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 Applicant's Arguments/Remarks
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 03/12/2026 with respect to amended claims are fully considered but are not persuasive. Explanations of how each and every claimed limitation is being met or rendered obvious are provided below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al (US 2014/0115628) in view of Kashyap et al (US 2010/0212001).
Per claim 1, Park teaches a method comprising: integrating a set of subcomponents into a television remote control for controlling a television, the set of subcomponents comprising (0027 teaches remote control for a TV that includes a control unit 101, a wireless remote control that includes a profile selector 104 and a transmitter 105 which integrates the subcomponents into a remote control used with a TV):
a first dedicated user profile button that is configured such that pressing the first dedicated user profile button triggers a first message from a transmitter of the television remote control indicating that a first specific user preference profile, from among a plurality of stored user preference profiles (Fig. 1 description teaches profile selector comprises a single profile selector or selection button and is a single user profile selection button capable of selecting one or multiple user profiles. Park further teaches when the profile selector is actuated, transmitter 105 sends user change signal 106 to the electronic device 102, and that the electronic device has plurality of user profiles that can toggle between different profiles), is activated and enables a receiving device that receives the first message from the transmitter to adjust a display in accordance with preferences of the first specific user preference profile (0028 teaches device 102 has modes/user profiles that when selected, the display is adjusted with user preferred channels, recorded programs, predicted programs, display characteristics and so forth. 0029-0031 teaches indicator 107 may be a display that can show messages like current profile and other information/suggestions); and providing the television remote control to a recipient (0055-0061 teaches a control unit including a selector for selecting one of a plurality of profiles/mode of operation is provided for the user/recipient).
Park further in paragraph 0030 teaches a second user profile. But Park does not explicitly teach wherein the set of subcomponents integrated into the television remote control further comprises a second and distinct dedicated user profile button that is configured such that pressing the second and distinct dedicated user profile button triggers a second and distinct message from the transmitter of the television remote control indicating that a second and distinct specific user preference profile, from among the plurality of stored user preference profiles, is activated and enables the receiving device that receives the second and distinct message from the transmitter to adjust the display in accordance with preferences of the second and distinct specific user preference profile.
In an analogous art, Kashyap teaches a second and distinct dedicated user profile button that is configured once pressed/selected on a TV remote control. It sends a distinct message from the transmitter to the television to upload the dedicated user’s personalized setting, see paragraph 0006-0008. Kashyap further teaches the characteristics of a user profile can included one or more of gender, age group, sound level, graphics font size, display information location and screen design, see paragraph 0049. Also, park in paragraph 0028 teaches device 102 has modes/user profiles that when selected, the display is adjusted with user preferred channels, recorded programs, predicted programs, display characteristics and so forth. 0029-0031 teaches indicator 107 may be a display that can show messages like current profile and other information/suggestions.
Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for Park to use the separate dedicated user button of Kashyap to upload user preferences. The rationale would be to provide a faster, more direct and more reliable way for a different user to recall that user’s previously stored settings without navigating through multiple menu layers, thereby improving usability, reducing input steps, and enabling more efficient multi-user operation of the controlled device.
Per claim 10, see rejection of claim 1.
Claim(s) 3-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al (US 2014/0115628) and Kashyap et al (US 2010/0212001) as applied to claim 1 and further in view of Waites (US 2014/0139750).
Per claim 3, Park does not explicitly teach the television remote control includes a simpler button set that facilitates senior living; the television remote control includes a more complex button set that provides a user with more complicated and more comprehensive functionality than the simpler button set; and the television remote control includes a switch that switches between enabling the simpler button set and the more complex button set.
In an analogous art, Waites teaches a two faces remote control for simple and complex keys (abstract). Waites further teaches the television remote control includes a simpler button set that facilitates senior living (Fig. 1 teaches a remote control with first face having a simple button side which are typical basic TV control such as power, volume, channel, etc. for users that are not tech savvy and/or senior living); the television remote control includes a more complex button set that provides a user with more complicated and more comprehensive functionality than the simpler button set (second face includes a more complex button set); and the television remote control includes a switch that switches between enabling the simpler button set and the more complex button set (0015-0018 Waites teaches button detector for two sets of buttons and an orientation detector used so that button presses on the downward orientation face are ignored, i.e., only one set of buttons is effectively enable at a time. That logic acts as a switch between enabling the first set and disabling the second set, and vice versa. Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for Park to use the switching method of Waites. The rationale would be to improve usability for different user types and groups.
Per claim 4, Park in view of Waites in rejection of claim 1 and 3 above already teaches a TV remote having simple/complex button sets and a switch mechanism to switch between the two modes. But, Park in view of Waites does not explicitly teach a physical switch that slides between the two set. However, in the art of handheld electronic devices employing sliding mechanism to hid and reveal different sets of keys such a sliders phones that reveal a keyboard and remote controls with sliding covers over advanced are well-known. Therefore, examiner is taking Official Notice that before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for Park and Waites to implement a sliding mechanism in order to switch between simple and complex sets. The modification merely substitutes one known switching mechanism for another to achieve the same functional goal of selectively enabling only one button set.
Per claim 5, Park in view of Waites teaches wherein the switch comprises a dedicated switch button that switches between the simpler button set and the more complex button set (as mentioned in rejection of claim 1 and 3, Park already has a dedicated profile selector button that switches between modes/user profiles. Waites further adds the two physical button sets on opposite faces and a logic to enable only one set based on state/orientation. Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for Park to use Waites dedicated switch, in order to enable/disable the keys that are not being used. The rationale would be to avoid unused keys being pressed.
Per claim 6, Park in view of Waites teaches wherein the simpler button set includes at least one instance of a power button that toggles between on and off and the more complex button set includes an additional instance of the power button that toggles between on and off (Fig. 1 of Waites teaches a button for power on and off).
Per claim 7, see rejection of claim 1.
Per claim 8, Park in view of Waites teaches wherein the simpler button set is included on one face of the television remote control and the more complex button set is included on an opposite face of the television remote control that is opposite of the one face (See Fig. 1 and 2 of Waites).
Per claim 9, see rejection of claim 3, wherein Waites teaches enabling and disabling between first and second set of buttons.
Claim(s) 2 and 11 and 12 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al (US 2014/0115628) and Kashyap et al (US 2010/0212001) in view of Grove (US 2016/0358454).
Per claim 2, Park does not explicitly teach a dedicated emergency contact button that is configured such that pressing the dedicated emergency contact button triggers a message from the transmitter of the television remote control commanding a receiving device to call a phone number configured as an emergency contact.
In an analogous art, Grove teaches an interactive media device that comprises a remote-control interface (abstract). Grove further teaches a dedicated emergency contact button that is configured such that pressing the dedicated emergency contact button triggers a message from the transmitter of the television remote control commanding a receiving device to call a phone number configured as an emergency contact (0042 and 0076 teaches emergency button selection on their remote controller which will summons emergency assistance). Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for Park to use the emergency button on the remote of Grove to summon emergency assistance. The rationale would be to get help as soon as possible when the user is watching television, in case their emergency pendant isn’t anywhere close by.
Per claim 11, similar to claim 1, Parkin view of Kashyap teaches a first dedicated user profile button that is configured such that pressing the first dedicated user profile button triggers a first message from a transmitter of the television remote control indicating that a first specific user preference profile, from among a plurality of stored user preference profiles, is activated and enables a receiving device that receives the first message from the transmitter to adjust a display in accordance with preferences of the first specific user preference profile; a second and distinct dedicated user profile button that is configured such that pressing the second and distinct dedicated user profile button triggers a second and distinct message from the transmitter of the television remote control indicating that a second and distinct specific user preference profile, from among the plurality of stored user preference profiles, is activated and enables the receiving device that receives the second and distinct message from the transmitter to adjust the display in accordance with preferences of the second and distinct specific user preference profile (see rejection of claim 1).
But, Park does not explicitly teach a dedicated emergency contact button that is configured such that pressing the dedicated emergency contact button triggers a message from the transmitter of the television remote control commanding a receiving device to call a phone number configured as an emergency contact.
In an analogous art, Grove teaches an interactive media device that comprises a remote-control interface (abstract). Grove further teaches a dedicated emergency contact button that is configured such that pressing the dedicated emergency contact button triggers a message from the transmitter of the television remote control commanding a receiving device to call a phone number configured as an emergency contact (0042 and 0076 teaches emergency button selection on their remote controller which will summons emergency assistance). Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for Park to use the emergency button on the remote of Grove to summon emergency assistance. The rationale would be to get help as soon as possible when the user is watching television, in case their emergency pendant isn’t anywhere close by.
Per claim 12, Park in view of Kashyap teaches wherein the set of subcomponents integrated into the television remote control for controlling a television further comprises a third and distinct dedicated user profile button that is configured such that pressing the third and distinct dedicated user profile button triggers a third and distinct message from the transmitter of the television remote control indicating that a third and distinct specific user preference profile, from among the plurality of stored user preference profiles, is activated and enables the receiving device that receives the third and distinct message from the transmitter to adjust the display in accordance with preferences of the third and distinct specific user preference profile (similar to rejection of claim 11 above, Kashyap teaches first, second and third distinct dedicated user profile button. See Kashyap paragraph 0008 and rejection of claim 11).
Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for Park to use the separate (first, second, and third) dedicated user button of Kashyap to upload user preferences. The rationale would be to provide a faster, more direct and more reliable way for a different users to recall that user’s previously stored settings without navigating through multiple menu layers, thereby improving usability, reducing input steps, and enabling more efficient multi-user operation of the controlled device.
Per claim 20, see rejection of claim 11.
Claim(s) 13-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al (US 2014/0115628) and Kashyap et al (US 2010/0212001) and Grove (US 2016/0358454) and further view of Waites (US 2014/0139750).
Per claim 13, Park does not explicitly teach the television remote control includes a simpler button set that facilitates senior living; the television remote control includes a more complex button set that provides a user with more complicated and more comprehensive functionality than the simpler button set; and the television remote control includes a switch that switches between enabling the simpler button set and the more complex button set.
In an analogous art, Waites teaches a two faces remote control for simple and complex keys (abstract). Waites further teaches the television remote control includes a simpler button set that facilitates senior living (Fig. 1 teaches a remote control with first face having a simple button side which are typical basic TV control such as power, volume, channel, etc. for users that are not tech savvy and/or senior living); the television remote control includes a more complex button set that provides a user with more complicated and more comprehensive functionality than the simpler button set (second face includes a more complex button set); and the television remote control includes a switch that switches between enabling the simpler button set and the more complex button set (0015-0018 Waites teaches button detector for two sets of buttons and an orientation detector used so that button presses on the downward orientation face are ignored, i.e., only one set of buttons is effectively enable at a time. That logic acts as a switch between enabling the first set and disabling the second set, and vice versa. Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for Park to use the switching method of Waites. The rationale would be to improve usability for different user types and groups.
Per claim 14, Park in view of Waites in rejection of claim 1 and 3 above already teaches a TV remote having simple/complex button sets and a switch mechanism to switch between the two modes. But, Park in view of Waites does not explicitly teach a physical switch that slides between the two set. However, in the art of handheld electronic devices employing sliding mechanism to hid and reveal different sets of keys such a sliders phones that reveal a keyboard and remote controls with sliding covers over advanced are well-known. Therefore, examiner is taking Official Notice that before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for Park and Waites to implement a sliding mechanism in order to switch between simple and complex sets. The modification merely substitutes one known switching mechanism for another to achieve the same functional goal of selectively enabling only one button set.
Per claim 15, Park in view of Waites teaches wherein the switch comprises a dedicated switch button that switches between the simpler button set and the more complex button set (as mentioned in rejection of claim 1 and 3, Park already has a dedicated profile selector button that switches between modes/user profiles. Waites further adds the two physical button sets on opposite faces and a logic to enable only one set based on state/orientation. Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for Park to use Waites dedicated switch, in order to enable/disable the keys that are not being used. The rationale would be to avoid unused keys being pressed.
Per claim 16, Park in view of Waites teaches wherein the simpler button set includes at least one instance of a power button that toggles between on and off and the more complex button set includes an additional instance of the power button that toggles between on and off (Fig. 1 of Waites teaches a button for power on and off).
Per claim 17, see rejection of claim 1 and 11-12.
Per claim 18, Park in view of Waites teaches wherein the simpler button set is included on one face of the television remote control and the more complex button set is included on an opposite face of the television remote control that is opposite of the one face (See Fig. 1 and 2 of Waites).
Per claim 19, see rejection of claim 3, wherein Waites teaches enabling and disabling between first and second set of buttons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Rosen (US 7028912) Fig. 20-21 simple keypad and complex keypad for senior living
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 extension fee 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 OMEED ALIZADA whose telephone number is (571)270-5907. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:30 am until 5:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Zimmerman can be reached on 571-272-3059. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/OMEED ALIZADA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686
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