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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Claim 15-20 are rejoined based on the remarks dated 7/8/26.
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, 6-10, 13, 14-15, 17, 18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Easy Steps to Reseason Your Favorite Cast-Iron Cookware to Southern Cast Iron (Southern) in view of U.S. PGPUB 20220151431 to Lindsey et al. (Lindsey).
Regarding claims 1and 15, Southern teaches obtaining an input parameter at least partially determinative of a seasoning cycle to be executed at the oven appliance (the temperature setting of the oven is at least partially determinative of a seasoning cycle and/or the amount of time set on the timer. Examiner notes that the claim language uses the language partially and does not require all the elements) the seasoning cycle comprising a temperature parameter (Pages 1-3 disclose a temperature parameter), a heating duration (Pages 1-3 disclose a heating duration), and a cycle quantity (Pages 1-3 disclose a cycle quantity); heating the oven appliance based on the seasoning cycle (Pages 1-3 disclose a temperature based on the seasoning cycle).
It is unclear if the instruction to heat for an amount of time teaches starting a timer and ending a timer which would read on obtaining a start signal indicative of a cookware presence at the oven appliance, wherein the start signal corresponds to commencing the heating duration of the cookware for the seasoning cycle; and transmitting an end signal corresponding to an end of the seasoning cycle is taught. To expedite prosecution the following is provided.
Southern is silent on obtaining a start signal indicative of a cookware presence at the oven appliance, wherein the start signal corresponds to commencing the heating duration of the cookware for the seasoning cycle; and transmitting an end signal corresponding to an end of the seasoning cycle but does teach an amount of time for seasoning (Pages 1-3) and a controller configured to perform operations.
Lindsey teaches obtaining a start signal indicative of a cookware presence at the oven appliance, wherein the start signal corresponds to commencing the heating duration of the cookware for the seasoning cycle; and transmitting an end signal corresponding to an end of the seasoning cycle (Paragraphs 0028-0029 and 0035-0037 disclose a timer being used) and a controller to perfom operations and take in the inputs (140, 128, 130, 134, Figure 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Southern with the teachings of Lindsey to provide obtaining a start signal indicative of a cookware presence at the oven appliance, wherein the start signal corresponds to commencing the heating duration of the cookware for the seasoning cycle; and transmitting an end signal corresponding to an end of the seasoning cycle. Doing so would allow a user to heat a product for a desired amount of time, provide a feature that makes using the device less time intensive, and is a feature that is well-known in the oven art.
Regarding claim 2, Southern teaches comparing the input parameter to a database to determine the temperature parameter (Page 1 discloses altering the temperature based on smoke point), the heating duration (Pages 2-3 disclose a duration for a variety of fats), and the cycle quantity for the seasoning cycle to be executed at the oven appliance (Pages 2-3 disclose a cycle number for a variety of fats).
Regarding claim 3, the modified device of Southern teaches wherein obtaining the input parameter comprises obtaining a coating type signal, wherein the coating type signal corresponds, at least in part, to the temperature parameter of the seasoning cycle (Page 1 discloses altering the temperature based on smoke point and Lindsey teaches an oven with a controller).
Regarding claims 4 and 17, the modified device of Southern teaches wherein the coating type signal corresponds to a coating type comprising an oil, a fat, or a bioplastic substrate applied to the cookware (Page 1 discloses a coating type and Lindsey teaches an oven with a controller).
Regarding claim 6, Southern is silent on obtaining the input parameter comprises obtaining a heating zone signal corresponding to a heating zone at the oven at which the cookware is positioned.
Lindsey teaches obtaining the input parameter comprises obtaining a heating zone signal corresponding to a heating zone at the oven at which the cookware is positioned (Figure 3 and Paragraphs 0033-0034). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Southern with the teachings of Lindsey to provide obtaining the input parameter comprises obtaining a heating zone signal corresponding to a heating zone at the oven at which the cookware is positioned. Doing so would allow the device to heat the areas required making the device more efficient and providing desired properties on the final product.
Regarding claim 7, Southern teaches obtaining the input parameter comprises obtaining a coating application signal, the coating application signal corresponding to whether the coating at the cookware is sprayed, wiped, poured, or previously-applied to the cookware (Page 1 discloses wiping on a coating type and whether the coating was previously applied).
Regarding claim 8, Southern teaches wherein obtaining the coating application signal corresponding to the previously-applied coating determines, at least in part, a preparation cycle for the seasoning cycle, wherein the preparation cycle comprises a temperature parameter, a heating duration, and a cycle quantity for removing the previously-applied coating from the cookware (Pages 1-3 disclose a temperature, duration, cycle, and coating for the cookware).
Regarding claim 9, the modified device of Southern teaches wherein obtaining the start signal indicative of the cookware presence at the oven appliance comprises obtaining a user input signal indicative of the cookware positioned at the oven (Southern teaches a time to cook and turning on the oven both of which are indicate of cookware positioning. Lyndsey teaches detection of cookware in Paragraph Figure 3 and Paragraphs 0028-0029 and 0034).
Regarding claim 10, the modified device of Southern teaches wherein obtaining the start signal indicative of the cookware presence at the oven appliance comprises obtaining, via an imaging device, an image signal corresponding to the cookware presence at the oven appliance (Southern teaches a time to cook and turning on the oven both of which are indicate of cookware positioning. Lyndsey teaches detection of cookware in Figure 3 and Paragraphs 0028-0029 and 0034).
Regarding claim 13, the modified device of Southern teaches wherein obtaining the input parameter comprises determining, via the imaging device, a heating zone at the oven at which the cookware is positioned (Lyndsey teaches detection of cookware in a zone in Figure 3 and Paragraphs 0028-0029 and 0034).
Regarding claims 14 and 20, the modified device of Southern teaches wherein heating the oven appliance based on the seasoning cycle comprises operating a heating element corresponding to the heating zone at which the cookware is positioned (Paragraphs 0028-0029,0034, and 0044 of Lindsey disclose locating and heating the cookware at the oven. Additionally, Southern teaches the operation in the oven).
Regarding claim 18, the modified device of Southern teaches claim 18 per claims 6 and 7 above.
Claim(s) 5, 11-12, 16, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Southern in view of Lindsey and U.S. PGPUB 20130171304 to Huntley (Huntley).
Regarding claim 5, Southern is silent on wherein obtaining the input parameter comprises obtaining one or more cookware property signals corresponding to a material of the cookware or a geometry of the cookware.
Huntley teaches wherein obtaining the input parameter comprises obtaining one or more cookware property signals corresponding to a material of the cookware or a geometry of the cookware (Paragraph 0022). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Southern with the teachings of Huntley to provide wherein obtaining the input parameter comprises obtaining one or more cookware property signals corresponding to a material of the cookware or a geometry of the cookware. Doing so would allow the device to monitor, apply the desired heating profile, allow a user to know the desired cookware is being used, and/or send signals to a user to ensure appropriate treatment.
Regarding claim 11, Southern is silent on obtaining the input parameter comprises generating, via the imaging device, one or more cookware property signals corresponding to a material of the cookware or a geometry of the cookware.
Huntley teaches wherein obtaining the input parameter comprises generating, via the imaging device, one or more cookware property signals corresponding to a material of the cookware or a geometry of the cookware (Paragraph 0044 of Huntley). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Southern with the teachings of Huntley to provide obtaining the input parameter comprises generating, via the imaging device, one or more cookware property signals corresponding to a material of the cookware or a geometry of the cookware. Doing so would allow the device to monitor, apply the desired heating profile, allow a user to know the desired cookware is being used, and/or send signals to a user to ensure appropriate treatment.
Regarding claims 12 and 19, the modified device of Southern teaches determining from the cookware property signal, the material of the cookware, the geometry of the cookware, or both; and determining the heating duration of the seasoning cycle based on the material of the cookware, the geometry of the cookware, or both (Paragraph 0044 determines the geometry of the device and Southern teaches determining the same heating duration for all shapes and materials of the cookware).
Claim 16 is rejected per claim 2 above. Additionally, the modified device of Southern teaches a controller that uses a database as a reference (Paragraphs 0029-0031of Huntley). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Southern with the teachings of Huntley to provide a database on a controller. Doing so would be automation of a manual process.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Prior art cited provides the general state of the art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN S ANDERSON II whose telephone number is (571)272-2055. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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/STEVEN S ANDERSON II/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3762
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