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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election with traverse of claims 9-14 in the reply filed on 12/9/2025 is acknowledged. During the Examination, claims 9-14 are found allowable. The restriction requirement, as set forth in the Office action mailed on 10/15/2025, has been withdrawn in view of the allowability of claims 9-14 pursuant to MPEP § 821.04(a).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 15-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being described by Hogasten et al (US 2016/0203694).
For claim 15, Hogasten et al teach a camera (e.g. figures 1 and 3, paragraph 31) comprising:
a processor (e.g. paragraph 32, microprocessor); and
a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by the processor (e.g. paragraph 32, microprocessor), cause the camera to perform a set of operations comprising:
detecting an emergency incident at a location (e.g. paragraph 26: private facilities to monitor and provide thermal images that may be analyzed to determine if a person needs assistance (e.g., has fallen or is in distress, has an abnormal body temperature, and/or remains in a fixed position for an extended period of time) and/or provide location information for emergency personnel to locate the individual to provide assistance (e.g., during a medical emergency or during a disaster event).);
switching, based on the emergency incident, a mode of the camera to a notification mode (e.g. paragraph 35: modules 112A-112N may be utilized by infrared imaging system 100 to perform one or more different modes of operation including a standard mode of operation, a person detection mode of operation, a fallen person mode of operation, an emergency mode of operation, and a black box mode of operation);
determining that a person is within a vicinity of the location (e.g., has fallen or is in distress, has an abnormal body temperature, and/or remains in a fixed position for an extended period of time) and/or provide location information for emergency personnel to locate the individual to provide assistance (e.g., during a medical emergency or during a disaster event).);
determining, based on audio or video information sensed by the camera, a status of the person, wherein the audio or video information is associated with the emergency incident (e.g. paragraph 26: private facilities to monitor and provide thermal images that may be analyzed to determine if a person needs assistance (e.g., has fallen or is in distress, has an abnormal body temperature, and/or remains in a fixed position for an extended period of time) and/or provide location information for emergency personnel to locate the individual to provide assistance (e.g., during a medical emergency or during a disaster event).); and
generating, by the camera in the notification mode, an output indicative of the status (e.g. figure 6. Step 660: Generate Alert. Paragraph 90: the fallen person state is set to true 654, and the method 600 is adapted to generate an alert 660 to notify a user or operator that a fallen person has been detected in the scene.).
For claim 16, Hogasten et al teach the set of operations comprising switching the mode of the camera comprise operating the camera as a notification device configured to generate a distress signal based on an occurrence of the emergency incident (e.g. paragraph 92: “beacon signal” or figure 6, step 606, generate alert, paragraph 26: provide thermal images that may be analyzed to determine if a person needs assistance (e.g., has fallen or is in distress, has an abnormal body temperature, and/or remains in a fixed position for an extended period of time) and/or provide location information for emergency personnel to locate the individual to provide assistance (e.g., during a medical emergency or during a disaster event).).
For claim 17, Hogasten et al teach determining that the person is within the vicinity comprise determining that the person is trapped by a building collapse at the location (e.g. paragraphs 9, 24: it may be critical for search and rescue personnel to quickly and easily locate persons in a structure, building, or other defined perimeter. Paragraph 92: the location component 170, 370 is adapted to transmit a homing beacon signal to facilitate locating the system 100, 300, respectively, in a disastrous event, such as in the event of sensed smoke or fire and/or partial or complete collapse of a building).
For claim 18, Hogasten et al teach determining the status comprise: determining that the audio information indicates a rescue event (e.g. paragraph 84: the infrared imaging system 300 may be equipped with autonomous two-way audio so that a caregiver may remotely, bi-directionally communicate with a fallen person, if deemed necessary); and determining that a location parameter of the person prior to occurrence of the emergency incident corresponds to the rescue event (e.g. paragraph 26: private facilities to monitor and provide thermal images that may be analyzed to determine if a person needs assistance (e.g., has fallen or is in distress, has an abnormal body temperature, and/or remains in a fixed position for an extended period of time) and/or provide location information for emergency personnel to locate the individual to provide assistance (e.g., during a medical emergency or during a disaster event).);
For claim 20, Hogasten et al teach determining a quantity of trapped residents at the location and the corresponding statuses of the trapped residents (e.g. paragraph 92: in a disastrous event, such as in the event of sensed smoke or fire and/or partial or complete collapse of a building. If more than one person was present, then the approximate number of persons present may be encoded into the transmitted homing beacon signal).
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.
Claims 1-8 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hogasten et al, as applied to claims 15-18 and 20 above, and further in view of Conlan et al (US 2017/0223302).
For claim 1, Hogasten et al teach A method comprising:
detecting an emergency incident at a location (e.g. paragraph 26: private facilities to monitor and provide thermal images that may be analyzed to determine if a person needs assistance (e.g., has fallen or is in distress, has an abnormal body temperature, and/or remains in a fixed position for an extended period of time) and/or provide location information for emergency personnel to locate the individual to provide assistance (e.g., during a medical emergency or during a disaster event).);
switching, based on the emergency incident, a mode of a camera to a notification mode (e.g. paragraph 35: modules 112A-112N may be utilized by infrared imaging system 100 to perform one or more different modes of operation including a standard mode of operation, a person detection mode of operation, a fallen person mode of operation, an emergency mode of operation, and a black box mode of operation);
determining that a person is within a vicinity of the location (e.g. paragraphs 9, 24: it may be critical for search and rescue personnel to quickly and easily locate persons in a structure, building, or other defined perimeter. Paragraph 92: the location component 170, 370 is adapted to transmit a homing beacon signal to facilitate locating the system 100, 300, respectively, in a disastrous event, such as in the event of sensed smoke or fire and/or partial or complete collapse of a building);
determining, based on an audible feedback sensed by the camera, a status of the person, wherein the audible feedback is associated with the emergency incident (e.g. paragraph 84: the infrared imaging system 300 may be equipped with autonomous two-way audio so that a caregiver may remotely, bi-directionally communicate with a fallen person, if deemed necessary);
generating, by the camera in the notification mode, an output indicative of the status (e.g. figure 6. Step 660: Generate Alert. Paragraph 90: the fallen person state is set to true 654, and the method 600 is adapted to generate an alert 660 to notify a user or operator that a fallen person has been detected in the scene.).
Hogasten et al do not further disclose:
determining, based on the audible feedback or a rescue signal sensed by the camera, a presence of a rescuer, wherein the audible feedback or the rescue signal is associated with the emergency incident rescue object or event.
Conlan et al teach determining, based on the audible feedback or a rescue signal sensed by the camera, a presence of a rescuer, wherein the audible feedback or the rescue signal is associated with the emergency incident rescue object or event (e.g. paragraph 54: if an emergency is called in from the site…to allow live video and audio to stream to the police station or any monitoring station and Police can deploy live video and audio to patrol cars that are in transit to the site. The Examiner recognize since the audio is live and the live audio would indicate the presence of rescuers when they arrive at the site ). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Conlan et al into the teaching of Hogasten et al for enhance content pertaining to the critical incident (e.g. abstract, Conlan et al) to improve convenience for responding personnel.
For claim 19, Hogasten et al do not further disclose determining, based on the audio information, an existence of a rescue object, rescue event, or a first responder device. Conlan et al teach determining, based on the audio information, an existence of a rescue object, rescue event, or a first responder device (e.g. paragraph 54: if an emergency is called in from the site…to allow live video and audio to stream to the police station or any monitoring station and Police can deploy live video and audio to patrol cars that are in transit to the site. The Examiner recognize since the audio is live and the live audio would indicate the presence of rescuers when they arrive at the site ). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Conlan et al into the teaching of Hogasten et al for enhance content pertaining to the critical incident (e.g. abstract, Conlan et al) to improve convenience for responding personnel.
For claim 2, Hogasten et al teach detecting the emergency incident comprises: determining an object and associated location parameter in a field of view of the camera; and detecting a collapse of a building based on a video or audio signal captured by the camera (e.g. paragraph 10: an infrared camera system may include a processing component that is adapted to process the infrared images of the areas of the structure to detect one or more persons present in the areas of the structure, generate person detection information by detecting objects in the areas of the structure at approximately a body temperature; paragraph 92: in a disastrous event, such as in the event of sensed smoke or fire and/or partial or complete collapse of a building. ).
For claim 3, Hogasten et al teach switching the mode of the camera comprises operating the camera as a notification device configured to generate a distress signal based on an occurrence of the emergency incident(e.g. paragraph 92: “beacon signal” or figure 6, step 606, generate alert, paragraph 26: provide thermal images that may be analyzed to determine if a person needs assistance (e.g., has fallen or is in distress, has an abnormal body temperature, and/or remains in a fixed position for an extended period of time) and/or provide location information for emergency personnel to locate the individual to provide assistance (e.g., during a medical emergency or during a disaster event).).
For claim 4, Hogasten et al teach determining that the person is within the vicinity comprises determining that the person is trapped by a building collapse at the location (e.g. paragraph 92: in a disastrous event, such as in the event of sensed smoke or fire and/or partial or complete collapse of a building. If more than one person was present, then the approximate number of persons present may be encoded into the transmitted homing beacon signal).
For claim 5, Hogasten et al teach determining the status comprises indicating at least one of: a pose of the person relative to the location, a health condition of the person, whether the person is conscious, or whether the person has been subject to a rescue event (e.g. paragraph 92: in a disastrous event, such as in the event of sensed smoke or fire and/or partial or complete collapse of a building. If more than one person was present, then the approximate number of persons present may be encoded into the transmitted homing beacon signal).
For claim 6, Hogasten et al do not further disclose receiving feedback from the person or a first responder device; and generating, based on the feedback, an audio utterance. Conlan et al teach receiving feedback from the person or a first responder device; and generating, based on the feedback, an audio utterance (e.g. paragraph 54: if an emergency is called in from the site…to allow live video and audio to stream to the police station or any monitoring station and Police can deploy live video and audio to patrol cars that are in transit to the site. The Examiner recognize since the audio is live and the live audio would indicate the presence of rescuers when they arrive at the site ). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Conlan et al into the teaching of Hogasten et al for enhance content pertaining to the critical incident (e.g. abstract, Conlan et al) to improve convenience for responding personnel.
For claim 7, Hogasten et al teach determining a quantity of trapped residents at the location and the corresponding statuses of the trapped residents (e.g. paragraph 92: If more than one person was present, then the approximate number of persons present may be encoded into the transmitted homing beacon signal), wherein the audible feedback comprises at least one of: a dog barking sound, an excavator sound, a chainsaw sound, a siren (e.g. paragraph 11: a local alarm), a name of the rescuer, or a name of a survivor.
For claim 8, Hogasten et al teach the emergency incident is a disaster affecting the location comprising at least one of: a building collapse (e.g. paragraph 92: in a disastrous event, such as in the event of sensed smoke or fire and/or partial or complete collapse of a building. ), an earthquake, a tornado, a hurricane, a flood, a tsunami, or a storm.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-14 are allowed.
Hogasten et al (2016/0203694) teach see abstract, Infrared imaging systems and methods disclosed herein, in accordance with one or more embodiments, provide for an infrared camera system comprising a protective enclosure and an infrared image sensor adapted to capture and provide infrared images of areas of a structure. The infrared camera system includes a processing component adapted to receive the infrared images of the areas of the structure from the infrared image sensor, process the infrared images of the areas of the structure by generating thermal information, and store the thermal information in a memory component for analysis.
Conlan et al (US 2017/0223302) teach, see abstract, A critical incident solution includes a video capturing system includes at least one video camera located at a monitored location. The video cameras capture a video scene and generate a video feed for display of the video scene. The video scene includes images of a critical incident. A video reviewing system that includes at least one video monitor is located at a monitoring location. A communications system transmits the video feed from the video capturing system to the video reviewing system.
There’s no teaching or suggestion in the prior arts for the claimed first responder system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAQUAN ZHAO whose telephone number is (571)270-1119. The examiner can normally be reached M-Thur: 7:00 am-5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thai Tran can be reached on 571-272-7382. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Email: daquan.zhao1@uspto.gov.
Phone: (571)270-1119
/DAQUAN ZHAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2484