Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 04, 2026
Application No. 18/574,196

OPERATION CONTROL METHOD OF DUAL WASHING MACHINE, ELECTRIC APPLIANCE, AND DUAL WASHING MACHINE

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Dec 26, 2023
Priority
May 31, 2022 — CN 202210611901.9 +2 more
Examiner
TEKA, ABIY
Art Unit
3745
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Wuxi Little Swan Electric Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
95%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allowance Rate
590 granted / 695 resolved
+14.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +10% lift
Without
With
+10.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 5m
Avg Prosecution
28 currently pending
Career history
723
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.1%
-38.9% vs TC avg
§103
35.0%
-5.0% vs TC avg
§102
35.4%
-4.6% vs TC avg
§112
27.1%
-12.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 695 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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. Claims 13-14, 18, 20-21, 23-25, 29 and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen (CN112030462 B) hereinafter CHEN. Regarding Claim 13 CHEN teaches an electric appliance comprising: a memory (par.0052); and at least one processor (par.0054); wherein the at least one processor (par.0054) is configured to perform, by invoking programs or instructions stored in the memory (par.0052), an operation control method of a dual washing machine, the operation control method comprising: obtaining an in-base-station operation request of a floor cleaner (robot) (Par.0016, cleaning robot sends in base cleaning operation); obtaining a predetermined operation characteristic of a clothes treatment device; and controlling, in accordance with the predetermined operation characteristic, whether the floor cleaner operates based on the in-base-station operation request (see par.0017-0020, system determines status of washing cycle of the washing machine and based on that either the cleaning robot waits or goes to the station for cleaning); wherein a base station of the floor cleaner is located within a space below the clothes treatment device (par.0081). Regarding Claims 14, 21 and 25 CHEN teaches wherein the in-base-station operation request comprises at least one of a charging request, a dust collection request, or a self-cleaning request (par.0090). Regarding Claims 18, 23, 29 and 32 CHEN teaches wherein said obtaining the predetermined operation characteristic of the clothes treatment device comprises obtaining an operation stage of the clothes treatment device (status of washing cycle see par.0009); and said controlling, in accordance with the predetermined operation characteristic, whether the floor cleaner operates based on the in-base-station operation request comprises: controlling, in accordance with the operation stage of the clothes treatment device, whether the floor cleaner operates based on the in-base-station operation request (if washing cycle is complete, cleaning robot is allowed to clean (par.0009-0010); and when the clothes treatment device is in a dewatering stage, a drainage stage, or a pre-washing weighing stage, controlling the floor cleaner to prohibit operation based on the in-base-station operation request (when washing cycle is not complete operation is prohibited Par.0112-0116). Regarding Claim 20 CHEN teaches an electric appliance comprising: a memory (par.0052); and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor (par.0054) is configured to perform, by invoking programs or instructions stored in the memory (par.0052), an operation control method of a dual washing machine, the operation control method comprising: sending an in-base-station operation request of a floor cleaner to a clothes treatment device (Par.0016, cleaning robot sends in base cleaning operation); obtaining an operation state control signal (first washing end see par.0017) of the floor cleaner, wherein the operation state control signal of the floor cleaner is generated based on a predetermined operation characteristic of the clothes treatment device (based on if washing cycle is complete see par.0017-0019); and controlling, in accordance with the operation state control signal of the floor cleaner, whether the floor cleaner operates based on the in-base-station operation request (see par.0017-0020, system determines status of washing cycle of the washing machine and based on that either the cleaning robot waits or goes to the station for cleaning); wherein a base station of the floor cleaner is located within a space below the clothes treatment device (par.0081). Regarding Claim 23 CHEN teaches wherein said controlling, in accordance with the operation state control signal of the floor cleaner, whether the floor cleaner operates based on the in-base-station operation request comprises: when it is determined in accordance with the operation state control signal of the floor cleaner that the clothes treatment device is in a dewatering stage, a drainage stage, or a pre- washing weighing stage, controlling the floor cleaner to prohibit operation based on the in-base- station operation request. Regarding Claim 24 CHEN teaches an electric appliance comprising: a memory (par.0052); and at least one processor (par.0054); wherein the at least one processor (par.0054) is configured to perform, by invoking programs or instructions stored in the memory (par.0052), an operation control method of a dual washing machine, the operation control method comprising: obtaining an in-base-station operation request of a floor cleaner (robot) (Par.0016, cleaning robot sends in base cleaning operation); obtaining a predetermined operation characteristic of a clothes treatment device; and controlling, in accordance with the predetermined operation characteristic, whether the floor cleaner operates based on the in-base-station operation request (see par.0017-0020, system determines status of washing cycle of the washing machine and based on that either the cleaning robot waits or goes to the station for cleaning); wherein a base station of the floor cleaner is located within a space below the clothes treatment device (par.0081); wherein the floor cleaner comprising : a memory (par.0052); and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor (par.0054) is configured to perform, by invoking programs or instructions stored in the memory (par.0052), an operation control method of a dual washing machine, the operation control method comprising: sending an in-base-station operation request of a floor cleaner to a clothes treatment device (Par.0016, cleaning robot sends in base cleaning operation); obtaining an operation state control signal (first washing end see par.0017) of the floor cleaner, wherein the operation state control signal of the floor cleaner is generated based on a predetermined operation characteristic of the clothes treatment device (based on if washing cycle is complete see par.0017-0019); and controlling, in accordance with the operation state control signal of the floor cleaner, whether the floor cleaner operates based on the in-base-station operation request (see par.0017-0020, system determines status of washing cycle of the washing machine and based on that either the cleaning robot waits or goes to the station for cleaning); wherein a base station of the floor cleaner is located within a space below the clothes treatment device (par.0081). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 15-17, 19, 22, 26-28 and 30-31 are objected to but would be allowable if rewritten including all the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claim 17 is allowed. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABIY TEKA whose telephone number is (571)-272-9804. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11-9 PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nathaniel Wiehe can be reached at (571) 272-8648. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ABIY TEKA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Dec 26, 2023
Application Filed
Sep 22, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
85%
Grant Probability
95%
With Interview (+10.2%)
2y 5m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 695 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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