DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-4, 6-17, 19-27, 29-31 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-17, 19-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bedell et al. [US 20190261599] in view of Chen et al. [US 20230259138] and Hurnley et al. [WO 2024121787A1].
As to claim 1. Bedell discloses An electronic fence system for defining any one of a fence area or a combined fence area in relation to a location of a dog, comprising:
a controller, [fig. 2, 0079] server 204, including:
a processor, [fig. 5, 0127] controller 512;
a transceiver, [fig. 5, 0127, 0155] network module 514, for communicating with a dog collar, [fig. 5, 0154] smart collar 588, and with a user terminal, [fig. 5, 0126] communicate with user devices 540, 550; and
a memory with computer instructions that, when executed by the processor, [0127, 0175], cause the controller to:
receive location information from the dog collar, [0048, 0154];
define selectable extension points along a perimeter of a defined electronic fence area, [0087, 0121] zones can be adjusted using the user’s phone; [0085] wherein the adjusting is done through the user’s phone by allowing the user to select the coordinates of the boundary, wherein selectable extension points that may be selected and moved by a user on the display to adjust one of the fence area or combined fence area, [0087] boundary can be adjusted by the user on a smart home application;
compare the location information to the defined electronic fence area defined within the memory, [0087] zones stored in the control unit server, wherein the defined electronic fence area comprises one of a fence area or a combined fence area, [0079, 0083] detect if the location of the collar intersects with a fence boundary 250;
determine whether and how to stimulate the dog based on the location of the dog in relation to the defined electronic fence area, [0081, 0083, 0089]; and
transmit parameters of the defined electronic fence area to the dog collar, [0093, 0094] the smart collar can detect the location with respect to the zones based on communication from the server;
wherein a display is configured to receive display information generated by the processor to display the defined electronic fence area and the dog's location, [0085] a map of the monitored location displayed on a display; and
wherein the controller is configured to communicate with a user terminal to exchange any one of defined electronic fence area, [0085], and the location of the dog, [0112], and stimulation information, [0154] detect location of the collar and provide alert, [0161] wherein alerting data is displayed;
the dog collar, [figs. 2, 5, 0079, 0154] smart collar 246/588 including:
a GPS receiver for receiving signals from GPS satellites to produce location information identifying the location of the dog, [0082];
a transceiver for communicating with the controller to transmit GPS coordinates to the controller, [0082], and for receiving the parameters of the defined electronic fence area from the controller, [0093, 0094];
a stimulation unit, [0081], the stimulation unit including:
a shock circuit for generating a shock, [0081];
a vibration unit for generating a vibration, [0081]; and
a speaker system for generating one of a sound or a recorded voice, [0081].
Bedell fails to disclose wherein the controller comprises a display.
Hurley teaches a system for determining variable pasture cover for monitoring the location of animals 10 using a wearable device 400 worn by each animal within a paddock, [page 10, lines 15-24]; wherein the system further comprises a system 100 with a central processor 300, that can be implemented as a server 880 [page 12, lines 3-12; page 19, lines 8-19], and a user device 200, [figure 11]; wherein the central processor 880 comprises a display, [figure 11, page 3, lines 20-22].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Bedell with that of Hurley so that the controller can be used to view system information by an administrator.
The combination of Bedell and Hurley fails to explicitly disclose wherein selectable extension points comprise icons.
Bedell, in [0085], teaches that the smart home application displays a map of the property and allow the user to draw the boundaries of the temporary fence, [0087] and can be adjusted in real time on the smart home application.
Chen teaches a smart mower 210 and a cloud server 200 that communicates with the smart mower to establish maps and generates navigation action instructions for the mower, [fig. 17C, 0129]; and an interactive map display that allows the user to adjust the boundary using the user’s finger to select and move sections of the boundary line by selecting icons of the boundary line of the virtual fence 211, [fig. 11A, 11B, 0118].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Bedell and Hurley with that of Chen so that the user can use the icons as guide to adjust the boundary.
As to claim 2. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 1 wherein the memory includes computer instructions that define logic to cause the processor to: identify a fence area having a first center point bounded by anyone of a circular shape, a rectangular shape or a triangular shape, wherein the defined electronic fence area is the fence area, [fig. 2, 0082] rectangular boundary 248; wherein every rectangle has a center.
As to claim 3. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 2 wherein the memory includes computer instructions that define logic to cause the processor to: identify a first supplemental fence area having a second center point bounded by any one of a second circular shape, a second rectangular shape or a second triangular shape, wherein the defined electronic fence area includes the first supplemental fence area, [fig. 2, 0083] temporary fence 250 within the plot boundary 248.
As to claim 4. Bedell fails to disclose The electronic fence system of claim 3 wherein the memory includes computer instructions that define logic to cause the processor to: create the combined the fence area by combining the fence area with all supplemental fence areas, wherein the defined electronic fence includes the combined fence area.
Hurley teaches a system for determining variable pasture cover for monitoring the location of animals 10 using a wearable device 400 worn by each animal within a paddock, [page 10, lines 15-24]; wherein the system further comprises a system 100 with a central processor 300, that can be implemented as a server 880 [page 12, lines 3-12; page 19, lines 8-19], and a user device 200, [figure 11]; wherein the processor 300 groups adjacent areas into a single grouped area, [figures 5-7, page 6, lines 21-23].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Bedell with that of Hurley so that the controller can save on storage space by storing metadata for the grouped area that individual areas.
As to claim 6. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 1 wherein the memory includes computer instructions define logic to cause the processor to: adjust the perimeter of the defined electronic fence area based on selection and movement of at least one selectable extension point to correspond movement of the selectable extension points on the controller display or the user terminal, [0085, 0087, 0121].
As to claim 7. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 3 wherein the memory includes computer instructions that define logic to cause the processor to: identify a second supplemental fence area having a third center point bounded by anyone of a third circular shape, a third rectangular shape or a third triangular shape, wherein the defined electronic fence area includes the second supplemental fence area, [0083, 0087] multiple safe zones included.
As to claim 8. Bedell fails to disclose The electronic fence system of claim 1 wherein the memory includes computer instructions define logic to cause the processor to: combine the fence area with all supplemental fence areas to create a combined fence area.
Hurley teaches a system for determining variable pasture cover for monitoring the location of animals 10 using a wearable device 400 worn by each animal within a paddock, [page 10, lines 15-24]; wherein the system further comprises a system 100 with a central processor 300, that can be implemented as a server 880 [page 12, lines 3-12; page 19, lines 8-19], and a user device 200, [figure 11]; wherein the processor 300 groups adjacent areas into a single grouped area, [figures 5-7, page 6, lines 21-23].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Bedell with that of Hurley so that the controller can save on storage space by storing metadata for the grouped area that individual areas.
As to claim 9. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 1 wherein the memory includes computer instructions define logic to cause the processor to:
determine that the dog collar unit has moved outside the fence area, [0083, 0122]; and
determine to stimulate the dog with one of a command, a sound, a vibration or a shock, [0083, 0122]; and
transmit a control command to the collar to prompt the collar to generate at least one of the command, the sound, the vibration or the shock, [0083, 0122].
As to claim 10. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 1 wherein the dog collar further includes a beeper coupled to communicate with the stimulation unit for generating a sound when a condition is satisfied, [0086].
As to claim 11. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of 1 wherein the display and wherein the processor, while executing instructions to create or adjust the defined electronic fence area, generates display signals for generating a corresponding image on the display, [0085].
Bedell fails to disclose wherein the display is disposed on and a part of the controller.
Hurley teaches a system for determining variable pasture cover for monitoring the location of animals 10 using a wearable device 400 worn by each animal within a paddock, [page 10, lines 15-24]; wherein the system further comprises a system 100 with a central processor 300, that can be implemented as a server 880 [page 12, lines 3-12; page 19, lines 8-19], and a user device 200, [figure 11]; wherein the central processor 880 comprises a display, [figure 11, page 3, lines 20-22].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Bedell with that of Hurley so that the controller can be used to view system information by an administrator.
As to claim 12. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of 1 wherein the user terminal includes processor and memory with instructions which, when executed by the user terminal processor configures the user terminal to create or adjust the defined electronic fence area based on an identified location, [0085] adjust the fence boundary on the smart application on the user device, [0163, 0164] the user device is a smart phone comprises a processor and a memory to store the smart home application.
As to claim 13. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 1 wherein the identified location is a location of one of the dog collar or the controller at a time a user selects a designate option, [0048].
As to claim 14. Bedell discloses An electronic fence system for defining any one of a fence area or a combined fence area in relation to a location of a dog, comprising:
a controller, [fig. 2, 0079] server 204. including:
a processor, [fig. 5, 0127] controller 512;
a transceiver, [fig. 5, 0127, 0155] network module 514;
a memory with computer instructions that, when executed by the processor, [0127, 0175], cause the controller to:
receive location information from a dog collar, [0048, 0154];
transmit the location information to the user terminal, [0012, 0048, 0154] smart collar communicates location data to the server, [0159] the server communicates sensor data to the user device 540;
receive from the user terminal and store any one of a fence area or a combined fence area, [0085];
transmit any one of the fence area or the combined fence area to the dog collar, [0093, 0094] the smart collar can detect the location with respect to the zones based on communication from the server; and
determine whether to stimulate the dog either by commanding the stimulation unit to stimulate the dog based on the location information in relation to the electronic fence area or combined fence area defined within the memory, [0081, 0083, 0089];
a user terminal, [figs. 2, 5, 0085, 0163] user terminal 234/540, including;
a second processor, [0163] user terminal is a smart phone with a smart home application, that requires a processor toe execute the functions of the application, and a memory to store the application;
a second memory with computer instructions that, [0163] user terminal is a smart phone with a smart home application, that requires a processor toe execute the functions of the application, and a memory to store the application, when executed by the processor, cause the user terminal to define selectable extension points along a perimeter of either the fence area or the combined fence area, [0087, 0121] zones can be adjusted using the user’s phone; [0085] wherein the adjusting is done through the user’s phone by allowing the user to select the coordinates of the boundary, wherein selectable extension points that may be selected and moved by a user on the display to adjust one of the fence area or combined fence area, [0087] boundary can be adjusted by the user on a smart home application.
Bedell fails to disclose wherein the controller comprises a display.
Hurley teaches a system for determining variable pasture cover for monitoring the location of animals 10 using a wearable device 400 worn by each animal within a paddock, [page 10, lines 15-24]; wherein the system further comprises a system 100 with a central processor 300, that can be implemented as a server 880 [page 12, lines 3-12; page 19, lines 8-19], and a user device 200, [figure 11]; wherein the central processor 880 comprises a display, [figure 11, page 3, lines 20-22].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Bedell with that of Hurley so that the controller can be used to view system information by an administrator.
The combination of Bedell and Hurley fails to explicitly disclose wherein selectable extension points comprise icons.
Bedell, in [0085], teaches that the smart home application displays a map of the property and allow the user to draw the boundaries of the temporary fence, [0087] and can be adjusted in real time on the smart home application.
Chen teaches a smart mower 210 and a cloud server 200 that communicates with the smart mower to establish maps and generates navigation action instructions for the mower, [fig. 17C, 0129]; and an interactive map display that allows the user to adjust the boundary using the user’s finger to select and move sections of the boundary line by selecting icons of the boundary line of the virtual fence 211, [fig. 11A, 11B, 0118].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Bedell and Hurley with that of Chen so that the user can use the icons as guide to adjust the boundary.
As to claim 15. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 14 wherein the second memory includes computer instructions that define logic that, when executed by the second processor, cause the user terminal to, [0163, 0164] all smart phones comprise a processor and a memory: identify the fence area having a first center point bounded by anyone of a circular shape, a rectangular shape, a triangular shape or any other defined geometric shape, [fig. 2, 0082] rectangular boundary 248; wherein every rectangle has a center, [0085] a map of the monitored location displayed on a display.
As to claim 16. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 15 wherein the second memory includes computer instructions that when executed by the second processor, cause the user terminal to: identify a first supplemental fence area having a second center point bounded by any one of a second circular shape, a second rectangular shape, a second triangular shape or any other second defined geometric shape, [fig. 2, 0083] temporary fence 250 within the plot boundary 248.
As to claim 17. Bedell fails to disclose The electronic fence system of claim 16 wherein the second memory includes computer instructions that when executed by the second processor, cause the user terminal to: create a combined the fence area by combining the fence area with all supplemental fence areas.
Hurley teaches a system for determining variable pasture cover for monitoring the location of animals 10 using a wearable device 400 worn by each animal within a paddock, [page 10, lines 15-24]; wherein the system further comprises a system 100 with a central processor 300, that can be implemented as a server 880 [page 12, lines 3-12; page 19, lines 8-19], and a user device 200, [figure 11]; wherein the processor 300 groups adjacent areas into a single grouped area, [figures 5-7, page 6, lines 21-23]; wherein the cover values of an area can be determined by the user device, [page 13, lines 16-18].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Bedell with that of Hurley so that the controller can save on storage space by storing metadata for the grouped area that individual areas.
As to claim 19. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 17 wherein the second memory includes computer instructions that when executed by the second processor, cause the user terminal to: identify a second supplemental fence area having a third center point bounded by anyone of a third circular shape, a third rectangular shape, a third triangular shape or any other third defined geometric shape, [0083, 0087] multiple safe zones included.
As to claim 20. Bedell fails to disclose The electronic fence system of claim 19 wherein the second memory includes computer instructions that when executed by the second processor, cause the user terminal to: combine the fence area with all supplemental fence areas to create a combined fence area.
Hurley teaches a system for determining variable pasture cover for monitoring the location of animals 10 using a wearable device 400 worn by each animal within a paddock, [page 10, lines 15-24]; wherein the system further comprises a system 100 with a central processor 300, that can be implemented as a server 880 [page 12, lines 3-12; page 19, lines 8-19], and a user device 200, [figure 11]; wherein the processor 300 groups adjacent areas into a single grouped area, [figures 5-7, page 6, lines 21-23]; wherein the cover values of an area can be determined by the user device, [page 13, lines 16-18].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Bedell with that of Hurley so that the controller can save on storage space by storing metadata for the grouped area that individual areas.
As to claim 21. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 20 wherein user terminal includes computer instructions that when executed by the second processor cause the user terminal to generate any one of the fence area or the combined fence area, [0085].
As to claim 22. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 20 wherein user terminal includes computer instructions that when executed by the second processor cause the user terminal to identify selection and movement of a selection point and to adjust a shape of the fence area or combined fence area, [0085].
As to claim 23. Bedell discloses The electronic fence system of claim 20 wherein user terminal includes computer instructions that when executed by the second processor cause the user terminal to identify selection the fence area and at least one supplemental fence area, [0085].
Bedell fails to disclose wherein the user termina further is configured to combine the fence area and the at least one supplemental fence area to create the combined fence area.
Hurley teaches a system for determining variable pasture cover for monitoring the location of animals 10 using a wearable device 400 worn by each animal within a paddock, [page 10, lines 15-24]; wherein the system further comprises a system 100 with a central processor 300, that can be implemented as a server 880 [page 12, lines 3-12; page 19, lines 8-19], and a user device 200, [figure 11]; wherein the processor 300 groups adjacent areas into a single grouped area, [figures 5-7, page 6, lines 21-23]; wherein the cover values of an area can be determined by the user device, [page 13, lines 16-18].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Bedell with that of Hurley so that the controller can save on storage space by storing metadata for the grouped area that individual areas.
As to claim 24. Bedell disclose The electronic fence system of claim 15 wherein the second memory includes computer instructions that when executed by the second processor, cause the user terminal to: adjust the combined fence area based on the selection and movement of at least one selectable extension point to correspond movement of the selectable extension points on the controller display or the user terminal display, [0085].
Claim(s) 25, 26, 29-31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bedell in view of Chen.
As to claim 25. Bedell discloses A method for defining any one of a fence area or a combined fence area in relation to a location of a dog, the method comprising: receiving location information from a dog collar, [0048, 0154]; and defining a fence area having a first center point bounded by any one of a circular shape, a rectangular shape or a triangular shape, [fig. 2, 0082] rectangular boundary 248; wherein every rectangle has a center; and receiving a selection of selectable extension points along a perimeter of the defined fence area, [0087, 0121] zones can be adjusted using the user’s phone; [0085] wherein the adjusting is done through the user’s phone by allowing the user to select the coordinates of the boundary, wherein selectable extension points that may be selected and moved by a user on the display to adjust one of the fence area or combined fence area, [0087] boundary can be adjusted by the user on a smart home application.
Bedell fails to explicitly disclose wherein selectable extension points comprise icons.
Bedell, in [0085], teaches that the smart home application displays a map of the property and allow the user to draw the boundaries of the temporary fence, [0087] and can be adjusted in real time on the smart home application.
Chen teaches a smart mower 210 and a cloud server 200 that communicates with the smart mower to establish maps and generates navigation action instructions for the mower, [fig. 17C, 0129]; and an interactive map display that allows the user to adjust the boundary using the user’s finger to select and move sections of the boundary line by selecting icons of the boundary line of the virtual fence 211, [fig. 11A, 11B, 0118].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Bedell with that of Chen so that the user can use the icons as guide to adjust the boundary.
As to claim 26. Bedell discloses The method of claim 25 further including defining a first supplemental fence area having a second center point bounded by any one of a second circular shape, a second rectangular shape or a second triangular shape, [fig. 2, 0083] temporary fence 250 within the plot boundary 248.
As to claim 29 is rejected using the same prior arts and reasoning as to that of claim 6.
As to claim 30. Bedell discloses The method of claim 29 wherein the method is performed by a controller, [0127, 0175].
As to claim 31. Bedell discloses The method of claim 30 where the method is performed by a user terminal, [0006] the method is performed by one or more computers of the monitoring system, [fig. 5, 0140] wherein the monitoring system 500 includes user devices 540, 550, [0165] implemented as a computer.
Claim(s) 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bedell in view of Chen and Hurnley.
As to claim 4. The combination of Bedell and Chen fails to disclose The electronic fence system of claim 3 wherein the memory includes computer instructions that define logic to cause the processor to: create the combined the fence area by combining the fence area with all supplemental fence areas, wherein the defined electronic fence includes the combined fence area.
Hurley teaches a system for determining variable pasture cover for monitoring the location of animals 10 using a wearable device 400 worn by each animal within a paddock, [page 10, lines 15-24]; wherein the system further comprises a system 100 with a central processor 300, that can be implemented as a server 880 [page 12, lines 3-12; page 19, lines 8-19], and a user device 200, [figure 11]; wherein the processor 300 groups adjacent areas into a single grouped area, [figures 5-7, page 6, lines 21-23].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Bedell and Chen with that of Hurley so that the controller can save on storage space by storing metadata for the grouped area that individual areas.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 14, 25 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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/Benyam Haile/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688
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