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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3-12, 25-29, and 31-34 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim(s) 31-34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
The originally filed Specification fails to describe, define, or support “wherein the spatial data of waste material comprises 3-dimensional coordinates relative to user’s body” as recited in claims 31 and 33 and “wherein the spatial location data of waste material comprises 3-dimensional coordinates relative to the cleaning element” as recited in claims 32 and 34.
Any remaining dependent claim(s) fail to comply with the written description requirement insofar as they depend on a rejected base claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, 7-9, 11-12, 25-26, 28-29, and 31-34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20160113809) in view of Tiagai (US 20150059076).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a system of automated perineal care (Abstract; ¶ 0069) comprising:
a user support element (11; Fig. 5B; ¶ 0068-0069);
a sensor (12a) positioned on the user support element (Fig. 3 and 5A-B);
a cleaning element (12d) configured to clean a perineal area of the user (¶ 0058-0059, 0069; Fig. 3 and 5A-B); and
a controller (24; Fig. 4A) configured to command operation of the cleaning element (¶ 0128).
However, Kim does not disclose a sensor configured to detect and produce spatial location data of waste material on a body of the user;
a controller configured to command operation of the cleaning element based on the spatial location data from the sensor as claimed.
Tiagai discloses an electronic automatically adjusting bidet with visual object recognition software comprising a sensor (10) configured to detect and produce spatial location data of waste material on a body of the user (¶ 0058-0069; claims 21-22, 33-34); a controller (11) configured to command operation of the cleaning element based on the spatial location data from the sensor (¶ 0058-0069; claims 21-22, 33-34). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the sensor and controller of Kim, to detect and produce spatial location data of waste material on a body of the user and command operation of the cleaning element based on the spatial location data from the sensor as claimed, as taught by Tiagai, in order to determine what portions of the user’s genitals and rectal areas are soiled by comparing multiple images of the user and send a signal for moving the fluid nozzle in three-dimensions to automatically adjust the fluid nozzle to eject fluid (¶ 0058-0069; claims 21-22, 33-34).
Regarding claim 3, the combination above and specifically Tiagai further discloses the sensor is configured to have a tunable position, orientation or field of view (¶ 0058).
Regarding claim 4, the combination above and specifically Kim further discloses the cleaning element is i) a nozzle configured to emit a liquid or gas or ii) an electro-mechanical manipulator (12d; ¶ 0058-0059; Fig. 5A-B).
Regarding claim 7, the combination above and specifically Kim further discloses the manipulator is configured to be cooperatively commanded by an operator and the controller (via 30; ¶ 0018; 0128; Fig. 4A).
Regarding claim 8, the combination above and specifically Kim further discloses the user support element is a perineal cleaning positioning structure (structure of 11, 11b; Fig. 5B; ¶ 0069) configured to provide cleaning access to the user's perineal area (¶ 0058-0059; Fig. 3 and 5A-B).
Regarding claim 9, the combination above and specifically Kim further discloses the perineal cleaning positioning structure comprises a support frame (frame of 11; see Fig. 3 and 5B) or an inflatable structure.
Regarding claim 11, the combination above and specifically Kim further discloses the sensor is configured to measure a cleanliness state (¶ 0127-0128) of the user by using a body surface measurement of the user or a waste product measurement (¶ 0127-0128), wherein the waste product measurement is collected from a waste liquid (¶ 0127-0128), a cleaning tool, or a cleaning wipe.
Regarding claim 12, the combination above and specifically Kim further discloses a second sensor (water level sensor, ¶ 0133) configured to measure a user status, a cleaning element status (Fig. 3; ¶ 0128, 0133), or an operator status.
Regarding claim 25, Kim discloses a method of automated perineal care (Abstract) comprising the steps:
positioning a user into a perineal cleaning position (¶ Fig. 5A-B; ¶ 0069); and
activating a cleaning element (12d).
However, Kim does not explicitly disclose scanning the user with one or more sensors; generating spatial location data of waste material on a body of the user based on a sensor measurement; and activating a cleaning element based on the spatial location data as claimed.
Tiagai discloses an electronic automatically adjusting bidet with visual object recognition software comprising scanning the user with one or more sensors (10, 13; ¶ 0058-0059); generating spatial location data of waste material on a body of the user based on a sensor measurement (¶ 0058-0069; claims 21-22, 33-34); and activating a cleaning element (7) based on the spatial location data (¶ 0058-0069; claims 21-22, 33-34). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the system of Kim, to scan the user with one or more sensors; generate spatial location data of waste material on a body of the user based on a sensor measurement; and activate a cleaning element based on the spatial location data as claimed, as taught by Tiagai, in order to determine what portions of the user’s genitals and rectal areas are soiled by comparing multiple images of the user and send a signal for moving the fluid nozzle in three-dimensions to automatically adjust the fluid nozzle to eject fluid (¶ 0058-0069; claims 21-22, 33-34).
Regarding claim 26, the combination above and specifically Tiagai further discloses wherein said activating a cleaning element comprises tuning the cleaning element to a position or orientation corresponding to the spatial location data of the waste material (¶ 0058-0069; claims 21-22, 33-34).
Regarding claim 28, the combination above and specifically Kim further discloses the step of performing a predetermined cleaning operation (a drying driving unit is activated and dries the pubic regions; ¶ 0128; Fig. 5B).
Regarding claim 29, the combination above and specifically Tiagai further discloses wherein said generating spatial location data comprises digital image processing (¶ 0058-0069; claims 21-22, 33-34).
Regarding claim 31, the combination above and specifically Tiagai further discloses wherein the spatial location data of waste material comprises 3-dimensional coordinates relative to the user's body (¶ 0058-0069; claims 21-22, 33-34).
Regarding claim 32, the combination above and specifically Tiagai further discloses wherein the spatial location data of waste material comprises 3-dimensional coordinates relative to the cleaning element (¶ 0058-0069; claims 21-22, 33-34).
Regarding claim 33, the combination above and specifically Tiagai further discloses wherein the spatial location data of waste material comprises 3-dimensional coordinates relative to the user's body (¶ 0058-0069; claims 21-22, 33-34).
Regarding claim 34, the combination above and specifically Tiagai further discloses wherein the spatial location data of waste material comprises 3-dimensional coordinates relative to the cleaning element (¶ 0058-0069; claims 21-22, 33-34).
Claim(s) 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20160113809) in view of Tiagai (US 20150059076) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Wang (TW M599158; machine translation provided 5/7/2024).
Regarding claim 5, the combination above discloses substantially all of the elements of the present invention as stated above in the rejection of claim 1.
However, Kim does not explicitly disclose a cleaning tool attached to the manipulator and configured to contact the user and remove waste material from a skin of the user as claimed.
Wang discloses a female perineal irrigator including a cleaning tool (62) attached to the manipulator (61; p. 28, ll. 2-23; Fig. 5) and configured to contact the user and remove waste material from a skin of the user (p. 28, ll. 2-23; Fig. 5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the automatic urine collection device of Kim, to include a cleaning tool as claimed, as taught by Wang, in order to take away residual secretions and excrement in the perineum of the female patient (p. 28, ll. 2-23).
Regarding claim 6, the combination above and specifically Wang further discloses wherein the cleaning tool is configured to be removable from the manipulator (p. 28, ll. 2-23; Fig. 5).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20160113809) in view of Tiagai (US 20150059076) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Park (US 20200030168).
Regarding claim 10, the combination above discloses substantially all of the elements of the present invention as stated above in the rejection of claim 1.
However, Kim does not explicitly disclose wherein the user support element is configured to move based on signals from the controller as claimed.
Park discloses a patient bed system including defecation device having improved piping structure wherein the user support element (110) is configured to move based on signals from the controller (600; ¶ 0108-0109; Fig. 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the automatic urine collection device of Kim, such that the user support element is configured to move based on signals from the controller as claimed, as taught by Park, since it was known in the art that a controller is provided to electronically control parts that need to be electronically controlled and to move the patient for convenience (¶ 0108-0109).
Claim(s) 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20160113809) in view of Tiagai (US 20150059076) as applied to claim 25 above, and further in view of Farahbakhsh (US 10034582).
Regarding claim 27, the combination above discloses substantially all of the elements of the present invention as stated above in the rejection of claim 25.
However, Kim does not disclose activating one or more diaper manipulators; removing a user diaper; and transferring a removed diaper to a diaper receptacle as claimed.
Farahbakhsh discloses an infant washer and diaper-changer apparatus and method including activating one or more diaper manipulators (128; Fig. 1B; col. 4, ll. 37-67);
removing a user diaper (Fig. 1B; col. 4, ll. 37-67); and
transferring a removed diaper to a diaper receptacle (126; col. 4, ll. 37-67). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the automatic urine collection device of Kim, to activate one or more diaper manipulators, remove a user diaper, and transfer a removed diaper to a diaper receptacle as claimed, as taught by Farahbakhsh, in order to carry out steps without needing the operator to interact manually with the diaper to create a more sanitary environment for the ambient area and the operator’s hands (col. 1, ll. 57-63).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM R KLOTZ whose telephone number is (571)272-0274. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 11AM-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David P Angwin can be reached at (571)270-3735. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM R KLOTZ/Examiner, Art Unit 3754
/DAVID P ANGWIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3754
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