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 Group I in the reply filed on 06/03/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 17-18, 21-23, 30-32 and 50 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 06/03/2025.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5-6 and 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jacobs et al (10,973,343). Jacobs et al. shows the use of cinema chair control system (100), comprising: a plurality of near-end controllers (270a, 800), which are configured on cinema chairs (210b,800b,1200a), wherein each of the plurality of near-end controllers is configured with a communication module (800) and a drive module (1490e), communication modules of the plurality of near-end controllers are capable of communicating with each other, and the drive module is configured to receive a control instruction sent from the communication module to control a respective cinema chair; a gateway (175), wherein the gateway is in a communication connection with the communication module and is connected to the Ethernet (inherently see col. 10 lines 54-60); and a first remote control apparatus (900), which is configured to send the control instruction to at least one of the plurality of near-end controllers through the gateway. Regarding claim 2, Jacobs et al. discloses the first remote control apparatus comprises a computer, mobile phone or tablet and can be configured with a client such that the client receives control instruction through an interface (see col. 35 lines 12-24). Regarding claim 5, Jacobs et al. teaches the use of a second remote control apparatus (1305a) that is communication connection with communication modules of a plurality of the near end controllers to send control instructions. Regarding claims 13-14 Jacobs et al. teaches that each of the plurality of near-end controllers comprises a call button (col. 43, lines 44-45) and that the drive module may comprise a cushion inductive sensor (via the motion sensor and/or occupancy sensor see col. 13 lines 12-13) to induce pressure to generate an induction signal to the first remote control apparatus through the gateway. Regarding claim 15, the cinema chairs comprise a near-end controller (700a-d) of the plurality of near-end controllers, a wire control switch (see col 28 lines 62), a drive motor (760a, col. 28 line 62) a peripheral device and human body detection device (col. 13 lines 1-13).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY D BARFIELD whose telephone number is (571)272-6852. 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. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANTHONY D BARFIELD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636
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August 26, 2026
