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 § 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by NAKAAE (US 2024/0108823).
Nakaae teaches an aerosol-generating device comprising a housing (100) shaped to define an elongated insertion space (141); a heater (121) configured to heat a stick (150) inserted into the elongated insertion space; a puff sensor (112); a memory (114) configured to store a temperature profile; and at least one processor (116) configured to: determine, based on an interval between puffs detected by the puff sensor in a first period among a plurality of periods in which the stick is heated (para. 0016-0019), a setting value for a second period among the plurality of periods, the second period being a period after the first period (para. 0017-19); and adjust power supplied to the heater in the second period based on the determined setting value, wherein the setting value comprises at least one of a target temperature of the heater (para. 0018) or a heating time period (para. 0019).
Regarding claim 2, Nakaae teaches the first period is an initial period from a point in time of a completion of preheating of the heater to a point in time of a lapse of a predetermined period of time (para. 0060).
Regarding claim 3, Nakaae teaches the at least one processor is further configured to determine the target temperature of the heater for the second period to be a temperature higher than a reference temperature corresponding to the temperature profile, based on the interval between the puffs being shorter than a predetermined interval (para. 0018).
Regarding claim 4, Nakaae teaches the at least one processor is further configured to determine the target temperature of the heater for the second period to be a temperature lower than a reference temperature corresponding to the temperature profile, based on the interval between the puffs exceeding a predetermined interval (para. 0018).
Regarding claim 5, Nakaae teaches the at least one processor is further configured to determine the heating time period for the second period to be a time period longer than a reference period of time corresponding to the temperature profile, based on the interval between the puffs being shorter than a predetermined interval (para. 0019).
Regarding claim 6, Nakaae teaches the at least one processor is further configured to determine the heating time period for the second period to be a time period shorter than a reference period of time corresponding to the temperature profile, based on the interval between the puffs exceeding a predetermined interval (para. 0019).
Regarding claim 7, Nakaae teaches the at least one processor is further configured to change a heating time period for the first period to be a time period longer than a reference period of time corresponding to the temperature profile, based on the interval between the puffs being shorter than a predetermined interval (para. 0019, 0061).
Regarding claim 8, Nakaae teaches the at least one processor is further configured to change a heating time period for the first period to be a time period shorter than a reference period of time corresponding to the temperature profile, based on the interval between the puffs being equal to or longer than a predetermined interval (para. 0019, 0061).
Regarding claim 9, Nakaae teaches the at least one processor is further configured to initialize the setting value for the second period in response to a completion of use of the stick inserted into the elongated insertion space (para. 0077, 0100).
Regarding claim 10, Nakaae teaches an aerosol-generating device comprising a housing (100) shaped to define an elongated insertion space (141); a heater (121) configured to heat a stick (150) inserted into the elongated insertion space; a puff sensor (112); a memory (114) configured to store a temperature profile; and at least one processor (116) configured to: determine, based on a number of puffs detected by the puff sensor in a first period among a plurality of periods in which the stick is heated (para. 0009), a setting value for a second period among the plurality of periods, the second period being a period after the first period (para. 00010, 0012, 0014); and adjust power supplied to the heater in the second period based on the determined setting value (para. 0009-0015), wherein the setting value comprises at least one of a target temperature of the heater (para. 0012) or a heating time period (para. 0014).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Alarcon (US 2016/0057811).
Reevell (US 2017/0238610)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CYNTHIA SZEWCZYK whose telephone number is (571)270-5130. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10 am - 6 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alison Hindenlang can be reached at 571-270-7001. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CYNTHIA SZEWCZYK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1741