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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I (claims 19-28 drawn to a device) and Species A (device 100 in at least Fig. 1) in the reply filed on 1/15/2026 is acknowledged. Examiner notes device 100 is illustrated in Figs. 1, 4 and 5.
Claims 29-36 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to non-elected Invention II, a method, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Claims 23 and 26-28 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a non-elected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Specifically, claim 23 is drawn to non-elected Species B or C, devices 101, Fig. 2 or 102, Fig. 3; and claim 28 is drawn to non-elected Species C, device 102. Claims 26-27 are withdrawn as they depend from claim 23.
Claims 19-22 and 24-25 are examined here within.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 19-22 and 24-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lafleche et al. (US 11,413,202 B2), hereinafter Lafleche.
Regarding claim 19, Lafleche discloses a device (patient support, col. 3, ln. 8-28: a patient support is provided that includes a cover, first and second sections, a depth sensor, an air pressure sensor, an angle sensor, and a controller. The first section includes a first inflatable bladder positioned inside of the cover in a region of the mattress adapted to support a patient's back. The second section includes a second inflatable bladder positioned inside of the cover in a region of the mattress adapted to support a patient's sacral region. The depth sensor generates depth signals indicative of how deeply a patient positioned on said patient support sinks into the second inflatable bladder. The air pressure sensor generates air pressure signals indicative of a level of air pressure inside of the second inflatable bladder. The angle sensor generates angular measurement signals indicative of an angular orientation of the first section with respect to the second section, and the controller determines a suitable inflation level of the second bladder based upon the depth signals and the air pressure signals. The controller also automatically re-determines the suitable inflation level if the angular signals change by more than a threshold amount) comprising:
a seat element (second section to support a sacral region, i.e., pelvis) and a back element (first section) connected to the seat element in a tiltable way (Examiner notes the first/back section and second/seat sections are connected in a tiltable way as is evidenced by the angle sensor generates angular measurement signals indicative of an angular orientation of the first section with respect to the second section), for accommodating a sitting or lying person and (as depicted in Fig. 11), and
for adapting a contour of the back element to a posture of the person (as is evidenced by the positioned bladders: The first section includes a first inflatable bladder positioned inside of the cover in a region of the mattress adapted to support a patient's back. The second section includes a second inflatable bladder positioned inside of the cover in a region of the mattress adapted to support a patient's sacral region),
a control unit (a controller, specifically control system 114, Fig. 7 with at least control algorithm 134, Fig. 8),
wherein the seat element includes at least one bearing pressure sensor connected to the control unit for measuring an actual bearing pressure distribution exerted by the person (air pressure sensor and/or depth sensor),
wherein the back element includes at least one first actuating element connected to the control unit for changing the contour of the back element (as is evidenced by the first inflatable bladder; see also 130, 132 in Fig. 7), and
wherein the control unit is programmed: to select a predetermined posture and at least one characteristic target posture parameter matching the predetermined posture (via a triggering event, step 134 ),
to calculate an actual posture parameter from the actual bearing pressure distribution measured by the bearing pressure sensor and to compare the actual posture parameter with the target posture parameter (via at least analyzing calculated derivatives for threshold criteria, step 148), and
if the actual posture parameter matches the target posture parameter, to actuate the first actuating element in such a way as to adapt the contour of the back element to the posture of the person (re-inflation step 156); (Examiner notes the control unit disclosed by Lafleche is programmable to perform the intended steps as is evidenced by at least Figs. 7-10).
Regarding claim 20, Lafleche discloses the device according to claim 19, wherein the at least one target posture parameter is a pelvic rotation angle about the transverse, sagittal and/or longitudinal axis (Examiner notes at least the first section and the second section are movable with respect to each other; each section includes pressure sensors and bladders configured to reconfigure the respective surfaces which naturally affect rotation angle about the transverse, sagittal and/or longitudinal axis, each of which alter pelvic positioning of a user, i.e., an angular orientation of the first section with respect to the second section).
Regarding claim 21, Lafleche discloses the device according to claim 19, wherein the control unit is further programmed to issue instructions for the person to adopt the predetermined posture (Examiner notes instructions are issues to the user via patient interface pressure in a tactile manner, in particular in the form of increasing or decreasing pressure).
Regarding claim 22, Lafleche discloses the device according to claim 19, further comprising a seat angle sensor connected to the control unit (as cited in claim 1; the seat angle sensors are clearly connected to the control unit 114, see col. 18, ln. 45 for example),
wherein the seat angle sensor is configured for measuring the seat angle between the seat element and the back element (as cite in claim 1) and wherein the control unit is further programmed to select the predetermined posture depending on the seat angle (col. 23, ln. 31: the angle sensor measures the angle of the one or more portions of the patient support, and the controller automatically re-determines the suitable inflation level based on the angle sensor).
Regarding claim 24, Lafleche discloses the device according to claim 19, wherein the at least one bearing pressure sensor is a surface sensor (94, Fig. 5), with at least one bearing pressure sensor being arranged in the area of the seating surface of the seat element (a plurality of depth sensor plates 94 positioned generally laterally across seat zone 58 of patient support 20).
Regarding claim 25, Lafleche discloses the device according to claim 24, wherein the control unit is programmed to run an iterative algorithm that maps a Mandelbrot set in order to limit the measuring range for the actual bearing pressure distribution on the bearing pressure sensor (Examiner notes the controller uses algorithm 134, a feedback algorithm, to repetitively determine a pressure target by processing a range of sensor readings to determine a controlled point or range, i.e., limits a measurement range algorithmically, Fig. 8).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Gross (US 5,170,364) teaches a load bearing device 10 the form of a rectangular solid, but this geometry is intended to be illustrative only and the load bearing device 10 is intended to represent a seat, such as a vehicle or office seat, or a bed, for example. The load bearing device 10 includes a load bearing upper surface 12 which supports a load in the form of all or part of a human being.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHANNA DANIELLE GLOVER whose telephone number is (571)272-8861. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:00 -4:30, see teams for updates.
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/Shanna Danielle Glover/Examiner, Art Unit 3642