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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 05/26/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-12 and 14-20 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the Claims have overcome each and every 112(b) rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed 02/24/2026, except where otherwise stated.
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) 1-4, 7-8, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dills (US 4093841 A) in view of Trice (US 20190099035 A1), Zhu (CN 2351065 Y), De’Longhi (US 20040250689 A1), and Snyder (US 20170188743 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Dills teaches (Col. 1, lines 8-11) a method for cooking food slowly in a container in a microwave oven at a simmer temperature for many hours of time. Dills further teaches (Col. 3, lines 50-60; Fig. 1 #10, 12, 18, 20; Fig. 2 #24) providing a microwave oven 10 which is provided with an outer cover 12 (housing), an oven cooking cavity 18, a source of microwave energy and magnetron 24 (microwave cooking element) shown within the housing in Figure 2, and a control panel 20 shown withing the housing in Figures 1 and 2. Additionally, Dills teaches (Col. 2, lines 61-64; Col. 4, lines 33-38; Fig. 3 #58, 64) the control circuit is provided with a mode selector 58, including a simmer position and a simmer circuit 64 which adjusts the power level of the magnetron, wherein a simmer cycle uses a closed cooking container that is transparent to microwave energy so that the food is heated directly by absorption of the microwave energy (where selection of the simmer mode, therefore, constitutes initiating, by the controller, a cooking cycle to cook a food item disposed in a container located in the cooking cavity). Also, Dills teaches (Col. 3, lines 64-65; Fig. 2 #34) a mode stirrer (agitator) is driven by a pancake motor 34 at the top of the oven. Additionally, Dills teaches (Col. 3, lines 66-68; Col. 5, lines 2-5; Fig. 1 #40) an automatic temperature control system comprising a temperature-sensing probe 40 near the center of the bottom wall of the container to be substantially in heat transfer relation with the food to be cooked in the container. Furthermore, Dills teaches (Claim 1, 4) using control circuitry to adjust the microwave energy (which necessarily requires controlling the microwave cooking element) to a predetermined reduced power level suitable for simmer-cooking by monitoring and maintaining the temperature via the temperature sensing probe.
Dills does not explicitly state the sous vide cooking is performed in the microwave oven. Also, while Dills teaches a method of controlling simmering, where it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art that Dills’ teaching of simmering suggests heating a liquid, Dills does not explicitly state that the container contains a water bath and that the temperature sensor monitors a temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle and the controller maintains a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle. Furthermore, Dills is silent on a turntable drive projecting into the cooking cavity and circulating water in a water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle by driving the turntable drive to drive an agitator that is removably coupled to the turntable drive, that projects through a bottom wall of the container and a rotary seal, and that is separated from the food item by a cage that surrounds a portion of the agitator disposed within the container.
Trice discloses a method of sous vide cooking in a microwave oven comprising monitoring, by a temperature sensor, a temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the monitored temperature to maintain a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle. Specifically, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0005) a sous vide device and method of using the same, wherein food to be cooked is placed in a bag, and the bag is then immersed in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature. Trice further teaches (Paragraph 0038) communicating a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and/or to communicating a control signal to control an external heating element that heats the container of water in order to maintain the container water at a controlled temperature. Also, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0009) in some embodiments, the controller is configured to wirelessly communicate with a burner controller to regulate an energy output of a burner that heats the container of water, and where the burner and burner controller may be disposed in an oven, and, in some embodiments, the burner is a microwave element.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills to perform sous vide cooking by monitoring, by a temperature sensor, a temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the monitored temperature to maintain a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle as taught by Trice, since both are directed to methods of cooking food products comprising cooking liquid in containers in microwave devices wherein temperature of the cooking liquid is monitored and maintained according to a temperature sensor, since performing sous vide cooking by monitoring, by a temperature sensor, a temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the monitored temperature to maintain a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle is known in the art as shown by Trice, since sous vide cooking has become an increasingly popular manner of cooking, as it has been found that for many foods, sous vide cooking can produce extremely tender, flavorful and consistent results (Trice, Paragraph 0001), since sous vide cooking is much less susceptible to burning, drying out, or otherwise overcooking the exterior of a food due to the substantially reduced temperature differential between the interior and the exterior of the food during cooking (Trice, Paragraph 0001), and since immersing a food in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature for sufficient time brings the food to the same temperature as the water throughout so that the interior of the food cooks at the same temperature as the exterior of the food (Trice, Paragraph 0002), thus allowing food to be cooked to a desired internal temperature.
Zhu discloses a turntable drive projecting into the cooking cavity and driving the turntable drive to drive an agitator that is removably coupled to the turntable drive, that projects through a bottom wall of the container. Specifically, Zhu teaches (Paragraph 0004) a method of operating a microwave oven 1 comprising a mould box 3 (container located in the cooking cavity), a stirring claw 6 fitted on a stirring claw drive shaft (where the stirring claw and drive shaft are understood to comprise an agitator), wherein the stirring claw drive shaft 7 is inserted into a bushing 9 comprising a sealing ring 8 (rotary seal) and the stirring claw drive shaft projects through the bottom wall of the container and the rotary seal as shown in the Figure. Zhu further teaches (Paragraph 0004) the tail end of the drive shaft 7 is inserted into the glass turntable clutch 11 (turntable drive) which projects into the cooking cavity as shown in the Figure. Also, Zhu teaches (Paragraph 0004) the drive shaft of the stirring claw (agitator) can be inserted and removed from the glass turntable clutch 11 (removably coupled).
It is noted that Dills already teaches providing an agitating element within the microwave. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills to provide the microwave oven with a turntable drive projecting into the cooking cavity and driving the turntable drive to drive an agitator that is removably coupled to the turntable drive that projects through a bottom wall of the container and a rotary seal as taught by Zhu, since both are directed to methods of heating food products inside containers in microwave ovens, since providing the microwave oven with a turntable drive projecting into the cooking cavity and driving the turntable drive to drive an agitator that is removably coupled to the turntable drive that projects through a bottom wall of the container and a rotary seal is known in the art as shown by Zhu, since the agitator mixes the food product thus ensuring uniform cooking and preventing the food from clumping or sticking in one area, since a seal prevent food from escaping the container and/or clogging the drive mechanism, since the glass turntable clutch (turntable drive) can be used to rotate the agitator or the turntable (Zhu, Paragraph 0004), thus simplifying construction and allowing a single drive to be used for multiple types of microwave cooking operations, and since the structure is simple and can provide increased stirring torque to improve work efficiency (Zhu, Paragraph 0005).
De’Longhi discloses circulating water in a water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle by driving the turntable drive to drive an agitator that is removably coupled to the turntable drive. Specifically, De'Longhi teaches (Paragraph 0001, 0034, 0035, 0058-0059; Fig. 2 #2, 7, 8, 11) a device and a procedure for cooking a food product with microwaves, wherein a drive member 8, which is the same one which makes the plate of the microwave oven rotate (turntable drive), connects to a connection shaft 11 of a mixing member 7 (agitator) inside a container 2, which is placed inside a microwave oven. As shown in Figure 5, De'Longhi teaches (Paragraph 0036; Fig. 5 #24) lower member 24 of connection shaft 11 of mixing member 7 (agitator) is fitted to drive member 8 (turntable drive), where Figure 5 shows that drive member projects into connection shaft (see Fig.2 #11), and therefore, necessarily into the cooking cavity of the microwave oven in which the container 2 is placed, and that connection shaft 11 of mixing member 7 (agitator) projects through a bottom wall of the container. Additionally De'Longhi teaches (Paragraph 0039) mixing member 7 is preferably removable. Furthermore, De'Longhi teaches (Paragraph 0009, 0032, 0061) drive member 8 activates the mixing member 7, which mixes the food product, wherein the food product may comprise water.
It is noted that Dills already teaches providing an agitating element within the microwave. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills to circulate water in a water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle by driving the turntable drive to drive an agitator that is removably coupled to the turntable drive that projects through a bottom wall of the container as taught by De’Longhi, since both are directed to methods of heating food products comprising cooking liquids in microwave ovens, since circulating water in a water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle by driving the turntable drive to drive an agitator that is removably coupled to the turntable drive that projects through a bottom wall of the container is known in the art as shown by De’Longhi, since the mixing member (agitator) mixes the food product and guarantees its optimal and uniform cooking (De’Longhi, Paragraph 0061), since the mixing action can avoid the food, like for example pasta, from clumping together and sticking (De’Longhi, Paragraph 0062), and since the drive member (turntable drive) is the same one which makes the plate of the microwave oven rotate (De’Longhi, Paragraph 0034), thus simplifying construction and allowing a single drive to be used for multiple types of microwave cooking operations.
Snyder discloses an agitator that is separated from the food item by a cage that surrounds a portion of the agitator disposed within the container. Specifically, Snyder teaches (Paragraph 0018, 0020, 0024; Fig. 2 #10, 20, 24, 40, 50; Fig. 6 #80 ) a method of operating a sous vide cooking device comprising a cooking vessel 20 (container), an inner vessel 24 (cage) comprising a sidewall 40 and a support grate 50, and a stirring plate 80 (agitator) which is below the support grate 50 as shown in Figure 6, wherein a food pouch is received on the support grate 50 for cooking using the sous vide cooking device 10 (and, therefore, separated from the agitator by the inner vessel 24 (cage) comprising the support grate 50).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills to separate the agitator from the food item with a cage that surrounds a portion of the agitator disposed within the container as taught by Snyder since both are directed to methods of cooking food items in containers with cooking liquid and an agitator, since separating the agitator from the food item with a cage that surrounds a portion of the agitator disposed within the container is known in the art as shown by Snyder, since the support grate of the inner vessel (cage) can support a number of food pouches for cooking using a sous vide cooking method while still allowing circulation of water through the support grate (Snyder, Paragraph 0018), since the cage can prevent the agitator from damaging the food item or the bag holding the food item, and since the cage can prevent a user from being injured by movement of the agitator.
Regarding claim 2, as shown above, Dills teaches (Col. 2, lines 61-64; Col. 4, lines 33-38; Fig. 3 #58, 64) the control circuit is provided with a mode selector 58, including a simmer position and a simmer circuit 64 which adjusts the power level of the magnetron, wherein a simmer cycle uses a closed cooking container that is transparent to microwave energy so that the food is heated directly by absorption of the microwave energy. While the simmer cycle is not explicitly stated to be a sous vide cooking cycle, a cooking cycle that provides energy to heat liquid in a container below boiling (simmering) is understood to be able to perform sous vide cooking.
Furthermore, as shown above, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0005) a sous vide device and method of using the same, wherein food to be cooked is placed in a bag, and the bag is then immersed in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature. Trice further teaches (Paragraph 0038) communicating a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and/or to communicating a control signal to control an external heating element that heats the container of water in order to maintain the container water at a controlled temperature (dedicated sous vide cycle).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills to perform a sous vide cycle as taught by Trice, since both are directed to methods of cooking food products comprising cooking liquid in containers in microwave devices wherein temperature of the cooking liquid is monitored and maintained according to a temperature sensor, since performing a sous vide cycle is known in the art as shown by Trice, since sous Vide cooking has become an increasingly popular manner of cooking, as it has been found that for many foods, sous vide cooking can produce extremely tender, flavorful and consistent results (Trice, Paragraph 0001), since sous vide cooking is much less susceptible to burning, drying out, or otherwise overcooking the exterior of a food due to the substantially reduced temperature differential between the interior and the exterior of the food during cooking (Trice, Paragraph 0001), and since immersing a food in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature for sufficient time brings the food to the same temperature as the water throughout so that the interior of the food cooks at the same temperature as the exterior of the food (Trice, Paragraph 0002), thus allowing food to be cooked to a desired internal temperature.
Regarding claim 3, Dills is silent on the agitator including a first end disposed within the container and a second end disposed external to the container, the second end including a connector adapted to removably couple with the turntable drive of the microwave oven to power movement of the agitator in response to rotation of the turntable drive.
As shown above with regard to claim 1, Zhu teaches (Paragraph 0004) a method of operating a microwave oven with a container located in the cooking cavity and an agitator that projects through the bottom wall of the container and the rotary seal as shown in the Figure. The Figure further shows that that the drive shaft 7 fitted with a stirring claw 6 which comprise the agitator have a first end disposed within the container and a second end disposed external to the bread box assembly 3 (container). Additionally, Zhu further teaches (Paragraph 0004) the tail end of the drive shaft 7 is inserted into the glass turntable clutch 11 (turntable drive) and can be removed from the glass turntable clutch 11 (removably coupled), and therefore, the tail end of the drive shaft 7 is understood to comprise a connector adapted to removably couple with the turntable drive. Also, Zhu teaches (Paragraph 0004) a motor outputs power, which is transmitted to the glass turntable clutch 11, and the drive shaft 7 drives the stirring claw 6 to rotate and stir.
As shown above with regard to claim 1, De'Longhi teaches (Paragraph 0001, 0034, 0035, 0058-0059; Fig. 2 #2, 7, 8, 11) a device and a procedure for cooking a food product with microwaves, wherein a drive member 8, which is the same one which makes the plate of the microwave oven rotate (turntable drive), connects to a connection shaft 11 of a mixing member 7 (agitator) inside a container 2, which is placed inside a microwave oven. As shown in Figure 5, De'Longhi teaches (Paragraph 0036; Fig. 5 #24) lower member 24 (second end) of connection shaft 11 of mixing member 7 (agitator) is fitted to drive member 8 (turntable drive), where Figure 5 shows that upper joint 22 (first end) of the connection shaft is disposed within the container and lower member 24 (second end) of connection shaft 11 is disposed external to the container. Additionally De'Longhi teaches (Paragraph 0033, 0039; Claims 1, 14) the mixing member 7 is preferably removable; and the drive member 8 is housed in the base 9 of the cooking area of a microwave oven and the device comprising the container and agitator can be removed and inserted from said cooking area of said oven (which requires the agitator to be removable coupled). Furthermore, De'Longhi teaches (Paragraph 0009, 0032, 0061) drive member 8 activates the mixing member 7, which mixes the food product.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills to provide the microwave oven with an agitator including a first end disposed within the container and a second end disposed external to the container, the second end including a connector adapted to removably couple with the turntable drive of the microwave oven to power movement of the agitator in response to rotation of the turntable drive as taught by Zhu and De’Longhi, since each of Dills, Zhu, and De’Longhi are directed to methods of heating food products in microwave ovens, since providing an agitator including a first end disposed within the container and a second end disposed external to the container, the second end including a connector adapted to removably couple with the turntable drive of the microwave oven to power movement of the agitator in response to rotation of the turntable drive is known in the art as shown by Zhu and De’Longhi, since the mixing member (agitator) mixes the food product and guarantees its optimal and uniform cooking (De’Longhi, Paragraph 0061), since the mixing action can avoid the food, like for example pasta, from clumping together and sticking (De’Longhi, Paragraph 0062), since the drive member (turntable drive) is the same one which makes the plate of the microwave oven rotate (De’Longhi, Paragraph 0034; Zhu, Paragraph 0004), thus simplifying construction and allowing a single drive to be used for multiple types of microwave cooking operations, since removal coupling of the agitator and turntable drive would allow for removal of the container and agitator for removal of food and cleaning, and since the structure is simple and can provide increased stirring torque to improve work efficiency (Zhu, Paragraph 0005).
Regarding claim 4, Dills is silent on a mating profile of the connector matching that of a turntable of the microwave oven.
As shown above with regard to claim 1, Zhu teaches (Paragraph 0004) a method of operating a microwave oven with a container located in the cooking cavity and an agitator that projects through the bottom wall of the container and the rotary seal as shown in the Figure. Zhu further teaches (Paragraph 0004) the tail end of the drive shaft 7 is inserted into the glass turntable clutch 11 (turntable drive). Also, Zhu teaches (Paragraph 0004) a motor outputs power, which is transmitted to the glass turntable clutch 11, and the drive shaft 7 drives the stirring claw 6 to rotate and stir. While not explicitly stated, in view of the Figure of Zhu and the fact that the drive shaft 7 can be inserted into the turntable clutch (i.e., the profile of the turntable drive is capable of receiving the profile of the connector) and the drive shaft can be moved by movement of the turntable clutch (i.e., the turn table drive profile aligns with the profile of the connector such that movement of the turntable drive is imparted to the connector) the mating profile of the connector is therefore understood to match a mating profile of the turntable drive of the microwave oven.
As shown above with regard to claim 1, De'Longhi teaches (Paragraph 0001, 0034, 0035, 0058-0059; Fig. 2 #2, 7, 8, 11) a device and a procedure for cooking a food product with microwaves, wherein a drive member 8, which is the same one which makes the plate of the microwave oven rotate (turntable drive), connects to a connection shaft 11 of a mixing member 7 (agitator) inside a container 2, which is placed inside a microwave oven. As shown in Figure 5, De'Longhi teaches (Paragraph 0036; Fig. 5 #24) lower member 24 (second end) of connection shaft 11 of mixing member 7 (agitator) is fitted to drive member 8 (turntable drive), where Figure 5 shows that a mating profile of the connector on the second end matches that of a turntable drive of the microwave oven.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills to provide the microwave oven with an agitator including a mating profile of the connector which matches a mating profile of a turntable drive of the microwave oven as taught by Zhu and De’Longhi, since each of Dills, Zhu, and De’Longhi are directed to methods of heating food products comprising cooking liquids in microwave ovens, since providing an agitator including an agitator including a mating profile of the connector which matches a mating profile of a turntable drive of the microwave oven is known in the art as shown by Zhu and De’Longhi, and since a mating profile of the connector matches that of a turntable of the microwave oven will ensure that the agitator and turntable drive do not accidentally become separated, ensuring operation of the agitator as intended.
Regarding claim 7, Dills is silent on the monitoring of the temperature of the water bath being conducted wirelessly.
As shown above with regard to claim 1, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0005) a sous vide device and method of using the same, wherein food to be cooked is placed in a bag, and the bag is then immersed in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature. Trice further teaches (Paragraph 0038) communicating a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and/or to communicating a control signal to control an external heating element that heats the container of water in order to maintain the container water at a controlled temperature, wherein a wireless communication circuit is used to wirelessly communicate a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and/or to communicate a control signal to control an external heating element. Also, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0009) in some embodiments, the controller is configured to wirelessly communicate with a burner controller to regulate an energy output of a burner that heats the container of water, and where the burner and burner controller may be disposed in an oven, and, in some embodiments, the burner is a microwave element.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills to monitor the temperature of the water bath wirelessly as taught by Trice, since both are directed to methods of cooking food products comprising cooking liquid in containers in microwave devices wherein temperature of the cooking liquid is monitored and maintained according to a temperature sensor, since monitoring the temperature of the water bath wirelessly is known in the art as shown by Trice, since a wireless monitoring of temperature allows a temperature sensor device to be fully submerged while still communicating with an external device using the wireless communication circuit (Trice, Paragraph 0006), since monitoring the temperature of the water bath wirelessly allows the temperature sensor to be placed at a desired location not limited by the length of a wire, since monitoring the temperature of the water bath wirelessly will prevent the food, the container, or any other object in the microwave oven cavity from being entangled by a wire upon placement or removal, and since wireless monitoring of the temperature of the water bath allows the temperature sensor to be easily removed from the microwave oven for cleaning or maintenance.
Regarding claim 8, Dills is silent on the temperature sensor being a wireless temperature sensor and the wireless temperature sensor being wirelessly coupled with the controller.
As shown above with regard to claim 1, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0005) a sous vide device and method of using the same, wherein food to be cooked is placed in a bag, and the bag is then immersed in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature. Trice further teaches (Paragraph 0038) communicating a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor to control an external heating element that heats the container of water in order to maintain the container water at a controlled temperature, wherein a wireless communication circuit is used to wirelessly communicate a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor. Also, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0009, 0014) in some embodiments, wirelessly communicating with the external device using the wireless communication circuit to communicate a water temperature sensed by the temperature sensor to the external device, and where the burner and burner controller may be disposed in an oven, and, in some embodiments, the burner is a microwave element, and the external device is a burner controller.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills to provide a wireless temperature sensor wirelessly coupled to the controller as taught by Trice, since both are directed to methods of cooking food products comprising cooking liquid in containers in microwave devices wherein temperature of the cooking liquid is monitored and maintained according to a temperature sensor, since providing a wireless temperature sensor wirelessly coupled to a controller is known in the art as shown by Trice, since wireless monitoring of temperature allows a temperature sensor device to be fully submerged while still communicating with an external device, such as a burner controller, using the wireless communication circuit (Trice, Paragraph 0006, 0014), since a wireless temperature sensor wirelessly coupled to the controller can be placed at a desired location not limited by the length of a wire, since providing a wireless temperature sensor wirelessly coupled to a controller will prevent the food, the container, or any other object in the microwave oven cavity from being entangled by a wire upon placement or removal, and since a wireless temperature sensor wirelessly coupled to the controller can be easily removed from the microwave oven for cleaning or maintenance.
Regarding claim 10, Dills teaches (Col. 3, lines 51-62) microwave oven 10 comprises a magnetron 24, a power supply 26, a motor blower unit 28, and a rectangular waveguide 30. Dills is silent on the microwave having an inverter. Apparatus components not mentioned are not presumed to be present, and, therefore, Dills is understood to disclose a microwave oven without an inverter.
Claim(s) 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dills (US 4093841 A) in view of Trice (US 20190099035 A1), Zhu (CN 2351065 Y), De’Longhi (US 20040250689 A1), and Snyder (US 20170188743 A1), and further in view of Rober (US 20150289324 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Dills, as modified above, is silent on the temperature sensor being an infrared sensor.
Rober teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0031; Fig. 2 #62, 64, 66) a method of operating a microwave oven with improved cooking control, wherein a food item cooking controller uses data such as temperatures provided by the infrared thermal imaging cameras 62, 64, and 66 (infrared temperature sensors) as control variables.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills, as modified above, to provide an infrared temperature sensor (e.g., as a substitute or in addition to the temperature probe disclosed by Dills) as taught by Rober since both are directed to methods of treating food products in microwave ovens, since providing a microwave oven with an infrared sensor for detecting temperature to control a food preparation process is known in the art as shown by Rober, since it can be difficult to determine the correct cooking time for a given food item as significant spatial temperature gradients may be present, but infrared thermal imaging cameras can ensure that all measured temperatures on the food item are above a minimum or below a maximum value (Rober, Paragraph 0004, 0040), since infrared thermal imaging cameras can be provided on the walls of the microwave heating chamber (Rober, Paragraph 0024) rather than in direct contact with the water or food, thus removing the need to manually place the temperature sensors or clean after use.
Furthermore, the substitution or use of an infrared sensor as the temperature sensor would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art since the inclusion of temperature sensors to control microwave heating operations is known in the art from Dills, since the use of infrared sensors as temperature sensors in microwave heating operations for food products is known in the art from Rober, and since substitution of one known element for another yields predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (See MPEP 2143 I. B.).
Regarding claim 6, Dills, is silent on the temperature sensor being disposed on a back wall or a side wall of the cooking cavity.
As shown above with regard to claim 5, Rober teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0031; Fig. 2 #62, 64, 66) a method of operating a microwave oven with improved cooking control, wherein a food item cooking controller uses data such as temperatures provided by the infrared thermal imaging cameras 62, 64, and 66 (infrared temperature sensors) as control variables. Rober further teaches (Paragraph 0024) infrared thermal imaging cameras are preferably located on locations including the back wall and side wall.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills, as modified above, to provide an infrared temperature sensor (e.g., as a substitute or in addition to the temperature probe disclosed by Dills) disposed on a back wall or a side wall of the cooking cavity as taught by Rober since both are directed to methods of treating food products in microwave ovens, since providing a microwave oven with an infrared sensor disposed on a back wall or a side wall of the cooking cavity is known in the art as shown by Rober, since it can be difficult to determine the correct cooking time for a given food item as significant spatial temperature gradients may be present, but infrared thermal imaging cameras can ensure that all measured temperatures on the food item are above a minimum or below a maximum value (Rober, Paragraph 0004, 0040), since providing infrared thermal imaging cameras on the back or side walls of the microwave heating chamber (Rober, Paragraph 0024) rather than in direct contact with the water or food, removes the need to manually place the temperature sensors in or clean after use, and since infrared temperature sensors on the back or side walls will not obstruct placement of the container within the cooking cavity.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dills (US 4093841 A) in view of Trice (US 20190099035 A1), Zhu (CN 2351065 Y), De’Longhi (US 20040250689 A1), and Snyder (US 20170188743 A1), and further in view of Lim (US 20180352615 A1) and Lin (US 20180332674 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Dills, as modified above, is silent on the microwave oven being an inverter-type microwave oven.
Lim teaches (Paragraph 0008) a method of operating a microwave heater cooking apparatus wherein the cooking apparatus includes a cooking room in which a cooking vessel is accommodated and a microwave heater configured to radiate microwaves to the cooking vessel. Lim further teaches (Paragraph 0077) the cooking vessel may container water and the cooking apparatus can perform simmer cooking. Furthermore, Lim teaches (Paragraph 0054), in an embodiment, the microwave heater may be implemented as a variable-output microwave heater that radiates microwaves of various powers directly by adopting an inverter as a driving circuit.
Also, it is known in the art, for example, from Lin, (Paragraph 0003) that an inverter in a microwave oven circuit has the advantages of light weight, high power factor, continuously adjustable power and the like relative to a transformer power supply, and thus has been widely favored by users.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills, as modified above to provide an inverter-type microwave oven as taught by Lim since both are directed to methods of heating containers holding cooking liquid inside a cavity of a microwave oven, since providing an inverter-type microwave oven for heating a container holding a cooking liquid is known in the art as shown by Lim, since an inverter in a microwave oven circuit has the advantages of light weight, high power factor, continuously adjustable power and the like relative to a transformer power supply, and thus has been widely favored by users (Lin, Paragraph 0003).
Claim(s) 11 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dills (US 4093841 A) in view of Trice (US 20190099035 A1), and Li (CN 105981999 A).
Regarding claim 11, Dills teaches (Col. 1, lines 8-11) a method for cooking food slowly in a container in a microwave oven at a simmer temperature for many hours of time. Dills further teaches (Col. 3, lines 50-60; Fig. 1 #10, 12, 18, 20; Fig. 2 #24) providing a microwave oven 10 which is provided with an outer cover 12 (housing), an oven cooking cavity 18, a source of microwave energy (cooking energy) and magnetron 24 (microwave cooking element) shown within the housing in Figure 2, and a control panel 20 shown withing the housing in Figures 1 and 2. Additionally, Dills teaches (Col. 2, lines 61-64; Col. 4, lines 33-38; Fig. 3 #58, 64) the control circuit is provided with a mode selector 58, including a simmer position and a simmer circuit 64 which adjusts the power level of the magnetron, wherein a simmer cycle uses a closed cooking container that is transparent to microwave energy so that the food is heated directly by absorption of the microwave energy (where selection of the simmer mode, therefore, constitutes initiating, by the controller, a cooking cycle to cook a food item disposed in a container located in the cooking cavity). Dills further teaches (Col. 4, lines 39-41) an exemplary embodiment wherein the simmer circuit will combine with the temperature circuit 54 to select a simmer temperature of about 190° F (initiating the cooking cycle includes determining a setpoint temperature). Additionally, Dills teaches (Col. 3, lines 66-68; Col. 5, lines 2-5; Fig. 1 #40) an automatic temperature control system comprising a temperature-sensing probe 40 near the center of the bottom wall of the container to be substantially in heat transfer relation with the food to be cooked in the container. Furthermore, Dills teaches (Claim 1, 4) using control circuitry to adjust the microwave energy (which necessarily requires controlling the microwave cooking element) to a predetermined reduced power level suitable for simmer-cooking by monitoring and maintaining the temperature via the temperature sensing probe.
Dills does not explicitly state the sous vide cooking is performed in the microwave oven. Also, while Dills teaches a method of controlling simmering, which is understood to be process comprising heating a cooking liquid below a boiling temperature, Dills does not explicitly state that the container contains a water bath and that the temperature sensor monitors a temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle and the controller maintains a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle. In addition, Dills is silent on the setpoint temperature being based one or more user inputs. Furthermore, Dills is silent on the use of a wireless temperature sensor. Also, Dills is silent on comparing, by the controller, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to the setpoint temperature; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the comparison of the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to the setpoint temperature. Additionally, Dills is silent on determining, by the controller, a microwave oven type; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the determination of the microwave oven type to maintain a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle.
Trice discloses a method of sous vide cooking in a microwave oven comprising determining a setpoint temperature based on one or more user inputs; monitoring, by wireless a temperature sensor, a temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle; comparing, by the controller, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to the setpoint temperature; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the comparison of the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to the setpoint temperature during at least a portion of the cooking cycle. Specifically, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0005) a sous vide device and method of using the same, wherein food to be cooked is placed in a bag, and the bag is then immersed in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature. Trice further teaches (Paragraph 0038) communicating a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and/or to communicating a control signal to control an external heating element that heats the container of water in order to maintain the container water at a controlled temperature (comparing, by the controller, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to the setpoint temperature), wherein a wireless communication circuit is used to wirelessly communicate a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and/or to communicate a control signal to control an external heating element. Also, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0009) in some embodiments, the controller is configured to wirelessly communicate with a burner controller to regulate an energy output of a burner that heats the container of water, and where the burner and burner controller may be disposed in an oven, and, in some embodiments, the burner is a microwave element (controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the comparison of the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to the setpoint temperature). Furthermore, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0077) the cooking temperature is set based on user input.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills to perform sous vide cooking by determining a setpoint temperature based on one or more user inputs; monitoring, by a wireless temperature sensor, a temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle; comparing, by the controller, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to the setpoint temperature; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the comparison of the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to the setpoint temperature to maintain a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle as taught by Trice, since both are directed to methods of cooking food products comprising cooking liquid in containers in microwave devices wherein temperature of the cooking liquid is monitored and maintained according to a temperature sensor, since performing sous vide cooking by determining a setpoint temperature based on one or more user inputs; monitoring, by a wireless temperature sensor, a temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle; comparing, by the controller, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to the setpoint temperature; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the comparison of the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to the setpoint temperature to maintain a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle is known in the art as shown by Trice, since sous vide cooking has become an increasingly popular manner of cooking, as it has been found that for many foods, sous vide cooking can produce extremely tender, flavorful and consistent results (Trice, Paragraph 0001), since sous vide cooking is much less susceptible to burning, drying out, or otherwise overcooking the exterior of a food due to the substantially reduced temperature differential between the interior and the exterior of the food during cooking (Trice, Paragraph 0001), since immersing a food in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature for sufficient time brings the food to the same temperature as the water throughout so that the interior of the food cooks at the same temperature as the exterior of the food (Trice, Paragraph 0002), thus allowing food to be cooked to a desired internal temperature, since a wireless monitoring of temperature allows a temperature sensor device to be fully submerged while still communicating with an external device using the wireless communication circuit (Trice, Paragraph 0006), since monitoring the temperature of the water bath wirelessly allows the temperature sensor to be placed at a desired location not limited by the length of a wire, since monitoring the temperature of the water bath wirelessly allows for communicating between the sous vide device and an external device such as a mobile computing device, a personal computing device, a server or a cloud service (Trice, Paragraph 0013), since comparing by the controller, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to the setpoint temperature; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the comparison of the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to the setpoint temperature ensures that the food is not undercooked or overcooked and provides convenience to the user by automatically controlling the cooking process, and since setting a setpoint temperature based on user input allows the user to customize the cooking process to suit their needs and preferences.
Li discloses determining, by the controller, a microwave oven type; and in response to the determination of the microwave oven type, controlling operational parameters including temperature. Li teaches (Paragraph 0002, Paragraph 0048) an automatic cooking method and system, wherein smart cooking device can be a variety of smart kitchen appliances including smart microwave ovens. Li further teaches (Paragraph 0011, 0109) cooking control instructions for the device are parsed from a selected cloud recipe, wherein a cloud recipe can contain different control information for different models, and, when the instruction parsing module of the smart cooking device parses the cloud recipe, it can first obtain its own model information (where, in embodiments comprising microwave ovens the smart cooking device, the model information would constitute the microwave oven type), and then determine the cooking control instructions that correspond to the model information. Additionally, Li teaches (Paragraph 0282-0283) embodiments of this application may take the form of a computer program product, wherein a computer device includes one or more processors, (i.e., the method may be performed by a controller). Furthermore, Li teaches (Paragraph 0074) for the same cooking process, different models may have different cooking times and cooking temperatures; also, for the same process, different models may understand different instructions, and therefore the corresponding control information will also differ.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills, as modified above, to determine, by the controller, a microwave oven type; and, in response to the determination of the microwave oven type, maintain a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle in view of Li since both are directed to methods of cooking food in microwave ovens since Dills, in view of Trice, discloses maintaining a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle, since determining, by the controller, a microwave oven type; and in response to the determination of the microwave oven type, controlling operational parameters including temperature is known in the art as shown by Li, since different cooking devices have different operating processes and cooking control commands, and corresponding recipes can be configured based on the model information (microwave oven type) of the cooking device (Li, Paragraph 0048), and since, for the same cooking process, different models may have different cooking times and cooking temperatures; also, for the same process, different models may understand different instructions, and therefore the corresponding control information will also differ, therefore, different control information needs to be configured for different models (Li, Paragraph 0074).
Regarding claim 19, as shown above, Dills teaches (Col. 2, lines 61-64; Col. 4, lines 33-38; Fig. 3 #58, 64) the control circuit is provided with a mode selector 58, including a simmer position and a simmer circuit 64 which adjusts the power level of the magnetron, wherein a simmer cycle uses a closed cooking container that is transparent to microwave energy so that the food is heated directly by absorption of the microwave energy. While the simmer cycle is not explicitly stated to be a dedicated sous vide cooking cycle, a cooking cycle that provides energy to heat liquid in a container below boiling (simmering) is understood to be able to perform sous vide cooking.
Furthermore, as shown above, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0005) a sous vide device and method of using the same, wherein food to be cooked is placed in a bag, and the bag is then immersed in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature. Trice further teaches (Paragraph 0038) communicating a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and/or to communicating a control signal to control an external heating element that heats the container of water in order to maintain the container water at a controlled temperature (sous vide cycle).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills to perform a sous vide cycle as taught by Trice, since both are directed to methods of cooking food products comprising cooking liquid in containers in microwave devices wherein temperature of the cooking liquid is monitored and maintained according to a temperature sensor, since performing a sous vide cycle is known in the art as shown by Trice, since sous Vide cooking has become an increasingly popular manner of cooking, as it has been found that for many foods, sous vide cooking can produce extremely tender, flavorful and consistent results (Trice, Paragraph 0001), since sous vide cooking is much less susceptible to burning, drying out, or otherwise overcooking the exterior of a food due to the substantially reduced temperature differential between the interior and the exterior of the food during cooking (Trice, Paragraph 0001), and since immersing a food in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature for sufficient time brings the food to the same temperature as the water throughout so that the interior of the food cooks at the same temperature as the exterior of the food (Trice, Paragraph 0002), thus allowing food to be cooked to a desired internal temperature.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dills (US 4093841 A) in view of Trice (US 20190099035 A1) and Li (CN 105981999 A), and further in view of Martin (US 4956534 A).
Regarding claim 12, Dills teaches (Col. 3, lines 66-68; Col. 5, lines 2-5; Fig. 1 #40) an automatic temperature control system comprising a temperature-sensing probe 40 near the center of the bottom wall of the container to be substantially in heat transfer relation with the food to be cooked in the container. Furthermore, Dills teaches (Claim 1, 4) using control circuitry to adjust the microwave energy (which necessarily requires controlling the microwave cooking element) to a predetermined reduced power level suitable for simmer-cooking by monitoring and maintaining the temperature via the temperature sensing probe (continue monitoring the temperature).
Dills is silent on, when the microwave oven type is determined to be a microwave oven without an inverter the method further includes: when the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container is less than the setpoint temperature, activating the microwave cooking element; and continue monitoring, by the wireless temperature sensor, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle.
Martin teaches (Col. 9, lines 48-68; Col. 10, lines 1-12; Fig. 6 #500, 600, 612, 640) a method of operating a microwave heating device, wherein when a thermostat 612 senses that the temperature of the water within a tank 600 is below its threshold (less than the setpoint temperature), it turns on the conventional microwave unit 500 by applying power from an A.C. source 640 (activating the microwave cooking element), water is heated by the microwave until the thermostat 612 senses that the temperature of the water in the hot water tank 600 has risen above its threshold at which point power to the microwave unit 500 and is shut off, and when the thermostat 612 senses that the water temperature has again dropped below its threshold level (continue monitoring the temperature of the water bath), power to the microwave unit 500 is again turned on.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills, as modified above, to compare, the temperature of water in a container to a setpoint temperature; wherein when the temperature of the water in the container is less than the setpoint temperature, activating the microwave cooking element; and to continue monitoring, by the temperature sensor, the temperature of the water disposed in the container as taught by Martin since both are directed to methods of performing microwave heating since comparing the temperature of water in a container to a setpoint temperature; wherein when the temperature of the water in the container is less than the setpoint temperature, activating the microwave cooking element; and continuing monitoring, by the temperature sensor, the temperature of the water disposed in the container is known in the art as shown by Martin, since activating the microwave cooking element when the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container is less than the setpoint temperature will allow the water to be heated by the microwaves to ensure that the temperature returns to the desired setpoint and the food is heated adequately, since continuing monitoring, by the wireless temperature sensor, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle would ensure that the temperature does not go too far below the setpoint and fail to heat the food to the desired extent, and since comparing to setpoint temperature will ensure consistent heating.
It is noted that Martin does not explicitly describe the use of a controller. However, the use of a controller for controlling microwave heating based on temperature measurements is already known from Dills and would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art since a controller would reduce labor costs, provide user convenience, and prevent human error.
Additionally, while Martin is silent on the temperature sensor being wireless, the use of a wireless temperature sensor is already known from Trice and would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the reasons stated above with regard to claim 11.
Furthermore, while Dills, as modified above, does not explicitly stated that the microwave oven type is determined to be a microwave oven without an inverter, Martin describes the use of a “conventional microwave unit” and is silent on the use of an inverter. Apparatus components not mentioned are not presumed to be present, and, therefore, Martin is understood to disclose a microwave oven without an inverter. Providing the operational method of Martin as a method to be performed by a microwave oven without an inverter would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, since selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use is prima facie obvious (See MPEP 2144.07), and comparing the temperature of water in a container to a setpoint temperature; wherein when the temperature of the water in the container is less than the setpoint temperature, activating the microwave cooking element; and continuing monitoring, by the temperature sensor, the temperature of the water disposed in the container is a known operational method for a microwave oven without an inverter as demonstrated above by Martin.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dills (US 4093841 A) in view of Trice (US 20190099035 A1) and Li (CN 105981999 A), and further in view of Collins (US 5318754 A) and STEMCO (Importance of a Switch’s Rise/Fall and Hysteresis).
Regarding claim 14, Dills teaches (Col. 3, lines 66-68; Col. 5, lines 2-5; Fig. 1 #40) an automatic temperature control system comprising a temperature-sensing probe 40 near the center of the bottom wall of the container to be substantially in heat transfer relation with the food to be cooked in the container. Furthermore, Dills teaches (Claim 1, 4) using control circuitry to adjust the microwave energy (which necessarily requires controlling the microwave cooking element) to a predetermined reduced power level suitable for simmer-cooking by monitoring and maintaining the temperature via the temperature sensing probe (continue monitoring the temperature).
Dills, as modified above, is silent on when the microwave oven type is determined to be a microwave oven without an inverter the method further includes: when the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container is not less than the setpoint temperature, determining if the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container is greater than the setpoint temperature in combination with a hysteresis temperature; when the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container is greater than the setpoint temperature in combination with the hysteresis temperature, deactivating the microwave cooking element; and continue monitoring, by the wireless temperature sensor, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle.
Collins teaches (Col. 1, lines 14-25) apparatuses which include a source of microwave radiation, a walled chamber into which microwave radiation is directed, which chamber retains such radiation therein, an ashing furnace in the chamber, a microwave absorptive material which is capable of being heated to an ashing temperature, AND temperature sensing means, useful to regulate the temperature in the furnace cavity. Collins further teaches (Col. 12, lines 1-6) when the measured temperature falls below a predetermined hysteresis value (which is usually 2 or 3 degrees) the magnetron will be turned on again, and it will be turned off when the measured temperature increases to about the same value above the set temperature (i.e. greater than the setpoint temperature in combination with a hysteresis temperature). Also, Collins teaches (Col. 9, lines 1-4; Col. 12, lines 37-39) a temperature controller opens and closes a magnetron electrical supply line in response to electrical signals from the thermocouple, and the temperature controller continually compares the measured temperature to the set point temperature.
Additionally, it is known in the art, for example, from STEMCO that hysteresis represents the difference between the activation and deactivation points of a thermostat switch used in applications including food processing equipment, wherein hysteresis prevents the switch from rapidly toggling between states, enhancing the stability and longevity of the system, and hysteresis ensures that temperature control systems operate accurately and reliably, avoiding issues such as rapid cycling or inaccurate temperature regulation.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills, as modified above to compare, by the controller, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to a setpoint temperature; wherein when the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container is not less than the setpoint temperature, determining if the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container is greater than the setpoint temperature in combination with a hysteresis temperature; wherein when the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container is greater than the setpoint temperature in combination with the hysteresis temperature, deactivating the microwave cooking element; and continue monitoring, by the wireless temperature sensor, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle, in view of Collins since both are directed to methods of heating material with microwaves since heating of a water bath and temperature monitoring of water bath with a wireless temperature sensor is known and obvious in view of Trice for the reasons stated above with regard to claim 11, since comparing, by a controller, the temperature of a material disposed in a container to a setpoint temperature; wherein when the temperature of the material disposed in the container is not less than the setpoint temperature, determining if the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container is greater than the setpoint temperature in combination with a hysteresis temperature; wherein when the temperature of the material is greater than the setpoint temperature in combination with the hysteresis temperature, deactivating the microwave cooking element; and continue monitoring, by the wireless temperature sensor, the temperature of the material in the container is known in the art as shown by Collins, since hysteresis prevents the switch from rapidly toggling between states, enhancing the stability and longevity of the system (STEMCO), since hysteresis ensures that temperature control systems operate accurately and reliably, avoiding issues such as rapid cycling or inaccurate temperature regulation (STEMCO), and since continuing monitoring, by the wireless temperature sensor, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle would ensure that the temperature does not go too far below the setpoint and fail to heat the food to the desired extent.
Additionally, while Collins is silent on the temperature sensor being wireless and the temperature of a water bath being monitored, the use of a wireless temperature sensor to monitor a water bath is already known from Trice and would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the reasons stated above with regard to claim 11.
Furthermore, while Dills, as modified above, does not explicitly state that the microwave oven type is determined to be a microwave oven without an inverter, both Dills and Collins are silent on the inclusion of an inverter in the microwave. The microwave oven of Dills comprising a source of microwave energy, magnetron, and power supply and a motor blower unit (Dills, Col. 3, lines 59-61) is understood to be a microwave oven without an inverter, as is the microwave oven of Collins comprising a source of microwave radiation that is a magnetron and a temperature sensor and controlling means (Collins, Claim 6). Apparatus components not mentioned are not presumed to be present, and, therefore, Dills and Collins re understood to disclose a microwave oven without an inverter. Providing the operational method of Collins as a method to be performed by a microwave oven without an inverter would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, since selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use is prima facie obvious (See MPEP 2144.07), and comparing, by a controller, the temperature of a material disposed in a container to a setpoint temperature; wherein when the temperature of the material disposed in the container is not less than the setpoint temperature, determining if the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container is greater than the setpoint temperature in combination with a hysteresis temperature; wherein when the temperature of the material is greater than the setpoint temperature in combination with the hysteresis temperature, deactivating the microwave cooking element; and continue monitoring, by the wireless temperature sensor, the temperature of the material in the container is a known operational method for a microwave oven without an inverter as demonstrated above by Collins.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dills (US 4093841 A) in view of Trice (US 20190099035 A1), and Li (CN 105981999 A), and further in view of Honma (JP 2006177593 A) and Lin (US 20180332674 A1).
Regarding claim 15, Dills teaches (Col. 3, lines 66-68; Col. 5, lines 2-5; Fig. 1 #40) an automatic temperature control system comprising a temperature-sensing probe 40 near the center of the bottom wall of the container to be substantially in heat transfer relation with the food to be cooked in the container. Furthermore, Dills teaches (Claim 1, 4) using control circuitry to adjust the microwave energy (which necessarily requires controlling the microwave cooking element) to a predetermined reduced power level suitable for simmer-cooking by monitoring and maintaining the temperature via the temperature sensing probe (continue monitoring the temperature).
Dills, as modified above, is silent on, when the microwave oven type is determined to be an inverter type microwave oven, the method further includes: providing the setpoint temperature to a regulator of the inverter type microwave oven; adjusting, based on the monitored temperature of the water bath disposed in the container, a power output of the microwave cooking element; and continue monitoring, by the wireless temperature sensor, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle.
Honma teaches (Paragraph 0001, 0030) a method of using cooking device that cooks an object to be heated in a heating chamber by microwave heating, wherein electronic components 50 necessary for supplying microwaves to the heating chamber 7 and microwave-heating food include a control board 50b (regulator) and an inverter board 50c. Honma further teaches (Paragraph 0063, 0065) the internal temperature of the heating chamber 7 is sensed by a temperature sensor and if the temperature of the heating chamber 7 is higher than the set value, the power supply to the grill heater 10 and the lower heater 11 is stopped or reduced to maintain a temperature close to the set temperature, wherein the sensed temperature can be the temperature of the object to be heated.
Also, it is known in the art, for example, from Lin, (Paragraph 0003) that an inverter in a microwave oven circuit has the advantages of light weight, high power factor, continuously adjustable power and the like relative to a transformer power supply, and thus has been widely favored by users.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills, as modified above to provide the setpoint temperature to a regulator of the inverter type microwave oven and adjust, based on the monitored temperature of the water bath disposed in the container, a power output of the microwave cooking element; in view of Honma since both are directed to methods of heating food products in microwaves, since providing a setpoint temperature to a regulator of the inverter type microwave oven and adjusting, based on the monitored temperature of the heated object, a power output of the microwave cooking element is known in the art as shown by Honma, since adjusting the power will maintain the set temperature, thus ensuring the water bath is heated to the desired temperature and the food cooks as intended, and since an inverter in a microwave oven circuit has the advantages of light weight, high power factor, continuously adjustable power and the like relative to a transformer power supply, and thus has been widely favored by users (Lin, Paragraph 0003).
Additionally, while Honma is silent on the temperature sensor being wireless and the temperature of a water bath being monitored, the use of a wireless temperature sensor to monitor a water bath is already known from Trice and would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the reasons stated above with regard to claim 11.
Furthermore, while Dills, as modified above, does not explicitly stated that the microwave oven type is determined to be an inverter type microwave oven, Honma describes the use of an inverter type microwave oven. Providing the operational method of Honma as a method to be performed by a inverter type microwave oven would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, since selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use is prima facie obvious (See MPEP 2144.07), and providing a setpoint temperature to a regulator of the inverter type microwave oven and adjusting, based on the monitored temperature of the heated object, a power output of the microwave cooking element is a known operational method for a conventional microwave oven type as demonstrated above by Honma.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dills (US 4093841 A) in view of Trice (US 20190099035 A1), Li (CN 105981999 A), Honma (JP 2006177593 A) and Lin (US 20180332674 A1), and further in view of Gu (CN 108900099 A).
Regarding claim 16, Dills, as modified above, is silent on the regulator being a proportional-integral-derivative regulator.
Gu teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0004, 0018) a control method for the microwave inverter circuit of a microwave oven for heating food and other items, wherein PID (proportional-integral-derivative) power factor regulation is performed.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills, as modified above to provide the microwave oven with a proportional-integral-derivative regulator as taught by Gu since both are directed to methods of preparing food products with microwaves, since a microwave oven with a proportional-integral-derivative regulator is known in the art as shown by Gu, since, by using PID power regulation and PID power factor dynamic adjustment correction, the input power of the first AC voltage can quickly approach the target power, and overshoot or oscillation can be effectively avoided (Gu, Paragraph 0146), and since PID power regulation effectively improves the stability, safety and reliability of the microwave frequency converter circuits (Gu, Paragraph 0158).
Claim(s) 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dills (US 4093841 A) in view of Trice (US 20190099035 A1) and Li (CN 105981999 A), and further in view of Rober (US 20150289324 A1).
Regarding claim 17, Dills, as modified above, is silent on the temperature sensor being an infrared sensor.
Rober teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0031; Fig. 2 #62, 64, 66) a method of operating a microwave oven with improved cooking control, wherein a food item cooking controller uses data such as temperatures provided by the infrared thermal imaging cameras 62, 64, and 66 (infrared temperature sensors) as control variables.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills, as modified above, to provide an infrared temperature sensor (e.g., as a substitute or in addition to the temperature probe disclosed by Dills) as taught by Rober since both are directed to methods of treating food products in microwave ovens, since providing a microwave oven with an infrared sensor for detecting temperature to control a food preparation process is known in the art as shown by Rober, since it can be difficult to determine the correct cooking time for a given food item as significant spatial temperature gradients may be present, but infrared thermal imaging cameras can ensure that all measured temperatures on the food item are above a minimum or below a maximum value (Rober, Paragraph 0004, 0040), since infrared thermal imaging cameras can be provided on the walls of the microwave heating chamber (Rober, Paragraph 0024) rather than in direct contact with the water or food, thus removing the need to manually place the temperature sensors or clean after use.
Furthermore, the substitution or use of an infrared sensor as the temperature sensor would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art since the inclusion of temperature sensors to control microwave heating operations is known in the art from Dills, since the use of infrared sensors as temperature sensors in microwave heating operations for food products is known in the art from Rober, and since substitution of one known element for another yields predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (See MPEP 2143 I. B.).
Regarding claim 18, Dills, is silent on the temperature sensor being disposed on a back wall or a side wall of the cooking cavity.
Rober teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0031; Fig. 2 #62, 64, 66) a method of operating a microwave oven with improved cooking control, wherein a food item cooking controller uses data such as temperatures provided by the infrared thermal imaging cameras 62, 64, and 66 (infrared temperature sensors) as control variables. Rober further teaches (Paragraph 0024) infrared thermal imaging cameras are preferably located on locations including the back wall and side wall.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills, as modified above, to provide an infrared temperature sensor (e.g., as a substitute or in addition to the temperature probe disclosed by Dills) disposed on a back wall or a side wall of the cooking cavity as taught by Rober since both are directed to methods of treating food products in microwave ovens, since providing a microwave oven with an infrared sensor disposed on a back wall or a side wall of the cooking cavity is known in the art as shown by Rober, since it can be difficult to determine the correct cooking time for a given food item as significant spatial temperature gradients may be present, but infrared thermal imaging cameras can ensure that all measured temperatures on the food item are above a minimum or below a maximum value (Rober, Paragraph 0004, 0040), since providing infrared thermal imaging cameras on the back or side walls of the microwave heating chamber (Rober, Paragraph 0024) rather than in direct contact with the water or food, removes the need to manually place the temperature sensors in or clean after use, and since infrared temperature sensors on the back or side walls will not obstruct placement of the container within the cooking cavity.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dills (US 4093841 A) in view of Trice (US 20190099035 A1), and Li (CN 105981999 A).
Regarding claim 20, Dills teaches (Col. 1, lines 8-11) a method for cooking food slowly in a container in a microwave oven at a simmer temperature for many hours of time. Dills further teaches (Col. 3, lines 50-60; Fig. 1 #10, 12, 18, 20; Fig. 2 #24) providing a microwave oven 10 which is provided with an outer cover 12 (housing), an oven cooking cavity 18, a source of microwave energy (cooking energy) and magnetron 24 (microwave cooking element) shown within the housing in Figure 2, and a control panel 20 shown withing the housing in Figures 1 and 2. Additionally, Dills teaches (Col. 2, lines 61-64; Col. 4, lines 33-38; Fig. 3 #58, 64) the control circuit is provided with a mode selector 58, including a simmer position and a simmer circuit 64 which adjusts the power level of the magnetron, wherein a simmer cycle uses a closed cooking container that is transparent to microwave energy so that the food is heated directly by absorption of the microwave energy (where selection of the simmer mode, therefore, constitutes initiating, by the controller, a cooking cycle to cook a food item disposed in a container located in the cooking cavity). Dills further teaches (Col. 4, lines 39-41) an exemplary embodiment wherein the simmer circuit will combine with the temperature circuit 54 to select a simmer temperature of about 190° F (initiating the cooking cycle includes determining a setpoint temperature). Additionally, Dills teaches (Col. 3, lines 66-68; Col. 5, lines 2-5; Fig. 1 #40) an automatic temperature control system comprising a temperature-sensing probe 40 near the center of the bottom wall of the container to be substantially in heat transfer relation with the food to be cooked in the container. Furthermore, Dills teaches (Claim 1, 4) using control circuitry to adjust the microwave energy (which necessarily requires controlling the microwave cooking element) to a predetermined reduced power level suitable for simmer-cooking by monitoring and maintaining the temperature via the temperature sensing probe. Dills further teaches (Col. 4, lines 39-41) an exemplary embodiment wherein the simmer circuit will combine with the temperature circuit 54 to select a simmer temperature of about 190° F (setpoint temperature).
Dills does not explicitly state the sous vide cooking is performed in the microwave oven. Also, while Dills teaches a method of controlling simmering, which is understood to be process comprising heating a cooking liquid below a boiling temperature, Dills does not explicitly state that the container contains a water bath and that the temperature sensor monitors a temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle and the controller maintains a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle. Furthermore, Dills is silent on the use of a wireless temperature sensor. Additionally, Dills is silent on determining, by the controller, a microwave oven type; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the determination of the microwave oven type to maintain a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle.
Trice discloses a method of sous vide cooking in a microwave oven comprising monitoring, by wireless a temperature sensor, a temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the wirelessly monitored temperature to maintain a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle. Specifically, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0005) a sous vide device and method of using the same, wherein food to be cooked is placed in a bag, and the bag is then immersed in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature. Trice further teaches (Paragraph 0038) communicating a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and/or to communicating a control signal to control an external heating element that heats the container of water in order to maintain the container water at a controlled temperature (comparing, by the controller, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to a setpoint temperature), wherein a wireless communication circuit is used to wirelessly communicate a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and/or to communicate a control signal to control an external heating element. Also, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0009) in some embodiments, the controller is configured to wirelessly communicate with a burner controller to regulate an energy output of a burner that heats the container of water, and where the burner and burner controller may be disposed in an oven, and, in some embodiments, the burner is a microwave element.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills to perform sous vide cooking by monitoring, by a wireless temperature sensor, a temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle; comparing, by the controller, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to a setpoint temperature; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the wirelessly monitored temperature compared to a setpoint temperature to maintain a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle as taught by Trice, since both are directed to methods of cooking food products comprising cooking liquid in containers in microwave devices wherein temperature of the cooking liquid is monitored and maintained according to a temperature sensor, since performing sous vide cooking by monitoring, by a wireless temperature sensor, a temperature of the water bath disposed in the container during the cooking cycle; comparing, by the controller, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to a setpoint temperature; and controlling, by the controller, the microwave cooking element in response to the wirelessly monitored temperature compared to the setpoint temperature to maintain a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle is known in the art as shown by Trice, since sous vide cooking has become an increasingly popular manner of cooking, as it has been found that for many foods, sous vide cooking can produce extremely tender, flavorful and consistent results (Trice, Paragraph 0001), since sous vide cooking is much less susceptible to burning, drying out, or otherwise overcooking the exterior of a food due to the substantially reduced temperature differential between the interior and the exterior of the food during cooking (Trice, Paragraph 0001), since immersing a food in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature for sufficient time brings the food to the same temperature as the water throughout so that the interior of the food cooks at the same temperature as the exterior of the food (Trice, Paragraph 0002), thus allowing food to be cooked to a desired internal temperature, since a wireless monitoring of temperature allows a temperature sensor device to be fully submerged while still communicating with an external device using the wireless communication circuit (Trice, Paragraph 0006), since monitoring the temperature of the water bath wirelessly allows the temperature sensor to be placed at a desired location not limited by the length of a wire, since monitoring the temperature of the water bath wirelessly will prevent the food, the container, or any other object in the microwave oven cavity from being entangled by a wire upon placement or removal, and since wireless monitoring of the temperature of the water bath allows the temperature sensor to be easily removed from the microwave oven for cleaning or maintenance, and since maintaining a setpoint temperature will ensure the food is cooked precisely as intended.
Li discloses determining, by the controller, a microwave oven type; and in response to the determination of the microwave oven type, controlling operational parameters including temperature. Li teaches (Paragraph 0002, Paragraph 0048) an automatic cooking method and system, wherein smart cooking device can be a variety of smart kitchen appliances including smart microwave ovens. Li further teaches (Paragraph 0011, 0109) cooking control instructions for the device are parsed from a selected cloud recipe, wherein a cloud recipe can contain different control information for different models, and, when the instruction parsing module of the smart cooking device parses the cloud recipe, it can first obtain its own model information (where, in embodiments comprising microwave ovens the smart cooking device, the model information would constitute the microwave oven type), and then determine the cooking control instructions that correspond to the model information. Additionally, Li teaches (Paragraph 0282-0283) embodiments of this application may take the form of a computer program product, wherein a computer device includes one or more processors, (i.e., the method may be performed by a controller). Furthermore, Li teaches (Paragraph 0074) for the same cooking process, different models may have different cooking times and cooking temperatures; also, for the same process, different models may understand different instructions, and therefore the corresponding control information will also differ.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Dills, as modified above, to determine, by the controller, a microwave oven type; and, in response to the determination of the microwave oven type, maintain a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle in view of Li since both are directed to methods of cooking food in microwave ovens since Dills, in view of Trice, discloses maintaining a substantially constant temperature for the water bath during at least a portion of the cooking cycle, since determining, by the controller, a microwave oven type; and in response to the determination of the microwave oven type, controlling operational parameters including temperature is known in the art as shown by Li, since different cooking devices have different operating processes and cooking control commands, and corresponding recipes can be configured based on the model information (microwave oven type) of the cooking device (Li, Paragraph 0048), and since, for the same cooking process, different models may have different cooking times and cooking temperatures; also, for the same process, different models may understand different instructions, and therefore the corresponding control information will also differ, therefore, different control information needs to be configured for different models (Li, Paragraph 0074).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 3-4, filed 05/26/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, these arguments have been made in view of amendments to claim 1, and, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made over Dills (US 4093841 A) in view of Trice (US 20190099035 A1), Zhu (CN 2351065 Y), De’Longhi (US 20040250689 A1), and Snyder (US 20170188743 A1) as shown above.
Applicant's arguments, see pages 4-6, filed 05/26/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 11 and 20 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the Applicant’s argument that none of Dills, Trice, De'Longhi, and Snyder teach that "initiating the cooking cycle includes determining a setpoint temperature", that "the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container [is compared] to the setpoint temperature", and that the microwave cooking element is controlled based on this comparison, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. As shown above with regard to claims 11 and 20, Dills teaches (Col. 2, lines 61-64; Col. 4, lines 33-38; Fig. 3 #58, 64) the control circuit is provided with a mode selector 58, including a simmer position and a simmer circuit 64 which adjusts the power level of the magnetron, wherein a simmer cycle uses a closed cooking container that is transparent to microwave energy so that the food is heated directly by absorption of the microwave energy (where selection of the simmer mode, therefore, constitutes initiating, by the controller, a cooking cycle to cook a food item disposed in a container located in the cooking cavity). Dills further teaches (Col. 4, lines 39-41) an exemplary embodiment wherein the simmer circuit will combine with the temperature circuit 54 to select a simmer temperature of about 190° F (initiating the cooking cycle includes determining a setpoint temperature). Additionally, Dills teaches (Col. 3, lines 66-68; Col. 5, lines 2-5; Fig. 1 #40) an automatic temperature control system comprising a temperature-sensing probe 40 near the center of the bottom wall of the container to be substantially in heat transfer relation with the food to be cooked in the container. Furthermore, Dills teaches (Claim 1, 4) using control circuitry to adjust the microwave energy (which necessarily requires controlling the microwave cooking element) to a predetermined reduced power level suitable for simmer-cooking by monitoring and maintaining the temperature via the temperature sensing probe. Thus, at least in one embodiment, Dills discloses setting of a setpoint temperature and monitoring and maintaining that temperature. While Dills does not explicitly state that the setpoint temperature is the temperature of the water bath, as shown above with regard to claims 11 and 20, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0002, 0005) a sous vide device and method of using the same, wherein food to be cooked is placed in a bag, and the bag is then immersed in a container of water heated to a fixed temperature. Trice further teaches (Paragraph 0038) communicating a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and/or to communicating a control signal to control an external heating element that heats the container of water in order to maintain the container water at a controlled temperature (comparing, by the controller, the temperature of the water bath disposed in the container to a setpoint temperature), wherein a wireless communication circuit is used to wirelessly communicate a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and/or to communicate a control signal to control an external heating element. Such a modification to use the temperature of the water bath as the setpoint temperature in the method of Dills would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the reasons stated above with regard to claims 11 and 20.
In response to the Applicant’s argument that claim 20 is similarly amended to recite that "initiating the [microwave] cooking cycle includes determining a setpoint temperature based on one or more user inputs", the Examiner notes that the requirement that the setpoint temperature be based on one or more user inputs is only present in amended claim 11, not amended claim 20. Moreover, as shown above with regard to claim 11, Trice teaches (Paragraph 0077) the cooking temperature is set based on user input. Thus, the claimed limitations are known and obvious in view of the prior art as shown above.
Therefore, for the reasons stated above, claims 1, 11, 20, and all dependent claims remain rejected under 35 USC 103.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Nguyen (US 20050269317 A1) teaches an apparatus and method for efficient heating fluid by using electromagnetic energy, wherein hen the water temperature in the tank is lower than the set point, the magnetron microwave source is initiated to generate microwave energy to heat the water until the set point is reached.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 AUSTIN P TAYLOR whose telephone number is (571)272-2652. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30am-5pm.
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/AUSTIN PARKER TAYLOR/Examiner, Art Unit 1792
/VIREN A THAKUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1792
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