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 .
This Office action is responsive to the communication received on 12/13/2023, and the claims submitted during a preliminary amendment thereon are under examination.
Accordingly, the claims 1-10 are pending, of which the claim(s) 1, 9, & 10 is/are in independent form.
Special definition—MPEP 2111.01 (V);
a) “a data model”: The specification in para. 004 states-- “Therefore, information (hereinafter also referred to as a data model) indicating the data structure of the data collected by all air conditioners.
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.
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) 1- 4 & 7- 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fumimoto et al. (JP 2020201620 A, Publication Date: 2020-12-17) in view of Li et al. (CN 112944620 A, Publication Date: 2021-06-11). Note: Cited paragraph numbers of Fumimoto and Li are from the attached (See FOR) machine translated documents. Also please refer to the US 20220217009 A1 to Fumimoto as another version of English translated document for the actually cited JP 2020201620 A.
Regarding claim 1, Fumimoto teaches a system [Fig. 1, “device management system 1 is a system in which a management device 40 manages a plurality of devices” like an air conditioner 10] comprising: ([003], 1Fig. 1);
(i) an air conditioner [Figs. 1- 2, “the air conditioner 10 (outdoor unit 11 and indoor unit 12)”] ([003-004]);
(ii) a terminal [“a relay processing device 60… is a computer for controlling the air conditioner 10, and is called, for example, an edge”] configured to communicate with the air conditioner, wherein the terminal stores a 2device model [“stores the data of the devices to be managed (outdoor unit 11 and indoor unit 12) as a device data model”, see figs4-5 that shows data model for the indoor units and outdoor unit of the air conditioner] indicating a data structure of data collected by the air conditioner ([009-010, 028]); and
(iii) a server [Fig. 1, “management device 40 is installed in the central management center 3”] configured to communicate with the terminal ([003, 018]),
wherein the terminal includes a control unit [Fig. 3, processing unit 63] configured to
[a] acquire, from the air conditioner [item 10 that includes items 11/12], data information [“the management device 40 and the relay processing device 60 communicate the data of the air conditioner 10”, “processing unit 63 acquires data from the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 via the relay connection unit 64”] indicating a data structure of data collected by the air conditioner ([003, 012]), and
[b] transmit [“relay processing unit 63 causes the management device 40 to transmit the data acquired from the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 to the relay communication unit 62”] the data information
Fumimoto teaches that the “data model” can be stored in the terminal device 60. Fumimoto further teaches that the relay device 60 can acquire various collected data and can transmit/upload them to the server 40. Fumimoto also teaches “device data model is created in the device management system 1 for each device capable of communicating with the management device 40 and the relay processing device 60”, but fails to teach that the device model is acquired to the terminal 60 from the air conditioner and is being transmitted to the server 40.
That is, Fumimoto fails to teach the actual “data model” itself is acquired to the terminal device 60 and then to the server 40 from the air conditioner 10 although both the server 40 and the terminal device 60 include the “data model”.
Li teaches an air conditioner [analogous to Fumimoto’s “air conditioner 10”] having a local store [“preset storage space”] and in communication with a server [computers used to implement “cloud data platform”, analogous to Fumimoto’s “management device 40”], wherein the air conditioner creates a data model [“the data model is stored in the preset storage space of the air conditioner… collect the environment parameter”] indicating a data structure of data collected by the air conditioner and transmit the data model [“uploading the data model to the cloud data platform stored in the cloud database.”] to the server ([050, 058-062, 097], fig. 4). In summary, Li clearly teaches that an air conditioner can locally store an updated data model and upload to the server for storage and management using data network.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to (1) combine Li and Fumimoto because they both related to managing device data model of an air conditioner in a central server and (2) modify the system of Fumimoto to have its an air conditioner’s local memory also to store an updated “data model” indicating collected data structure and have its terminal apparatus 60 to acquire the data model from the air conditioner and transmit/relay to the server 40 as suggested by Li. Doing so would allow the “device data model” of the air conditioner of the Fumimoto stored in the server 40 to be updated/calibrated data model type by considering dynamic multi-dimensional environmental data (Li, [0020] & Fumimoto, fig. 3). Li’s uploading of the air conditioner data model to the cloud can be understood by PHOSITA as a technique by which Fumimoto’s terminal device 60 and server 40 can receive and store the stored “data model” of the air terminal. Accordingly, Fumimoto in view of Li teaches each element of the claim and renders invention of this claim obvious to PHOSITA.
Regarding claim 2, Fumimoto in view of Li teaches/suggests the system according to claim 1, wherein the data is collected by at least one of a component [e.g., outdoor unit 11 or indoor unit 12 or their subcomponents shown in fig. 2] included in the air conditioner or a sensor [“using a plurality of sensors to collect multiple data… forming a data model”] attached to the air conditioner, and
the data structure is a tree structure [“a hierarchy associated”] in accordance with a structure of at least one of the component or the sensor (Fumimoto [006, 029-031], Li [038-039]).
Regarding claim 3, Fumimoto in view of Li teaches/suggests the system according to claim 1, wherein the data model indicates attribute [“device data model of the device management system 1, attribute information”] information of the data (Li [056, 073-074]).
Regarding claim 4, Fumimoto in view of Li teaches/suggests the system according to claim 1, wherein the server includes a database [storage (e.g., “the cloud platform database” of Li) used by the server] for managing the data model (Fumimoto fig. 3 [045] & Li [043]).
Regarding claim 7, Fumimoto in view of Li teaches/suggests the system according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioner includes [“outdoor unit 11 and the indoor units 12 of the air conditioner 10. However, the devices serving as the management targets are not limited to these.” Hence, different types of the air conditioner including having two outdoor units also can be monitored by the management apparatus 40] a plurality of outdoor units and one or more indoor units, and the control unit of the terminal or a control unit of the server manages a plurality of the data models acquired from the plurality of outdoor units, as one data model [“an
equipment data model is created for each of the outdoor unit 11, the indoor unit 12a, and 12b”] (Fumimoto [029, 0100, 0108], Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 8, Fumimoto in view of Li teaches/suggests the system according to claim 7, wherein the control unit of the terminal or the control unit of the server manages data common among the plurality of the data models acquired from the plurality of outdoor units, as one piece of data [management information entity for a particular facility 2] (Fumimoto Fig. 2 [029, 042]).
Regarding claim 9, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated. Thus, only in summary, Fumimoto teaches a server [Fig. 3, “management device 40 manages the air conditioner 10”] comprising: ([015-016]);
a control unit [“management processing unit 43 executes various information processing in the management device 40” + “management storage unit 41” + “a management communication unit 42”], wherein the control unit receives, from a terminal [“The relay processing device 60”], a data [“data from the outdoor unit 11“] 3011, 015-018, 028-029]).
In summary, Fumimoto teaches its server 40 uses a terminal device 60 as a relay device to exchange data with the air conditioner 10, wherein both the terminal device 60 and the server 40 store the “data model” (Fig.3, [010]). Fumimoto fails to teach that this data model being received is being received from the air conditioner and provided to the server 40 via the relay/terminal 60.
While Fumimoto teaches its control unit of serve 40 to receive from a terminal device 60 some data collected by an air terminal 11, it is silent about expressly stating the “data model” also can be received to the server’s control unit from the terminal 60 as claimed and shown above with the strikethrough emphasis.
Li teaches a server [“forming a data model, the data model is transmitted to the cloud platform database”. The computers implementing “cloud platform database” are mapped as a server] comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit receives [“uploading the data model to the cloud data platform stored in the cloud database”], a data model [“the data model”] indicating a data structure of data collected by an air conditioner ([050, 058-062]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to (1) combine Li and Fumimoto because they both related to managing device data model of an air conditioner in a central server and (2) modify the controller of the server 40 of Fumimoto to receive updated the data model collected from the air conditioner 10 using the terminal 60 as suggested by Li. Doing so would allow the “device data model” of the air conditioner of the Fumimoto stored in the server 40 to be updated/calibrated data model type by considering dynamic multi-dimensional environmental data (Li, [0020] & Fumimoto, fig. 3). Accordingly, the combination of Fumimoto and Li teaches each element of the claim and renders invention of this claim obvious to PHOSITA.
Regarding claim 10, Fumimoto in view of Li teaches/suggests invention of this method claim for the similar reasons set forth above in the system claims 1 & 9.
Claim(s) 5- 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fumimoto in view of Li, and further in view of Paul (US 20150372886 A1). The combination of Fumimoto, Li, and Paul is referred as FLP hereinafter.
Regarding claim 5, Fumimoto in view of Li teaches the system according to claim 4, wherein the control unit of the server to store the data model in its database for the managed air conditioner devices (Fig. 1 of Fumimoto & Li [043]).
However, Fumimoto in view of Li fails to teach the server determines whether the data model received from the terminal is stored in the database.
Paul teaches a server device 115 having a control unit configured to collect information from pluralities of the data sources 110, wherein control unit of the server determines whether the data model received from the terminal is stored [“whether the data element has already been stored by the collection server 115… then the data element and the transaction identifier are added to the repository 120.”] in the
database ([032-033]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to (1) combine Paul and Fumimoto in view of Li because they both related to a server computer collecting and storing multiple data packages and (2) modify the server of Fumimoto in view of Li determining whether the data model received from the terminal is already stored in the database and discard the data model if this information is already has been stored in the database as in Paul. Doing so would avoid keeping duplicate data of the same data model to minimize the storage space requirement in the server of the Fumimoto in view of Li as can be clear to PHOSITA. Accordingly, the combined teachings of Fumimoto, Li, and Paul (FLP) teaches each elements of the claim and renders invention thereof obvious to PHOSITA.
Regarding claim 6, FLP teaches The system according to claim 5, wherein the control unit of the server registers, in the database, the data model received from the terminal, when the data model received from the terminal is not [“data package is discarded”] stored in the database (Paul [033] & Fumimoto, fig. 3).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
1) Lush (US 20160132816 A1) teaches a unified workforce platform may keep all systems data models up to date while providing a common interface for the user ([0122])
2) Carrieri (US 20220010996 A1) teaches a system comprising: (Fig. 1B);
an air conditioner [items 1a- 10b] (fig. 1B, [0103]);
a terminal [“hub and/or local server”] configured to communicate with the air conditioner ([086]); and
a server [“a cloud-based server”] configured to communicate with the terminal, wherein the terminal includes a control unit configured to
acquire, from the air conditioner, a data information [“the data may be sent and uploaded to an associated server, such as a cloud-based server system, so as to allow for centralized analysis and/or reporting from one or more HVAC systems.”] indicating a data structure of data collected by the air conditioner, and transmit the data information to the server ([086-087]).
3) Okada (CA 3157224 A1) teaches a system comprising an air conditioner [item 10], a terminal device [item 60], a server [item 40] configured to communicate with the terminal device to transmit a data model [item 4] of an air conditioner 11 from the server to the air terminal, wherein external users provide the data model 4 to the server 40 using input/output units 45/46 (Fig. 3, page 10).
Contacts
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANTOSH R. POUDEL whose telephone number is (571)272-2347. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday (8:30 am - 5:00 pm).
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/SANTOSH R POUDEL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2115
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2 See spec, para. [004]
3 “relay processing unit 63 acquires data from the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 via the relay
connection unit 64 and stores the data in the relay storage unit 61. The relay processing unit 63 causes the management device 40 to transmit the data acquired from the outdoor unit 11 and the indoor unit 12 to the relay communication unit 62 at a predetermined timing”.