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 Objections
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities: the phrase “a voice output unit” in line 2 should be re-written as “the voice output unit” because it’s the same voice output unit cited in claim 7. Applicant is advised to review the entire claims and make any necessary corrections to address similar issues. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KR 102446670 B1.
Regarding claim 1, ’6670 discloses
An elevator input system comprising: a call module (figs. 1, 2, items 120, 130 or 160) comprising a contactless input unit (items 120, 130 or 160) and receiving a call signal for calling an elevator car to a corresponding floor through the contactless input unit;
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a voice output unit requesting a passenger to provide destination floor-related voice information;
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a destination floor input module (item 150) comprising a voice analyzer confirming destination floor information based on the destination floor-related voice information provided by the passenger;
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a display unit (a display panel) displaying the destination floor information; and
a controller (item 170) calling the elevator car in response to the call signal and controlling operation of the voice output unit, the destination floor input module, and the display unit.
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Regarding claim 2, ’6670 discloses
, wherein: the contactless input unit comprises at least one of a foot button-based call unit, a detection area recognition-based call unit, or a camera image analysis-based call unit,
the foot button-based call unit comprises a contactless sensor and allows the passenger to input the call signal to the contactless sensor using a part of the body comprising a foot or using an object;
the detection area recognition-based call unit comprises an object detection sensor and allows the call signal to be input based on the presence of the passenger in a detection area in a corresponding elevator hall; and
the camera image analysis-based call unit comprises a camera and an image analyzer, the camera photographing the elevator hall,
the image analyzer analyzing an image acquired by the camera to determine the presence of the passenger in the elevator hall and allowing the call signal to input based on analysis results. (Bold portion has not given any patentable weight because claim 2 mentions at least one)
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Regarding claim 3, ’6670 discloses, wherein: the detection area recognition-based call unit and the camera image analysis-based call
unit determine the presence of an additional passenger (‘6670 discloses more than one passenger) in real time,
the voice output unit further requests the additional passenger to provide additional destination floor-related voice information;
the voice analyzer of the destination floor input module confirms additional destination floor information; and
the display unit displays the additional destination floor information.
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Regarding claim 4, ’6670 discloses
, wherein: the voice output module comprises a speaker and requests the passenger to provide the destination floor-related voice information through the speaker;
the destination floor input module further comprises a microphone and receives the destination floor-related voice information from the passenger through the microphone; and the display unit displays call information for the elevator car.
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Regarding claim 5, ’6670 discloses
A method of controlling an elevator input system, comprising: a contactless call input step in which an elevator car is called through a contactless input unit;
a contactless call recognition step in which a determination is made as to whether there is a call for the elevator car through the contactless input unit;
a destination floor voice information request step in which a voice output unit requests a passenger to provide destination floor-related voice information when the call for the elevator car is confirmed in the contactless call recognition step;
a destination floor voice information recognition step in which destination floor information is confirmed by analyzing the voice information provided by the passenger; and an elevator car calling and destination floor display step in which the elevator car is called to a corresponding floor based on the confirmed destination floor information and a display unit displays the destination floor information. (see claim 1 rejection for detail)
Regarding claim 6, ’6670 discloses
wherein, when the destination floor information is not confirmed in the destination floor voice information recognition step, the elevator car is called to the corresponding floor and a destination floor is input through destination floor input invocation and voice information input performed by the passenger aboard the elevator car, or the elevator car is called to the corresponding floor in response to input through a call button and the destination floor is input through destination floor input invocation and voice information input performed by the passenger aboard the elevator car (Bold portion is optional which has not given any patentable weight).
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Regarding claim 7, ’6670 discloses
(Original) A method of controlling an elevator input system, comprising: a contactless call input step in which an elevator car is called through a contactless input unit;
a contactless call recognition step in which a determination is made as to whether there is a call (floor and time) for the elevator car through the contactless input unit;
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an elevator car calling step in which the elevator car is called to a corresponding floor when the call for the elevator car is confirmed in the contactless call recognition step;
a destination floor voice information request step in which a voice output unit requests a passenger to provide destination floor-related voice information;
a destination floor voice information recognition step in which destination floor information is confirmed by analyzing the voice information; and
a destination floor display step in which a display unit displays the destination floor information (see claim 1 rejection for detail)
.
Regarding claim 8, ’6670 discloses
, wherein, when the destination floor information is not confirmed in the destination floor voice information recognition step, a destination floor is input through destination floor input invocation and voice information input performed by the passenger aboard the elevator car.
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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 (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 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.
Claims 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR 102446670 B1.
Regarding claim 9, ’6670 does not explicitly disclose “an additional destination floor input invocation step in which a voice output unit is invoked to input an additional destination floor;
an additional destination floor voice information request step in which the voice output unit requests additional destination floor-related voice information;
an additional destination floor voice information recognition step in which a voice analyzer recognizes the additional destination floor-related voice information; and
an additional destination floor display step in which additional destination floor information is displayed.” However, ‘6670 discloses all the steps (claim 7). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to perform all the additional steps as mentioned above to enter the destination floor in a contactless manner.
Regarding claim 10, ’6670 does not explicitly disclose an additional passenger confirmation step in which an additional passenger is confirmed through the contactless input unit;
an additional destination floor voice information request step in which the voice output unit requests additional destination floor-related voice information;
an additional destination floor voice information recognition step in which a voice analyzer recognizes the additional destination floor-related voice information; and an additional destination floor display step in which additional destination floor information is displayed.
However, ‘6670 discloses all the steps (claim 7). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to perform all the additional steps as mentioned above to enter the destination floor in a contactless manner.
Regarding claim 11, ’6670 does not explicitly disclose a destination floor correction invocation step in which a voice output unit is invoked to correct and input a destination floor;
a corrected destination floor voice information request step in which the voice output unit requests the passenger to provide corrected destination floor-related voice information;
a corrected destination floor voice information recognition step in which a voice analyzer recognizes the corrected destination floor-related voice information; and
a corrected destination floor display step in which corrected destination floor information is displayed. However, ‘6670 discloses all the steps (claim 7). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to perform all the correction steps as mentioned above to enter the destination floor in a contactless manner.
Regarding claim 12, ’6670 does not explicitly disclose, wherein, when the corrected destination floor information is not confirmed in the corrected destination floor voice information recognition step, the corrected destination floor voice information request step is performed. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to the above step to enter the destination floor in a contactless manner.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Takeuchi (US 8,678,142 B2) discloses a destination floor registration device.
Wang et al. (2018/0053504 A1) discloses a user location based on voice.
Kuroda (US 2012/0136668 A1) discloses an elevator control device to make a call registration using a microphone.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BICKEY DHAKAL whose telephone number is (571)272-3577. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-4:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached at 571-272-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BICKEY DHAKAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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