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 .
Status
This Office Action is in response to the remarks and amendments filed on 07/08/2026. Claims 1-15 remain pending for consideration on the merits.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 07/08/2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/15/2026 was filed after the mailing date of the published application on 11/22/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-15 are objected to because of the following informalities: claims 1-15 are objected to because of the following informalities: the MPEP states in part that (a) Papers that are to become a part of the permanent United States Patent and Trademark Office records in the file of a patent application, or a reexamination or supplemental examination proceeding. All papers, other than drawings, that are submitted on paper or by facsimile transmission, and are to become a part of the permanent United States Patent and Trademark Office records in the file of a patent application or reexamination or supplemental examination proceeding, must be on sheets of paper that are the same size, not permanently bound together, and: (ii) Either 21.0 cm by 29.7 cm (DIN size A4) or 21.6 cm by 27.9 cm (8 1/2 by 11 inches), with each sheet including a top margin of at least 2.0 cm (3/4 inch), a left side margin of at least 2.5 cm (1 inch), a right-side margin of at least 2.0 cm (3/4 inch), and a bottom margin of at least 2.0 cm (3/4 inch). The application papers are objected to because the claims have line numbers in the left margin and the amendments to claims 1 and 12 has track changes lines in the left margin, see MPEP 608.01. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 2-11 and 13-15 are objected based on dependency from an objected claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION. —The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1 and 12 recites is an apparatus claim (water tank) and the limitation of “a user to act to manage the water tank” is a method step of using the apparatus. A single claim which claims both an apparatus and the method steps of using the apparatus is indefinite under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) since it is unclear if infringement occurs when one creates a system that allows a user to act to manage the water tank, or whether infringement occurs when the user actually acts to manage the water tank, see MPEP 2173.05(p)(II) & Katz, 639 F.3d at 1318, 97 USPQ2d at 1749 (IPXL Holdings v. Amazon.com, Inc., 430 F.3d 1377, 1384, 77 USPQ2d 1140, 1145 (Fed. Cir. 2005). As such, claims 1 and 12 is indefinite as failing to particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the invention. For the purposes of examination, the examiner is going to treat the claim as if it read, “user is capable of managing the water tank”.
Claims 2-11 and 13-15 are rejected based on dependency from a rejected claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-2 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al (KR 20200018073 A, hereinafter Lee) in view of Kim et al (US 20160238310 A1, hereinafter Kim).
Regarding claim 1, Lee teaches an electronic apparatus (machine 100), comprising: a water tank (water tank 140) that is mountable to the electronic apparatus (as shown on figure 5); a water tank mount sensor (sensor unit, abstract) configured to output a signal indicating whether the water tank is mounted to the electronic apparatus (as described in the abstract).
Lee teaches the invention as described above but fail to teach and at least one processor configured to: identify a mounted state of the water tank based on the signal output by the water tank mount sensor, and provide a guide message including instructions for a user to act to manage the water tank, based on the identified mounted state and a duration of the mounted state.
However, Kim teaches and at least one processor (processor 300) configured to: identify a mounted state of the water tank based on the signal output by the water tank mount sensor (when the mixing container 170 is sensed, operation S314, paragraph 0231), and provide a guide message including instructions for a user to act to manage (paragraph 0194, 0199, 0200, 0204, 0207 and 0213) the water tank (provide mounting information to the user as a sound, paragraph 0229), based on the identified mounted state and a duration of the mounted state (after the mixing container 170 is installed on the mounting body 272 (YES in operation S311) and after a predetermined amount of time passes, when the mixing container 170 is sensed (operation S314) to be detached from the mounting body 272 (YES in operation S315), paragraph 0231).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the apparatus in the teachings of Lee to include and at least one processor configured to: identify a mounted state of the water tank based on the signal output by the water tank mount sensor, and provide a guide message including instructions for a user to act to manage the water tank, based on the identified mounted state and a duration of the mounted state in view of the teachings of Kim in order to yield the predictable result of providing mounting information to the user.
Further, it is understood, claim 1 includes an intended use recitation, for example “…configured to...”. The applicant is reminded that a recitation with respect to the manner which a claimed apparatus is intended to be does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the structural limitations of the claims, as is the case here. While features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, the claims are directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function.
Regarding claim 2, the combined teachings teach wherein the at least one processor (processor 300 of Kim) is configured to: based on a first duration time (detachment information, interpreted to include time, paragraph 0014 of Kim) being passed with the identified mounted state being a state that the water tank is not mounted to the electronic apparatus (when the mixing container 170 is sensed (operation S314) to be detached from the mounting body 272 (YES in operation S315), paragraph 0231 of Kim), provide a first guide message for the user for managing the water tank (as described in paragraph 0231 of Kim), and based on a second duration time (a predefined amount of time, paragraph 0233 of Kim) being passed with the identified mounted state being a state that the water tank is mounted to the electronic apparatus (when the mixing container 170 is not detached from the mounting body 272, paragraph 0233 of Kim), provide a second guide message for the user for managing the water tank (under the control of the processor 300, at least one of the display portion 41, the lighting portion 42, and the sound output portion 43 of the user interface 40 may display a warning or output a warning sound, paragraph 0233 of Kim).
Further, it is understood, claim 2 includes an intended use recitation, for example “…configured to...”. The applicant is reminded that a recitation with respect to the manner which a claimed apparatus is intended to be does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the structural limitations of the claims, as is the case here. While features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, the claims are directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function.
Regarding claim 11, the combined teachings teach further comprising: a communication interface (short-range communication, for example, Bluetooth communication, paragraph of Lee), wherein the processor (server 50 of Lee) is configured to: control the communication interface to transmit the guide message to a user terminal device (the water bottle replacement notification signal is generated, and the generated water bottle replacement notification signal to the user terminal 20 by the order server, paragraphs of Lee).
Further, it is understood, claim 11 includes an intended use recitation, for example “…configured to...”. The applicant is reminded that a recitation with respect to the manner which a claimed apparatus is intended to be does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the structural limitations of the claims, as is the case here. While features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, the claims are directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function.
Regarding claims 12-13, it is noted that although the preamble of claims 12-13 is directed towards a method, the structure of the combined teachings discloses all the structure being provided in the method steps, thus the method is also anticipated by the combined teachings. If a prior art device, in its normal and usual operation, would necessarily perform the method claimed, then the method claimed will be considered to be anticipated or rendered obvious by the prior art device. When the prior art device is the same as a device described in the specification for carrying out the claimed method, it can be assumed the device will inherently or obviously perform the claimed process. Thus, the method, as claimed, would necessarily result from the normal operation of the apparatus. See MPEP 2112.02.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee as modified by Kim, as applied to claim 1 above, and in further view of Brown et al (US 20210301985 A1, hereinafter Brown).
Regarding claim 5, the combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach wherein the processor is configured to: identify an execution state of a first function which is a function for supplying water to the water tank, and based on the execution state of the first function being changed, provide the guide message for the user for managing the water tank.
However, Brown teaches wherein the processor (controller 603) is configured to: identify an execution state of a first function (as described in paragraph 0099) which is a function for supplying water to the water tank (permeate may then be controllably passed from an output of the relays 682 to an input of the post filter 688 for subsequent use in various water appliances, or may be routed to the storage tank 690, paragraph 0099), and based on the execution state of the first function being changed (the controller 603 may send data to the controller 602 indicating that the storage tank 690 is full, paragraph 0099), provide the guide message for the user for managing the water tank (paragraph 0147 and as described in claim 14).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the apparatus in the combined teachings to include wherein the processor is configured to: identify an execution state of a first function which is a function for supplying water to the water tank, and based on the execution state of the first function being changed, provide the guide message for the user for managing the water tank in view of the teachings of Brown in order to yield the predictable result of sending data to the controller that the storage tank is full.
Further, it is understood, claim 5 includes an intended use recitation, for example “…configured to...”. The applicant is reminded that a recitation with respect to the manner which a claimed apparatus is intended to be does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the structural limitations of the claims, as is the case here. While features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, the claims are directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee as modified by Kim, as applied to claim 1 above, and in further view of Makoto et al (WO 2017061012 A1, hereinafter Makoto).
Regarding claim 10, the combined teachings teach the invention as described above but fail to teach further comprising: a display; and a speaker, wherein the processor is configured to: display the guide message through the display, and/or output the guide message in sound through the speaker.
However, Makoto teaches further comprising: a display (the notification unit 92 displays the water amount M in five stages, paragraph 0024); and a speaker (an audio speaker, paragraph 0024), wherein the processor (control unit 21) is configured to: display the guide message through the display (the notification unit 92 displays various types of information is illustrated, paragraph 0024), and/or output the guide message in sound through the speaker (the notification unit 92 may be configured to have a function of displaying various types of information and a function of notifying various types of information by voice or beep sound, paragraph 0024).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the apparatus in the combined teachings to include further comprising: a display; and a speaker, wherein the processor is configured to: display the guide message through the display, and/or output the guide message in sound through the speaker in view of the teachings of Makoto in order to yield the predictable result of having a function of displaying various types of information and a function of notifying various types of information by voice or beep sound.
Further, it is understood, claim 10 includes an intended use recitation, for example “…configured to...”. The applicant is reminded that a recitation with respect to the manner which a claimed apparatus is intended to be does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the structural limitations of the claims, as is the case here. While features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, the claims are directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4, 6-9 and 14-15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claims 3 and 14, the subject matter which is considered to distinguish from the closest prior art of record, You (EP 3406992 A1). The prior art of record when considered as a whole, alone, or in combination, neither anticipates nor renders obvious wherein the at least one processor is configured to: identify the temperature and humidity outside the electronic apparatus based on the signal output by the environment sensor, and based on at least one of the identified temperature being greater than a threshold temperature and the identified humidity being greater than a threshold humidity, change the first duration time to a third duration time being passed with the identified mounted state being a state that the water tank is not mounted, the third duration time being shorter than the first duration time". The closest prior art, You teaches refrigerator in which a detachable water tank having a simple structure, which is capable of supplying water to a dispenser and an ice maker, is provided and also provide a refrigerator in which a passage branched from a tank connection member connected to a water tank when the water tank is mounted is provided to supply water to a dispenser by a self-weight of the water and also supply water to an ice maker by a pump.
Regarding claim 6, the subject matter which is considered to distinguish from the closest prior art of record, Kim et al (US 20160238310 A1). The prior art of record when considered as a whole, alone, or in combination, neither anticipates nor renders obvious wherein the processor is configured to: based on the first function being turned-on and a first duration time being passed with the identified mounted state being a first state, provide a first guide message for the user for managing the water tank, based on the first function being turned-on and a second duration time being passed with the identified mounted state being a second state, provide a second guide message for the user for managing the water tank, and based on the first function being turned-off, provide the second guide message for the user for managing the water tank. The closest prior art, Kim teaches the processor 300 provided in the refrigerator 1 may determine that the mixing container 170 is mounted on the mounting body 272 based on the electrical signal transmitted from the sensor portion 279 and may control respective components for preparing of carbonated water in the mixing container 170. Then, purified water is supplied into the mixing container 170 and carbon dioxide is injected into the purified water, thereby preparing carbonated water.
Regarding claim 7, the subject matter which is considered to distinguish from the closest prior art of record, Kim et al (US 20160238310 A1). The prior art of record when considered as a whole, alone, or in combination, neither anticipates nor renders obvious "at least one processor is configured to: identify an execution state of a first function which is a function for supplying water from the second water tank to the first water tank, and provide a guide message for a user for managing the second water tank based on the execution state of the first function being changed". The closest prior art, Kim teaches the processor 300 provided in the refrigerator 1 may determine that the mixing container 170 is mounted on the mounting body 272 based on the electrical signal transmitted from the sensor portion 279 and may control respective components for preparing of carbonated water in the mixing container 170. Then, purified water is supplied into the mixing container 170 and carbon dioxide is injected into the purified water, thereby preparing carbonated water.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/08/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to the Applicant’s argument that “Therefore, Applicant respectfully submits that Kim does not provide instructions for managing the tank of any kind, and especially not an instruction to detach the container. As such, Applicant again respectfully submits that claims 1 and 12 patentably distinguish over the cited references in their previously submitted form”, the Examiner disagrees. For clarity, Kim teaches the display portion 41 may display mounting information which indicates that the mixing container 170 is coupled with the mounting body 272 when the mixing container 170 is coupled with the mounting body 272 which the still image or moving image described above may be arbitrarily changed by the user (paragraph 0193). Further, at least one of colors and output patterns of light to display the mounting information or the detachment information may be arbitrarily determined by the designer and may be determined or changed by the user as necessary (paragraph 0199), and the operation portion 45 may receive various types of commands for controlling the refrigerator 1 from the user and may output and transmit a predetermined electrical signal to the processor 300 according to an operation of the user (as further described in paragraphs 0207-0209). Additionally, the lighting portion 44 for the operation portion 45 may be disposed in the center of the operation portion 45 and may induce the user to operate the operation portion 45 by outputting light when the mixing container 170 is coupled with the mounting body 272 (as described in paragraph 0213). Please see 35 U.S.C. 112b rejection above. Therefore, the Applicant’s argument is not persuasive and the rejection is maintained.
In response to the Applicant’s argument that “Applicant respectfully submits that such container state information is not tantamount to providing "a guide message including instructions for a user to act to manage the water tank, based on the identified mounted state and a duration of the mounted state", as recited in claim 1 of the present application. No instructions are provided in Kim”, the Examiner disagrees. For clarity, Kim teaches the display portion 41 may display mounting information which indicates that the mixing container 170 is coupled with the mounting body 272 when the mixing container 170 is coupled with the mounting body 272 which the still image or moving image described above may be arbitrarily changed by the user (paragraph 0193). Further, at least one of colors and output patterns of light to display the mounting information or the detachment information may be arbitrarily determined by the designer and may be determined or changed by the user as necessary (paragraph 0199), and the operation portion 45 may receive various types of commands for controlling the refrigerator 1 from the user and may output and transmit a predetermined electrical signal to the processor 300 according to an operation of the user (as further described in paragraphs 0207-0209). Additionally, the lighting portion 44 for the operation portion 45 may be disposed in the center of the operation portion 45 and may induce the user to operate the operation portion 45 by outputting light when the mixing container 170 is coupled with the mounting body 272 (as described in paragraph 0213). Please see 35 U.S.C. 112b rejection above. Therefore, the Applicant’s argument is not persuasive and the rejection is maintained.
In response to the Applicant’s argument that “Applicant respectfully submits that although Kim describes this as providing "detachment to the user", this is still simply indicators that certain instances have happened. There are no type of instructions, and certainly no instructions written explicitly in alphanumeric characters, for a user to manage the water tank provided or even suggested in Kim”, the Examiner disagrees. For clarity, Kim teaches the display portion 41 may display mounting information which indicates that the mixing container 170 is coupled with the mounting body 272 when the mixing container 170 is coupled with the mounting body 272 which the still image or moving image described above may be arbitrarily changed by the user (paragraph 0193). Further, at least one of colors and output patterns of light to display the mounting information or the detachment information may be arbitrarily determined by the designer and may be determined or changed by the user as necessary (paragraph 0199), and the operation portion 45 may receive various types of commands for controlling the refrigerator 1 from the user and may output and transmit a predetermined electrical signal to the processor 300 according to an operation of the user (as further described in paragraphs 0207-0209). Additionally, the lighting portion 44 for the operation portion 45 may be disposed in the center of the operation portion 45 and may induce the user to operate the operation portion 45 by outputting light when the mixing container 170 is coupled with the mounting body 272 (as described in paragraph 0213). Please see 35 U.S.C. 112b rejection above. Therefore, the Applicant’s argument is not persuasive and the rejection is maintained.
In response to the Applicant’s argument that “Additionally, this same traversal regarding alleged "intended use" was included in the Amendment submitted on February 4, 2026. As the current Office Action did not offer any rebuttal, Applicant respectfully submits that the intended use comments in the previous and current Office Action have been properly overcome”, the Examiner disagrees. A recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. Therefore, the Applicant’s argument is not persuasive and the intended use recitation is maintained.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DARIO DELEON whose telephone number is (571)272-8687. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm.
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/DARIO ANTONIO DELEON/Examiner, Art Unit 3763
/JERRY-DARYL FLETCHER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3763
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