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 .
This action is responsive to amendment filed on 01/09/2026. Claims 1 and 7-24 are pending in this application. Claims 1, 7, 9-10 and 19-21 have been amended. Claims 2-6 have been cancelled.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites the limitation “receive and user input” in line 8 which should be recited to “receive a user input”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Uchida et al. (WO2014203393A1, previously cited and applied).
Regarding claim 21, Uchida discloses a smart refrigerator (1A) comprising:
a cabinet (20) having a storage chamber (21-25; see figures 2-3);
a door (the doors which associated with the chambers 21-25) to open or to close the storage chamber (21-25; see figures 2-3);
a display (a display unit of the operation panel 27) on the door to display information (the last paragraph of page 4 and paragraph 1 of page 5);
a communication device (5) to communicate with an external object (an external server 210; see figure 5); and
a controller (36) configured to control the communication device (5) such that information from the smart refrigerator is to be provided to a user device (a user terminal 220 such as, a smartphone or a mobile tablet; see figure 5), and the controller is configured to:
receive information regarding a user input in order to set a night function mode (a defrosting function at night) for a night time (user’s own judgment; paragraph 3 of page 2 and paragraph 4 of page 9);
provide information regarding the refrigerator such that state information (the current temperature in the chambers) of the refrigerator is to be displayed on a display of a user device (210) or on an application (noted alternative limitation; the “user device” limitation has been addressed), wherein the state information (the current temperature in the chambers) to be displayed on the display of the user device or on the application includes at least one of temperature display information (the current temperature in the chambers; the last paragraph of page 4 and paragraph 1 of page 5), filter display information, and energy display information (noted alternative limitation; the “temperature display information” limitation has been addressed); and
perform monitoring of a state of the refrigerator (check overload state of the chambers), and when the state of the refrigerator is determined to be outside a normal state (abnormal state), a push notification is provided to the user device (the user terminal 210) in order to induce a specific action (check an overload state during shopping to suppress shopping that cannot be stored; paragraph 2 of page 5; paragraph 2 of page 13; paragraph 1 of page 18).
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.
Claim(s) 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchida in view of Kim (KR20120085122A, previously cited and applied).
Regarding claim 24, Uchida discloses a temperature display that displays a temperature state (the temperature information) inside the refrigerator (1A; see paragraph 2 of page 5); and
an energy display (the power consumption information) that displays an energy consumption state (the power consumption information) that includes an amount of electricity used by the refrigerator (1A; see paragraph 4 of page 2 and paragraph 2 of page 5).
However, Uchida fails to disclose a filter display that displays a remaining amount or a remaining period of time of a filter of the refrigerator.
Kim teaches a refrigerator comprising a filter display (270) that displays a remaining amount or a remaining period of time of a filter of the refrigerator (the last paragraph of page 6).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to modify the smart refrigerator of Uchida to incorporate the claimed filter display feature as taught by Kim in order to monitoring the service life of a filter.
Claim(s) 21-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tagami (CN112506144A, previously cited and applied) in view of Uchida.
Regarding claim 21, Tagami discloses a smart refrigerator (see figures 1-11) comprising:
a cabinet (101) having a storage chamber (see figure 1);
a door (110) to open or to close the storage chamber (see figure 1);
a communication device (108) to communicate with an external object (a server 102; see figure 2); and
a controller (211-215; see figure 2) configured to control the communication device (108) such that information from the smart refrigerator is to be provided to a user device (a portable terminal 104; see figure 2), and the controller is configured to:
receive information regarding a user input in order to set a night function mode (operation mode during a deep-night time period) for a night time (user operation; paragraphs 5-6 of page 11; see figures 6A-6B and 9-10);
provide information regarding the refrigerator such that state information (a display of a portable terminal 104 which displays door switching information, an internal temperature of refrigerator, power consumption…etc.; see figures 9-10) of the refrigerator is to be displayed on a display of a user device (the portable terminal 104 such as, a smart phone…etc.; see lines 25-27 of page 3, paragraph 4 of page 5; see figures 9-10) or on an application (noted alternative limitation; the “user device” limitation has been addressed), wherein the state information (door switching information, the internal temperature of refrigerator, power consumption…etc.) to be displayed on the display of the user device (104) or on the application includes at least one of temperature display information (the internal temperature of the refrigerator; see lines 25-27 of page 3, paragraph 4 of page 5 and paragraphs 4-6 of page 11; see figures 9-10), filter display information, and energy display information (noted alternative limitation; the “temperature display information” limitation has been addressed); and
perform monitoring of a state of the refrigerator (the internal temperature of the refrigerator), and when the state of the refrigerator is determined to be outside a normal state (the rise of temperature in the refrigerator due to number of door switching with respect to set temperature of the refrigerator), a push notification is provided to the user device (104) in order to induce a specific action (action modes 505; paragraphs 4-6 of page 11; see figures 9-10).
However, Tagami fails to disclose a display on the door to display information.
Uchida teaches a refrigerator comprising a display (a display unit of the operation panel 27) on the door to display information (the last paragraph of page 4 and paragraph 1 of page 5).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to modify the smart refrigerator of Tagami to incorporate the claimed display on the door as taught by Uchida in order to display information state of the refrigerator on a door display to user at home.
Regarding claim 22, Tagami discloses the push notification is configured to notify the user to:
check information relating to opening of the door (the last paragraph of page 12 to paragraph 1 of page 13; see action mode P05 of figures 9-10), or
change location of food within the refrigerator (noted alternative limitation; the opening of the door limitation has been addressed).
Regarding claim 23, Tagami discloses the state information (the ice condition) of the refrigerator to be displayed on the display of the user device (104) or on the application includes at least one of:
ice condition display information relating to a state of an ice maker (paragraph 2 of page 13; see action state P06 of figures 9-10); and
storage state display information relating to a state of food in the refrigerator (noted alternative limitation; the ice condition limitation has been addressed).
Claim(s) 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tagami in view of Uchida as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Kim.
Regarding claim 24, Tagami as modified discloses a temperature display that displays a temperature state (the temperature information, Uchida and internal temperature of the refrigerator, Tagami) inside the refrigerator (1A, Tagami; see paragraphs 3-5 of page 11 of Tagami and paragraph 2 of page 5 of Uchida).
However, Tagami fails to disclose an energy display that displays an energy consumption state that includes an amount of electricity used by the refrigerator and a filter display that displays a remaining amount or a remaining period of time of a filter of the refrigerator.
Uchida teaches a refrigerator comprising an energy display (the power consumption information) that displays an energy consumption state (the power consumption information) that includes an amount of electricity used by the refrigerator (1A; see paragraph 4 of page 2 and paragraph 2 of page 5).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to modify the smart refrigerator of Tagami to incorporate the claimed energy consumption display feature as taught by Uchida in order to monitoring and display energy consumption information.
Kim teaches a refrigerator comprising a filter display (270) that displays a remaining amount or a remaining period of time of a filter of the refrigerator (the last paragraph of page 6).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to modify the smart refrigerator of Tagami to incorporate the claimed filter display feature as taught by Kim in order to monitoring the service life of a filter.
Reasons for Allowance
Claims 1 and 7-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The primary reference Uchida or Tagami taken alone or in combination fails to disclose the claimed control operation of the smart refrigerator as required in claim 1. Also, the prior art of record fails to provide further teachings or motivation to modify the smart refrigerator of Uchida or Tagami in order to arrive the claim invention. Therefore, claims 1 and 7-20 are allowable.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments on the Remarks filed 01/09/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues in the last paragraph of page 25 that “Ushida does not teach or suggest features in claim 21 related to receiving information regarding a user input in order to set a night function mode for a night time” has been fully considered. However, the Office respectfully disagrees. First, the argued limitation merely requires a user input to set a night function mode. There is no detail being required for the user input and the night function mode. Second, in paragraph 3 of page 2, Ushida discloses the user needs to select the power saving operation mode based on his/her own judgement. The user selection is mapped as “information regarding a user input”. The power saving operation mode is mapped as “a night function mode”. Also, in paragraph 4 of page 9, Ushida discloses the defrosting operation is controlled to be performed at night for power saving operation. Therefore, Ushida discloses the argued limitation thus, applicant’s argument is not persuasive.
Applicant argues in paragraph 1 of page 26 that “Tagami does not teach or suggest features in claim 21 related to receiving information regarding a user input in order to set a night function mode for a night time” has been fully considered. However, the Office respectfully disagrees. First, the argued limitation merely requires a user input to set a night function mode. There is no detail being required for the user input and the night function mode. Second, in paragraphs 5-6 of page 11, Tagami discloses the user operation of the refrigerator is “no door of the switch” to set the “deep-night time period” operation (see figure 9). The “no door of the switch” is mapped as “a user input” and the “deed-night time period” operation is mapped as “the night function mode”. Therefore, Tagami discloses the argued limitation thus, applicant’s argument is not persuasive.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KUN KAI MA whose telephone number is (571)-270-3530. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9am-6pm.
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/KUN KAI MA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3763