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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on December 27, 2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 14 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 14 recites the claim limitation
Claim 15 recites the claim limitation “configured to collect and output physical information that arises due to external factors of the battery pack.” This limitation is indefinite because it is unclear what the metes and bounds of the physical information that arises due to external factors are.
Claim 15 recites the claim limitation “configured to determine posture of the battery pack or the electrical device main body based on the physical information.” This limitation is indefinite because it is unclear what a posture of the battery pack is.
Claim 16 recites the claim limitation “configured to determine whether the posture falls outside the operation permission range based on an information related to a mounting direction of the battery pack with respect to the battery pack mounts part and the physical information.” This limitation is indefinite because it is unclear what the metes and bounds of the information related to the mounting direction of the battery pack with respect to the battery pack mounts part and the physical information is.
Claim 17 recites the claim limitation “the information related to the mounting direction comprises the operation permission range based on the mounting direction of the battery pack in a state in which the electrical device main body is normally placed.” This limitation is indefinite because it is unclear what the metes and bounds of the information related to the mounting direction is. Also, the claim limitation “normally placed” is indefinite because it is unclear what “normally” is.
Claim 18 recites the claim limitations “configured to collect and output physical information that arises due to external factors of the battery pack” and “wherein the physical information includes first information related to brightness of the surroundings.” These limitations are indefinite because it is unclear what the metes and bounds of the physical information that arises due to external factors and related to brightness of the surroundings are.
Claim 19 recites the claim limitation “wherein the physical information includes second information related to sound generated around the electrical device main body or the battery pack.” This limitation is indefinite because it is unclear what the metes and bounds of the information related to sound are.
Claim 21 recites the claim limitations “configured to collect and output physical information that arises due to external factors of the battery pack,” “generate and output battery pack information related to the physical information to the electrical device main body,” and “wherein the physical information comprises information related to sound generated around the electrical device main body of the battery pack.” These limitations are indefinite because it is unclear what the metes and bounds of the physical information that arises due to external factors and related to sound of the surroundings are.
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 (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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Doh et al. (Published U.S. Patent Application US 20110095623 A1), hereinafter referred to as Doh.
Regarding claim 15, Doh teaches an electric bicycle (“an electrical device”) (see e.g., paragraph [0003]). Doh teaches the electric bicycle 100 includes a battery pack 110a (“a battery pack”) and a bicycle unit 130a as an external device connected to the battery pack 110a, wherein the battery pack 110a supplied electric energy to the external device 130a (“an electrical device main body which comprises a battery pack mounting part to which the battery pack is capable of being mounted”) (see e.g., paragraph [0033]). Doh teaches the bicycle unit 130a includes a load 134, which may be supplied with the electric energy from the battery pack 110a and provide power to the bicycle unit 130a (“a load part driven by the battery pack”) (see e.g., paragraph [0042]). Doh teaches the battery pack 110a includes a sensing unit 120 that senses variation in the angle of orientation of the battery pack 110a (“a sensor part disposed at the battery pack, and configured to collect and output physical information that arises due to external factors of the battery pack”) (see e.g., paragraph [0034]). Doh teaches a charge/discharge control unit 112 that control unit 114 can output the stop control signal to the charge/discharge switch 116 when the tilt angle sensed by the sensing unit 120 is greater or equal to the reference tilt or has been maintained greater than or equal to the reference tilt for the first reference time duration or longer and (“a control part that is connected to the sensor part, and is configured to determine posture of the battery pack or the electrical device main body based on the physical information, wherein the control part is configured to prohibit driving the load part in a case where the posture falls outside an operation permission range”) (see e.g., paragraph [0040]).
Regarding claim 16, Doh teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 15, as previously described.
Doh teaches a charge/discharge control unit 112 that control unit 114 can output the stop control signal to the charge/discharge switch 116 when the tilt angle sensed by the sensing unit 120 is greater or equal to the reference tilt or has been maintained greater than or equal to the reference tilt for the first reference time duration or longer and (“wherein the control part is configured to determine whether the posture falls outside the operation permission range based on an information related to a mounting direction of the battery pack with respect to the battery pack mounting part and the physical information”) (see e.g., paragraph [0040]).
Regarding claim 17, Doh teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 15, as previously described.
Doh teaches a charge/discharge control unit 112 that control unit 114 can output the stop control signal to the charge/discharge switch 116 when the tilt angle sensed by the sensing unit 120 is greater or equal to the reference tilt or has been maintained greater than or equal to the reference tilt for the first reference time duration or longer and (“wherein the information related to the mounting direction comprises the operation permission range based on the mounting direction of the battery pack in a state in which the electrical device main body is normally place”) (see e.g., paragraph [0040]).
Claims 14 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sekino et al. (Published U.S. Patent Application US 20140102741 A1), hereinafter referred to as Sekino.
Regarding claim 21, Sekino teaches an impact rotation tool includes a drive source that generates power (see e.g., Abstract) comprising a main body housing 12 (see e.g., paragraph [0032]) and a battery pack holder 31 to accommodate a battery pack 32 (“an electrical device comprising an electrical device main body and a battery pack mountable to the electrical device main bod”) (see e.g., paragraph [0042]). Sekino teaches the impact rotation tool 11 includes a battery pack holder 31 to accommodate a battery pack 32 (“a battery pack mounting part to which the battery pack is capable of being mounted”) (see e.g., paragraph [0042]). Sekino teaches a plurality of light transmission units 81 that are arranged on and rotated along the outer surface of the main shaft 21 of the impact rotation tool 11 (“an output part that is capable of outputting light or sound and is capable of rotation”) (see e.g., paragraph [0106]). Sekino teaches the impact rotation tool includes a trigger lever 29 operated by a user and controlled by the main body control circuit 30 (“a device-side control part that controls rotation of the output part”) to drive the rotation tool 11 (see e.g., paragraph [0042]) and rotate the plurality of light transmission units 81 along the outer surface of the main shaft 21 (see e.g., paragraph [0106] and Figures 17A-17B). Sekino teaches a torque sensor 26 arranged on the main shaft 21 of the impact rotation tool 11 that collects information and generates a signal corresponding to the torque applied to the main shaft 21 (“a sensor part configured to collect and output physical information that arises due to external factors of the battery pack”) (see e.g., paragraph [0104]). Sekino teaches a rotation unit control circuit 200 (“a battery pack control part that is connected to the sensor part”) receives a torque detection signal corresponding to the strain of the main shaft 21 detected by the torque sensor 26 and generates a stopping signal or the like when the computed torque value exceeds the set torque value (see e.g., paragraph [0045]). Sekino teaches the stopping signal generated by the rotation unit control circuit 200 determines the illumination of the light transmission units 81 (“the control part is configured to output the physical information inputted from the sensor part to the electrical device main body, or generate and output battery pack information related to the physical information to the electrical device main body”) (see e.g., paragraph [0108]). Sekino teaches the rotation unit control circuit 200 receives information regarding the noise N around the impact rotation tool (“wherein the physical information includes second information related to sound generated around the electrical device main body or the battery pack”) (see e.g., paragraph [0066]). Sekino teaches the main body control circuit 30 executes a control for varying the rotation speed of the motor and 15 and, therefore, the main shaft including the plurality of light transmission units 81 (see e.g., paragraph [0045]) based on a stopping signal generated by the noise N produced around the tool (“the device-side control part is configured to change an output direction or an output value of the light or the sound of the output part based on the information related to the sound”) (see e.g., paragraph [0066]).
Regarding claim 14, Sekino teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 21, as previously described.
Sekino teaches the main body control circuit 30 receives a signal from a user operated trigger lever 29 to execute a control for varying the rotation speed of the motor 15 and, therefore, the main shaft including the plurality of light transmission units 81 (“an adjustment part that is operated by a user and adjusts an output of the output part”) (see e.g., paragraph [0045]). Sekino teaches the rotation unit control circuit 200 receives information regarding the noise N around the impact rotation tool and sends a stopping signal to the main body control circuit 30 control the rotation of the main body shaft including the plurality of the light transmission units 81 (“wherein the device-side control part is configured to control the output part according to one of a first mode that controls the output part based on the information related to the sound”) (see e.g., paragraph [0066]). Sekino teaches the main body control circuit 30 varies the rotation speed of the shaft based on the pulled amount of the trigger lever 29 (“a second mode that controls the output part based on an operation on the adjustment part”) (see e.g., paragraph [0045]).
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 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sekino et al. (Published U.S. Patent Application US 20140102741 A1) in view of Rejman et al. (WO 2020126731 A1), hereinafter referred to as Rejman.
Regarding claim 18, Sekino teaches an impact rotation tool includes a drive source that generates power (“an electrical device”) (see e.g., Abstract). Sekino teaches the impact rotation tool 11 includes a battery pack holder 31 (“an electrical device main body which comprises a battery pack mounting part to which the battery pack is capable of being mounted”) to accommodate a battery pack 32 (“a battery pack”) (see e.g., paragraph [0042]). Sekino teaches a plurality of light transmission units 81 (“an irradiation part driven by the battery pack”) that are arranged on the outer surface of the main shaft 21 of the impact rotation tool 11 (see e.g., paragraph [0106]). Sekino teaches a torque sensor 26 arranged on the main shaft 21 of the impact rotation tool 11 that collects information and generates a signal corresponding to the torque applied to the main shaft 21 (“a sensor part disposed at the battery pack, and configured to collect and output physical information that arises due to external factors of the battery pack”) (see e.g., paragraph [0104]). Sekino teaches a rotation unit control circuit 200 (“a control part that is connected to the sensor part”) receives a torque detection signal corresponding to the strain of the main shaft 21 detected by the torque sensor 26 and generates a stopping signal or the like when the computed torque value exceeds the set torque value (see e.g., paragraph [0045]). Sekino teaches the stopping signal generated by the rotation unit control circuit 200 determines the illumination of the light transmission units 81 (“the control part is configured to configured to control the irradiation part based on the physical information and to change illuminance of the irradiation part based on the first information”) (see e.g., paragraph [0108]).
Sekino does not explicitly teach wherein the physical information includes first information related to brightness of the surroundings.
However, Rejman teaches a display apparatus for an electric tool (“an electrical device”) (see e.g., Abstract). Rejman teaches the electric tool includes a display device formed on indicator lights implemented with a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in a clearly visible location for the user on the housing of the electric tool (see e.g., paragraph [0048]). Rejman teaches the display device 100 also comprises a light sensor 140 for detecting the ambient brightness of the environment of the electric tool (see e.g., paragraph [0053]). Rejman teaches a control device 120 used to adjust the brightness of the indictor lights of the lighting device based on the information from the light sensor 140 in order to improve readability by lowering the brightness in dimly lit environments and increasing brightness is high measured ambient brightness (“wherein the physical information includes first information related to brightness of the surroundings”) (see e.g., paragraph [0052]-[0057]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that one of ordinary skill would modify the rotation unit control circuit of Sekino to use physical information related to the ambient brightness around the electric tool to affect the illuminance of the lights, as taught by Rejman, in order to improve the readability of the lights for the user (see e.g., paragraphs [0053]).
Regarding claim 19, Sekino, as modified by Rejman, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 18, as previously described.
Sekino teaches the rotation unit control circuit 200 receives information regarding the noise N around the impact rotation tool (“wherein the physical information includes second information related to sound generated around the electrical device main body or the battery pack”) (see e.g., paragraph [0066]). Sekino teaches the information related to the noise N affects whether the stopping signal S is produced (see e.g., paragraph [0066]), wherein the stopping signal generated by the rotation unit control circuit 200 determines the illumination of the light transmission units 81 (“the control part is configured to change an irradiation direction of the irradiation part based on the second information”) (see e.g., paragraph [0108]).
Regarding claim 20, Sekino, as modified by Rejman, teaches the instantly claimed invention of claim 19, as previously described.
Sekino teaches the signals produced by the rotation unit control circuit 200 determines the illumination of the light transmission units 81 in the main shaft 21 which is facing in the direction of the change in the vibration and noise N produced in the slip ring unit 27 caused by the environment (“wherein the control part is configured to control the irradiation part facing in a direction generating sound”) (see e.g., paragraph [0063], paragraph [0108], and Figure 1).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Katherine N Higgins whose telephone number is (703)756-1196. The examiner can normally be reached Mondays - Thursdays 7:30-4:30 EST, Fridays 7:30 - 11:30 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew T Martin can be reached at (571) 270-7871. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KATHERINE N HIGGINS/Examiner, Art Unit 1728
/MATTHEW T MARTIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1728
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