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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 06/11/2026 has been entered. Claims 8-10,13-14,49-52 and 54-64 are pending in the application. The Amendment filed 06/11/2026 has been entered. In view of newly discovered art the Non-Final Rejection dated 04/11/2026 is WITHDRAWN & PROSECUTION IS HEREBY REOPENED. Addressing the new issues does not unduly interfere with the preparation of a Supplemental/New Office action. This new Non-Final Rejection is to replace/supersede the prior Non-Final Rejection dated 04/11/2026.
The new Non-Final Rejection office action is set forth below.
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) 8 and 49-52 is/are under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Dey, IV et al. (US 20190219990 A1) in view of Zeiler et al. (US 20130109375 A1) in view of SUZUKI (US 20160175895 A1).
Regarding claim 8 and 49-52, Dey, IV et al. discloses a gateway device (radio transceiver and antenna 254) for parallel communication with power tool devices (102/104), the gateway device comprising: a communications interface including a first transceiver-converter pair (108/112/radio transceiver and antenna 254 of 102a) and a second transceiver-converter pair (108/112/radio transceiver and antenna 254 of 102b or 102c or other power tool such as 354a-c, fig. 6), the first transceiver-converter pair dedicated to a first frequency channel (RFID tag/unique binary identification (UBID) in the radio wave communication spectrum, table 1 [0050-0067]) and including a first transceiver coupled to a first signal converter (wireless communication controller 250), the second transceiver-converter pair dedicated to a second frequency channel and including a second transceiver coupled to a second signal converter (wireless communication controller 250); and an electronic controller (226, figs. 3 & 5) coupled to the communications interface and including a processor (230/258, figs. 3 & 5), the electronic controller configured to: establish, via the communications interface, a first communication link with a first power tool device (102/104) via the first transceiver-converter pair and a second communication link with a second power tool device (102/104)via the second transceiver-converter pair; and communicate, via the communications interface, data with the first power tool device and the second power tool device in parallel over the first communication link and the second communication link (each power tool 102a/b/c/104 has own channel/RFID/UBID and communicates with 108 and remote server 112/network 114),
wherein communication with the first power tool device occurs with the first transceiver-converter pair and the first frequency channel, and wherein communication with the second power tool device occurs with the second transceiver-converter pair and the second frequency channel, transmit or receive, via the communications interface, the data with a network using a network communication protocol that is different than a tool communication protocol used by the electronic controller to communicate with the first power tool device and the second power tool device and teaches updating any tool independently and the data includes status information, tool operation data, identification information, power tool device usage information, power tool device maintenance data, or a software update associated with the first power tool device or the second power tool device. ([0030-0067, 0149-0159], figs. 1-12 and 26-27).
Dey, IV et al. fails to explicitly disclose parallel communication, transmit or receive, via the communications interface, the data with a network using a network communication protocol that is different than a tool communication protocol used by the electronic controller to communicate with the first power tool device and the second power tool device and if argued that the transceiver-converter pairs have a frequency channel(s) -
Zeiler et al. discloses a gateway device/communications interface (615) for parallel communication with power tool devices (605) and teaches having parallel communication or broadcasting communication to all tools and a communications converter transmit or receive, via the communications interface, the data with a network using a network communication protocol that is different than a tool communication protocol used by the electronic controller to communicate with the first power tool device and the second power tool device (WLAN unit 210, translation controller 700), [0064-0078, 0129-0130, 0155], figs. 1-28) and teaches updating any tool independently [0093, 0150].
SUZUKI also teaches a communications interface including a first transceiver-converter pair (30/32, frequency changing unit 24/output changing unit 26 [0084]) and a second transceiver-converter pair (70/72, frequency changing unit 64/sensitivity changing unit 66 [0096-0097]) the first transceiver-converter pair dedicated to a first frequency channel and including a first transceiver coupled to a first signal converter, the second transceiver-converter pair dedicated to a second frequency channel and including a second transceiver coupled to a second signal converter (any of CH1 to CH78/pairing request and transmission prohibition SW36/SW74 [0084-0100], figs. 2-7); and an electronic controller (20/microprocessor (MPU) [0087]) coupled to the communications interface and including a processor, the electronic controller configured to: establish, via the communications interface, a first communication link with a first power tool device (10) via the first transceiver-converter pair and a second communication link with a second power tool device (dust collector 50 and other tools [0026]) via the second transceiver-converter pair; and
communicate, via the communications interface, data with the first power tool device and the second power tool device in parallel over the first communication link and the second communication link, wherein communication with the first power tool device occurs with the first transceiver-converter pair and the first frequency channel, and wherein communication with the second power tool device occurs with the second transceiver-converter pair and the second frequency channel (two electric power tools with different channels paring to second/another channel of dust collector wherein the first transceiver- converter pair operates separately from the second transceiver-converter pair, and wherein the second transceiver-converter pair operates separately from the first transceiver-converter pair ([0032-0043]).
Given the teachings of Dey, IV et al. to have a gateway device for communication device with a plurality of power tool devices, it 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 to modify the communication device with including a parallel communication, communications interface and the transceiver-converter pairs have a frequency channel for more precise operation of the tool, communicate with a plurality of tools more efficiently using more independent channels, more provide data/controls (obtain correct tool) for more precise action on a workpiece (avoid overshoot/damage to the workpiece and safety protocols), security, safety, communication across different devices/mediums (WAN/LAN, GPS and etc.) and/or for feedback purposes as taught by SUZUKI and Zeiler et al. and/or to have a geo-fencing communication system with multiple tools communicating independently data to a server.
Claim(s) 9-10, 13-14, and 54-64 is/are under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Dey, IV et al. (US 20190219990 A1) in view of Zeiler et al. (US 20130109375 A1) in view of SUZUKI (US 20160175895 A1) and further in view of Kuhlenbeck et al. (US 20220055169 A1).
Regarding claims 54-64, Dey, IV et al. teaches a gateway device (radio transceiver and antenna 254) for parallel communication with power tool devices (102/104) with first/second/third transceiver-converter pairs and first/second/third communication links and communicate, via the communications interface, data with the first power tool device and the second power tool device in parallel over the first communication link and the second communication link (each power tool 102a/b/c/104 has own channel/RFID/UBID and communicates with 108 and remote server 112/network 114),the data with a network using a network communication protocol that is different than a tool communication protocol used by the electronic controller to communicate with the first power tool device and the second power tool device and teaches updating any tool independently and the data includes status information, tool operation data, identification information, power tool device usage information, power tool device maintenance data, or a software update associated with the first power tool device or the second power tool device. ([0030-0067, 0149-0159], figs. 1-12 and 26-27).
Dey, IV et al. fails to teach converting the data from analog data to digital data with the signal converters of the transceiver-converter pairs.
Kuhlenbeck et al. further teaches a tool intelligent tool detection/communication system (figs. 1-17) with a gateway device (processing device 104/1604/1704 [0074-0077] having a processor 510, converter 506 figs. 1 and 5) with digital interfaces that “may be implemented by digital interface 516 include parallel interfaces” [0080] and multiplexed communication links [0129] which receives data from a plurality of tools and tool trays having tools - data hopping communication chain [0050-0052,0081-0082, 0097-0099, 0128-0129], figs 1-5 and 16-17) and Kuhlenbeck et al. also teaches a first data comprises a first location associated with the first power tool device; a second data comprises a second location associated with the second power tool device; and the electronic controller is further configured to transmit the first location and the second location to a server (distance of tool and locations of tools on the tray, data sent to server [0086,0138], claims 6 and 16) and teaches converting the data from analog data to digital data with signal converters of transceiver-converter pairs [0075].
Given the teachings of Dey, IV et al. to have a gateway device for communication device with a plurality of power tool devices, it 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 to modify the communication device with converting the data from analog data to digital data with the signal converters of the transceiver-converter pairs for more provide data/controls (obtain correct tool) for more precise action on a workpiece (avoid overshoot/damage to the workpiece and safety protocols), security, safety, communication across different devices/mediums (WAN/LAN, GPS and etc.) and/or for data feedback purposes as taught by Kuhlenbeck et al.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 8-10,13-14,49-52 and 54-64 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on all references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 6535979 B1 - radio system whose terminals can communicate with other transceivers using one or more parallel radio bearers
US 20200306927 A1 - Communication interface with sensors disposed in abrasive/tool products 1122/1330 and wearable devices 1124/1320
US 20080127711 A1- tool communication device using serial or parallel communications [0125]
Madlener et al. (US 7242319 B2) – gateway device (receiving station 7), transmission channel(s) to allow communication between a measurement probe 1 and the receiving station 7 “transmission channel of the receiving station must correspond to the receiving channel of the measurement probe” channel can be set with manual control knob 11 and receiving station 7 by manual control knob 12 and “receiving station 7 checks the transmission channels … channels are listed sorted on the basis of the interference signal levels” and see references cited, form 892.
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/ROBERT F LONG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731
Prosecution Insights