30, 34, [fig. 3, 0034], and a computer 12 comprising a microprocessor 16, [0051], to detect if the cover 2 is connected with the body 8, [0036]; wherein the system uses a digital multimeter 44 to determine if the cover is connected, [fig. 10, 0039].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yamaguchi with that of Lord so that the system can use the digital signal as an input to the microprocessor.
As to Claim 14 is rejected using the same prior arts and reasoning as to that of claim 7.
As to Claim 15 is rejected using the same prior arts and reasoning as to that of claim 8.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENYAM HAILE whose telephone number is (571)272-2080. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM Mon. - Thur..
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/Benyam Haile/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688
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