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 Amendments
The Examiner acknowledges the amendments. The previous rejections are withdrawn. New rejections are set forth herein.
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.
Claims 1-2 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suvarna (US 2019/0029486) in view of Toshio (JP 2003038163A).
Regarding claim 1, Suvarna discloses a cleaner comprising:
a suction part Item 752);
a suction device (704) which generates airflow such that dust is suctioned through the suction part;
a detection device (Item 712) configured to emit a light having a first wavelength at the airflow to irradiate the suctioned dust and thereby cause light to be reflected by the irradiated dust, and detect the light reflected by the irradiated dust (Item 802 and 804); and
at least one processor configured to:
control the suction device,
control the detection device to emit the light of the first wavelength during an operation of the suction device,
detect whether allergen substances exist in the suctioned dust based on the second wavelength of the light that is detected by the detection device (Paragraph 7-8, 40 and 45), and
with existence of the allergen substances detected, identify an amount of the detected allergen substances based on a strength of the light detected by the detection device, identify a concentration level of the detected allergen substances corresponding to the identified amount of the allergen substances, and with the identified concentration level greater than a threshold, control the suction device to increase a suction strength of the airflow, and with the identified concentration level less than the threshold, control the suction device to not increase the suction strength of the airflow (Paragraphs 51, 61, and 66-69).
Without arguing inherency (please look up Fresnel equation) Suvarna fails to explicitly disclose emit a light having a first wavelength at the airflow to irradiate the suctioned dust and thereby cause light having a second wavelength to be emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust, and detect the light having the second wavelength that is emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust.
Toshio teaches a detection device configured to emit a light having a first wavelength at the airflow to irradiate the suctioned dust and thereby cause light having a second wavelength to be emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust, and detect the light having the second wavelength that is emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust (Paragraphs 19-20). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the findings of Toshio in the controller of Suvarna. Such a modification would allow for the cleaner to estimate if the dust being suctioned by the cleaner has any microorganisms without needing to do tests with swabs and microscopes (Toshio Paragraphs 1-7).
Regarding claim 2, Suvarna in view of Toshio disclose the cleaner of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: control the suction device to adjust a suction strength of the airflow in correspondence with the identified concentration level (Suvarna Paragraphs 66-69).
Regarding claim 9, Suvarna discloses a controlling method of a cleaner, the method comprising:
controlling a suction device (Item 704) to generate an airflow to suction dust;
emitting light (Item 712) having at the airflow to irradiate the suctioned dust and thereby cause light to be emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust; and
collecting the light that is emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust
detecting whether allergen substances exist in the suctioned dust (Paragraph 7-8, 40 and 45),, and
with existence of the allergen substances detected, identifying an amount of the detected allergen substances based on a strength of the light detected by the detection device ,
identifying a concentration level of the detected allergen substances corresponding to the identified amount of the allergen substances, and with the identified concentration level greater than a threshold, controlling the suction device to increase a suction strength of the airflow, and with the identified concentration level less than the threshold, controlling the suction device to not increase the suction strength of the airflow (Paragraphs 51, 61, and 66-69).
Suvarna fails to explicitly disclose emit a light having a first wavelength at the airflow to irradiate the suctioned dust and thereby cause light having a second wavelength to be emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust, and detect the light having the second wavelength that is emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust.
Toshio teaches a detection device configured to emit a light having a first wavelength at the airflow to irradiate the suctioned dust and thereby cause light having a second wavelength to be emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust, and detect the light having the second wavelength that is emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust (Paragraphs 19-20). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the findings of Toshio in the controller of Suvarna. Such a modification would allow for the cleaner to estimate if the dust being suctioned by the cleaner has any microorganisms without needing to do tests with swabs and microscopes (Toshio Paragraphs 1-7).
Regarding claim 10, Suvarna in view of Toshio disclose the controlling method of claim 9, comprising: controlling the suction device to adjust the suction strength of the airflow in.
Claims 3 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suvarna (US 2019/0029486) in view of Toshio (JP 2003038163A) in view of Kenji (JP 2011193897A).
Regarding claim 3, Suvarna in view of Toshio disclose the cleaner of claim 2, an output interface including a plurality of light emitting elements (Paragraph 101).
Suvarna fails to explicitly disclose wherein the at least one processor is configured to: control the plurality of light emitting elements such that a light of a color corresponding to the identified concentration level is emitted.
Kenji teaches a cleaner wherein the at least one processor is configured to: control the plurality of light emitting elements such that a light of a color corresponding to the identified concentration level is emitted (Paragraphs 45-46). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to simply substitute the output interface of Suvarna for the colored LED display as taught by Kenji. Such a modification would lead to the predictable result of the user understanding the approximate level of dust in an area.
Regarding claim 11, Suvarna in view of Toshio disclose the controlling method of claim 10.
Suvarna fails to explicitly disclose controlling a plurality of light emitting elements such that a light of a color corresponding to the identified concentration level is emitted.
Kenji further teaches controlling a plurality of light emitting elements such that a light of a color corresponding to the identified concentration level is emitted (Paragraphs 45-46). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to simply substitute the output interface of Suvarna for the colored LED display as taught by Kenji. Such a modification would lead to the predictable result of the user understanding the approximate level of dust in an area.
Claims 4 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suvarna (US 2019/0029486) in view of Toshio (JP 2003038163A) in view of in view of Afrouzi (US 2019/0204851).
Regarding claim 4, Suvarna in view of Toshio disclose the cleaner of claim 2, wherein the cleaner further includes: a communication interface Suvarna Paragraph 90); and a memory storing map data corresponding to a space wherein the cleaner is located (Paragraph 59-63), and the at least one processor is further configured to: identify the amount of the allergen substances for a plurality of areas of the space based on the strength of the light detected by the detection device in the plurality of areas (Suvarna Paragraph 56 and 66-69), , periodically update the stored map data based on the identified amount of the allergen substances, and transmit the updated map data to a user terminal device through the communication interface (Paragraph 58-72 and 89-93, discusses how data can be collected, stored, and transmitted back and forth to a user and the data can be a map. Suvarna does not disclose displaying the allergen information on the user interface in a map form).
Suvarna fails to explicitly disclose display information on the identified amount of the allergen substances corresponding to each area of the plurality of areas on the map data and store the map data in the memory.
Afrouzi teaches a cleaner and a user interface to display information on the identified amount of the allergen substances corresponding to each area of the plurality of areas on the map data and store the map data in the memory (Paragraphs 34-37). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Suvarna such that the information gathered by the cleaner could be transmitted to a user’s mobile device as taught by Afrouzi. Such a modification would allow a user to be able to clearly communicate with the cleaner of where and how to clean.
Regarding claim 12, Suvarna in view of Toshio disclose the controlling method of claim 10, further comprising: identifying the amount of the allergen substances
Suvarna fails to explicitly disclose display information on the amount of the allergen substances corresponding to each area on the map data and store it in the memory.
Afrouzi teaches a cleaner and a user interface to display information on the amount of the allergen substances corresponding to each area on the map data and store it in the memory (Paragraphs 34-37). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Suvarna such that the information gathered by the cleaner could be transmitted to a user’s mobile device as taught by Afrouzi. Such a modification would allow a user to be able to clearly communicate with the cleaner of where and how to clean.
Claims 5 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suvarna (US 2019/0029486) in view of Toshio (JP 2003038163A) in view of in view of Xing (US 2019/0032932).
Regarding claims 5 and 13, Suvarna in view of Toshio disclose the cleaner of claim 2, further comprising: a collection part configured to collect the suctioned dust, the collection part including at least one heating coil, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: based on the identified amount of the allergen substances being greater than or equal to the threshold, power the at least one heating coil such that the allergen substances are inactivated.
Xing teaches a cleaner wherein a collection part (Item 112 is a filter and Item 113 is just before) collecting the suctioned dust which includes at least one heating coil, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: based on the amount of the allergen substances being greater than or equal to a predetermined value, provide power to the at least one heating coil such that the allergen substances are inactivated (Paragraph 49). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Suvarna to include the heater of Xing. Such a modification would help the cleaner get rid of air born gases/particles from new paint, construction materials or new furniture (Xing paragraphs 49).
Claims 6 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suvarna (US 2019/0029486) in view of Toshio (JP 2003038163A) in view of) in view of Nagura (JP 2017067696).
Regarding claims 6 and 14, Suvarna in view of Toshio disclose the cleaner of claim 1.
Suvarna fails to explicitly disclose wherein the predetermined wavelength is from 350 nm to 405 nm, and the at least one processor is configured to: based on the wavelength of the reflected light being from 220 nm to 500 nm, identify that the allergen substances exist.
Nagura taches an allergen detection system wherein the predetermined wavelength is from 350 nm to 405 nm, and the at least one processor is configured to: based on the wavelength of the reflected light being from 220 nm to 500 nm, identify that the allergen substances exist (Paragraph 25). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the wavelength of light being used to determine the size of particle trying to be detected. Such a modification would allow allergens such as cedar pollen which can help lead to causing asthma (Nagura Paragraph 18).
Claims 7, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suvarna (US 2019/0029486) in view of Toshio (JP 2003038163A) in view of) in view of So (KR 20170086810).
Regarding claim 7 and 15, Suvarna in view of Toshio disclose the cleaner of claim 1. Suvarna fails to explicitly disclose the limitations of claim 7.
So teaches a cleaner wherein the detection device includes: a chamber into which the suctioned dust is introduced and which includes a reflector (Paragraph 14); a light entrance into which the emitted light having the first wavelength enters (For Item 141); a chamber body (Item 110) including a first light outlet and a second light through which the light emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust travels out of the chamber body (for Item 142; Paragraph 58); a light emitting part that emits the light having the first wavelength into the light entrance (item 142), and blocks ambient lights from being introduced into the light entrance (covers the hole); and a light receiving part (Item 142) that receives radiant light that is separated from the light emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust into a first path from the first light outlet and receives light that is separated from the radiant lighinto the radiant light from a second path and detects the light that is emitted and/or reflected by the irradiated dust. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to simply substitute the sensor of Suvarna to be the sensor as taught by So. So further teaches “since the area that the dust detection sensor (140) can detect on the cross-section of the dust suction passage (60) is widened by two light-receiving elements arranged symmetrically around the light-emitting element, the detection performance of the dust detection sensor (140) can be increased” (Paragraph 58).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suvarna (US 2019/0029486) in view of Toshio (JP 2003038163A) in view of Bertram (US 2008/0230446)
Regarding claim 8, Suvarna in view of Toshio in view of So disclose the cleaner of claim 7, wherein the suction part comprises includes: a suction pipe through which the suctioned dust travels along a suction flow path, and the suction pipe includes: a filter (Suvarna Item 758) on one end, the filter including a first hole corresponding to a center area of the suction flow path, and suctioned dust that is filtered through the filter is introduced to the chamber.
Suvarna fails to explicitly disclose the filter being before the flow path of the chamber.
Bertram teaches a cleaner with a dust sensor (Item 41) in the suction pipe (Figure 4) and in the dust containing chamber (Figure 5). As combined, this would be post filter as disclosed by Suvarna. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Suvarna to change the location of the dust sensor (or add a second sensor) to be after the filter as taught by Bertram. If the dust filter is designed to detect smaller particles such as allergens, having a sensor after the filer would filter out all of the larger particles/debris. Leaving only the particles within a predetermined size be read by the sensor. This would decrease the number of particles being read by the sensor and thus increase the accuracy.
Claims 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suvarna (US 2019/0029486) in view of Toshio (JP 2003038163A) in view of Park (US 2016/0073844).
Regarding claims 16 and 17, Suvarna in view of Toshio disclose the cleaner of claim 1. Suvarna fails to explicitly disclose wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: detect a type of surface from which the dust is suctioned, and control the suction device to adjust the suction strength of the airflow based on the detected type of surface.
Park teaches a cleaner wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: detect a type of surface from which the dust is suctioned, and control the suction device to adjust the suction strength of the airflow based on the detected type of surface (Abstract, Figs 6-9). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Suvarna to include a floor type detection means as taught by Park. Such a modification would allow the cleaner to vary the suction level, thus conserving energy by not running the suction motor at a high level for all floor types.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 8/12/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and 9 under Suvarna and Kenji have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Suvarna and Toshio.
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 TOM R RODGERS whose telephone number is (313)446-4849. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday 8AM-5PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Posigian can be reached at (313) 446-6546. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TOM RODGERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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