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 Status
Claims 1-20 are pending:
Claims 1-3, 5-7 and 9-10 are rejected.
Claims 4 is objected to.
Claims 8 and 11-20 have been withdrawn.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 8 and 11-20 have been withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected groups II and III, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 04/13/2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of group I in the reply filed on 04/13/2026 is acknowledged.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. CN202210605816, filed on 05/30/2022.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 3, 6-7 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lyu (CN 112656329) in view of Xue (CN 207330526).
Regarding claims 1, 7 and 9-10, Lyu teaches a method for prompting salt content in a salt container of a water softening device, comprising:
obtaining a current salt content in a cavity of the salt container (detecting the salt content in a salt cavity by controlling a detection device to obtain the actual salt content in the salt cavity, see pg. 7; Fig. 2 shows salt cavity 111 within housing 11); and
determining that the current salt content is lower than a preset salt content (if the amount of salt added is not enough…resulting in a mismatch between the actual value of the salt amount …after the salt is used up, see pg. 7; resulting in no salt prompt after the salt is used up, see pg. 7), and in accordance with a determination that the current salt content is lower than the preset salt content, controlling the device and determining that the current salt content is lower than the preset salt content, and turning off the water softening device (when it is detected that the cover 112 above the salt chamber 111 is opened, the water softener will stop running at this time, see pg. 5); and an electronic device, comprising: a processor (processor 501); and a memory (memory 504) storing a computer program that is executable by the processor wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to perform the method for prompting salt content in a salt container of the water softening device (an application program is stored in the memory 504, and the processor 501 calls the program code stored in the memory 604 for performing any of the above-mentioned method steps, see pg. 9); and a non-transient computer-readable storage medium (the invention also provides a non-transitory computer storage medium, wherein the computer storage medium stores computer executable instructions, see pg. 10) storing a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the method for prompting salt content in a salt container of the water softening device (an application program is stored in the memory 504, and the processor 501 calls the program code stored in the memory 604 for performing any of the above-mentioned method steps, see pg. 9).
Lyu does not teach that in accordance with a determination that the current salt content is lower than the preset salt content, adjusting brightness of a first light-emitting assembly facing the cavity.
In a related field of endeavor, Xue teaches a water softener with salt lid (see ABS) comprising the step of adjusting brightness of a first light-emitting assembly facing the cavity (a system operated by the following steps: after the salt cover is opened, the magnetic switch senses that the magnetic field has disappeared, and the electric signal can be transmitted to the signal light through the magnetron switch, so that the user can observe the internal salt amount of the softener, and prompt the user to close the salt cover in time to prevent the dust from entering, see pg. 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the determining step in the method of Lye by determining in accordance with a determination that the current salt content is lower than the preset salt content, adjusting brightness of a first light-emitting assembly facing the cavity as disclosed by Xue because it prevents the salt lid from being opened during transportation, and prevents dust from entering (Xue, see pg. 2);
Regarding claim 3, Lyu and Xue teach the method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the current salt content in the cavity of the salt container comprises: obtaining a current salt level height in the cavity (Lyu, the height of the salt content can be determined by identifying the scale line set on the salt cavity, see pg. 6); and determining the current salt content based on the current salt level height (Lyu, the salt content in the salt cavity can be determined by combining the relationship between the height of the salt volume and the salt volume, see pg. 6).
Regarding claim 6, Lyu and Xue teach the method of claim 1, wherein in accordance with the determination that the current salt content is lower than the preset salt content, adjusting brightness of the first light-emitting assembly facing the cavity comprises: in accordance with the determination that the current salt content is lower than the preset salt content, detecting a cover body of the salt container (Xue, after adding salt lid to open, cabinet inside headlamp is opened, and is facilitated user to observe salt amount inside water softening device, can also be reminded user to close pushing cover in time, prevent dust from entering, see ABS); and in accordance with a determination that the cover body is open, adjusting brightness of the first light-emitting assembly facing the cavity (Xue, after salt lid opening, magnetic switch senses that magnetic field disappears, and can send electric signal to letter by magnetic switch Signal lamp, facilitates user to observe salt amount inside water softening device, can also remind user to close in time and add salt lid, prevent dust from entering, see pg. 2).
Claims 2 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lyu (CN 112656329) in view of Xue (CN 207330526) and further in view of Veloo (WO 2020232468).
Regarding claim 2, Lyu and Xue teach the method of claim 1.
The combination does not teach wherein obtaining the current salt content in the cavity of the salt container comprises: determining total salt consumption based on a cumulative times of salt discharging from the cavity and salt consumption of each discharging; and determining the current salt content based on a total salt content in the cavity and the total salt consumption.
In a related field of endeavor, Veloo teaches systems and method for sensorless estimation of water softener slat level and regeneration cycling (see ABS) comprising the steps of determining total salt consumption based on a cumulative times of salt discharging from the cavity and salt consumption of each discharging (“salt consumption tends to vary with water usage, it may be difficult for a home or business owner to predict when the brine tank should be refilled”, see ¶2; see Fig. 7 providing step 706 to gather available water usage data, step 714 estimate time until salt refill, step 718 adds salt ); and determining the current salt content based on a total salt content in the cavity and the total salt consumption (“predict the salt level of a water softener system”, see ¶3; “when the salt level in the brine tank 604 falls below a predefined threshold (e.g., based on the amount of salt needed to perform a regeneration operation) so that a home or business owner associated with the system 600 may refill the brine tank 604 with salt”, see ¶56; see Fig. 8 which shows step 802 to display salt remaining (it is implied the amount of salt consumes was determined), step 818 to display prompt input amount added or amount reduced and step 820 to update estimated salt remaining based on amount added or amount reduced).
Regarding claims 2 and 5, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method of Lyu by incorporating the steps of determining total salt consumption based on a cumulative times of salt discharging from the cavity and salt consumption of each discharging; and determining the current salt content based on a total salt content in the cavity and the total salt consumption as disclosed by Veloo because it is cumbersome to home and business owners to predict when a brine tank should be refill (Veloo, see ¶2) thus said steps would help improve prediction for refills.
Regarding claim 5, Lyu and Xue teach the method of claim 1.
The combination of references does not teach the step of obtaining the current salt content in the cavity of the salt container comprises: obtaining current water consumption of the water softening device; and determining the current salt content based on the current water consumption.
In a related field of endeavor, Veloo teaches systems and methods for sensorless estimation of water softener salt level and regeneration cycling (see ABS) comprising the step of obtaining current water consumption of the water softening device (“if a water level in the brine tank 604 is not above the salt level in the brine tank 604”, see ¶66); and determining the current salt content based on the current water consumption (“predict the salt level of a water softener system”, see ¶3; “when the salt level in the brine tank 604 falls below a predefined threshold (e.g., based on the amount of salt needed to perform a regeneration operation) so that a home or business owner associated with the system 600 may refill the brine tank 604 with salt”, see ¶56; see Fig. 8 which shows step 802 to display salt remaining (it is implied the amount of salt consumes was determined), step 818 to display prompt input amount added or amount reduced and step 820 to update estimated salt remaining based on amount added or amount reduced).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 4, Lyu and Xue teach the method of claim 3.
The combination does not teach nor reasonably suggest the step of determining the current salt content based on the current salt level height comprises: mapping the current salt level height with a data mapping table determined based on a shape and a volume of the cavity, and determining a target salt content corresponding to the current salt level height among preset salt contents recorded in the data mapping table as the current salt content; wherein each of the preset salt contents corresponds to a salt level height.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EKANDRA S. MILLER-CRUZ whose telephone number is (571)270-7849. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7 am - 6 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin L. Lebron can be reached at (571) 272-0475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EKANDRA S. MILLER-CRUZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1773
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