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 .
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 17-20 and 23-25 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.
Claim 17 recites a pulling motion. However, it is unclear what the pulling motion is and how it differs from a hanging motion. The claim does not define what this motion is. The Specification discloses in paragraph [0361] that in step S21, a pulling motion would later be defined. However, such a definition never occurs. The Specification, on the other hand, defines a hanging motion. As such, it is unclear whether the pulling motion differs from the hanging motion, and how.
Claims 18-20 are also rejected by virtue of their dependence on claim 17.
Claim 23 recites “the hanging motion disposes a preparation period or rotating the drum at a third speed lower than the second speed for a third time period between the high-speed period and the low-speed period” (emphasis added). It is unclear what the emphasized portion means.
Claims 24-25 are also rejected by virtue of their dependence on claim 23.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 10, and 21-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Claim(s) 1 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KR 20130089026 A to Altinier et al. (Altinier).
In reference to independent claim 1, Altinier discloses:
A method for controlling a laundry treating apparatus (1) including a drum (3) configured to accommodate laundry therein, a driver (9) configured to rotate the drum, a circulation flow channel (see Fig, 1) providing a space where air of the drum is circulated or moisture contained in air is condensed, and a heat exchanger (15) assembly configured to heat air flowing through the circulation flow channel, the method comprising:
an air supply step (see [0052]) of supplying heated air to the drum via the heat exchanger assembly; and
a rotation step (see [0053]) of rotating the drum during the air supply,
wherein the rotation step includes a hanging motion where a high-speed period (20) where the laundry rotates in a state of being attached to an inner wall of the drum, and a low-speed period (21) where the laundry rotates while falling from the inner wall of the drum are periodically performed (see [0056]).
In reference to independent claim 21, Altinier further discloses: the high-speed period includes rotating the drum at a first speed (V1) for a first time period (20) (see Fig. 3) and the low-speed period includes rotating the drum at a second speed (V2) lower than the first speed (V1) for a second time period (21) (see Fig. 3).
In reference to dependent claim 2, Altinier further discloses: the drum (3) is provided to rotate at least once in the high-speed period (20), wherein the drum is provided to rotate at least once in the low-speed period (21).
In reference to dependent claim 3, Altinier further discloses: a duration of the high-speed period is set to be equal to or longer than a duration of the low-speed period (see Fig. 3).
In reference to dependent claim 4, Altinier further discloses: the air supply step is divided into a preheating period (implicit; this is the period when heat air is first added to the drum atht eh start of the cycle), a constant-rate drying period (20), and a falling-rate drying period (21), wherein the constant-rate drying period is entered when a temperature of a refrigerant of the heat exchanger assembly reaches a reference value in the preheating period or when the heat exchanger assembly operates for a reference time, wherein the hanging motion is performed in the constant-rate drying period.
In reference to dependent claim 5, Altinier further discloses: the hanging motion is performed when dryness of the laundry is provided to reach a reference value in the constant-rate drying period (20) (see [0055]-[0056]).
In reference to dependent claim 6, Altinier further discloses: the rotation step further includes a tumbling motion for rotating the drum such that the laundry falls from a point lower than a high point of the drum (see [0055]-[0056]),wherein the hanging motion is performed after the tumbling motion in the constant-rate drying period (drying phase, 20) (see Fig. 3).
In reference to dependent claim 7, Altinier further discloses: the hanging motion (during the drying phase, 20) is performed when the tumbling motion is performed for a reference time (see [0054]).
In reference to dependent claim 8, Altinier further discloses: the rotation step further includes a shaking motion of changing a rotation speed of the drum (see Fig. 3 and [0059]), wherein the hanging motion is performed before the shaking motion in the constant-rate drying period.
In reference to dependent claim 10, Altinier further discloses: the hanging motion is terminated when being performed for a specific time in the constant-rate drying period (clothing is detached during the "low-speed" second rotation cycles, i.e. at the end of the “high speed” first rotation cycles; see Fig. 3 and [0055]-[0056]).
In reference to dependent claim 22, Altinier further discloses: the first time period (20) is set to be equal to or longer (see Fig. 3) than the second time period (21).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 11-16 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.
Claims 17-20 and 23-25 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ngoc T Nguyen whose telephone number is (571)272-7176. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Helena Kosanovic can be reached at (571) 272-9059. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NGOC T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3799
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