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 .
Status of Claims
Currently claims 21-40 are pending and claims 1-20 have been cancelled.
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.
Claim(s) 21- is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wertsberger (U.S. 20180200552).
With respect to claim 21, Wertsberger discloses an electronic fire sprinkler system, comprising:
an electronic fire sprinkler;
a sensor (paragraphs 0023,0040, and 0124) to detect a temperature and output an indication of the detected temperature (said output going to a controller that activates the sprinkler, paragraph 0016);
a processing circuit (paragraphs 0023 and 0087) to:
maintain a map of sprinkler locations based on sprinkler address data (paragraphs 0077, 0044, 0083, and 0109) the map of the sprinklers being predetermined, the location and addresses being known), the map indicating a location of the electronic fire sprinkler (paragraph 0077 and 0044);
determine that a ceiling temperature is below a ceiling threshold temperature (paragraph 0079, where the temperature is one of the spaces and not just the ceiling, where if the sensor malfunctions the common sprinkler head activation would eventually active is understood referring to the ceiling threshold temperature of the sprinklers bulb/activation itself (paragraph 0076)) to independently activate the electronic fire sprinkler (abstract);
determine that a fire condition is present based on the detected temperature (being heat sensors), with the ceiling temperature below the ceiling threshold temperature (as the sensors activate the sprinklers prior to the sprinkler themselves activating, said sprinkler activating themselves being taken as the ceiling threshold temperature (the temperature the ceiling can be prior to activation of the sprinklers via their own fusible element));
identify, using the map of sprinkler locations, the electronic fire sprinkler based on the sprinkler address data (paragraphs 0044, 0110, and 0114); and
transmit an activation signal to the electronic fire sprinkler to cause the electronic fire sprinkler to output fluid.
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.
Claim(s) 21-26, 28-32, 34-36, and 38-40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wertsberger (U.S. 20180200552) in view of Yu (U.S. 2006/0289174).
With respect to claims 21 and 38, Wertsberger discloses an electronic fire sprinkler system/38, comprising:
an electronic fire sprinkler;
a sensor (paragraphs 0023,0040, and 0124) to detect a temperature and output an indication of the detected temperature (said output going to a controller that activates the sprinkler, paragraph 0016);
a processing circuit (paragraphs 0023 and 0087) to:
maintain a map of sprinkler locations based on sprinkler address data (paragraphs 0077, 0044, 0083, and 0109) the map of the sprinklers being predetermined, the location and addresses being known), the map indicating a location of the electronic fire sprinkler (paragraph 0077 and 0044);
independently activate the electronic fire sprinkler (abstract);
determine that a fire condition is present based on the detected temperature (being heat sensors);
identify, using the map of sprinkler locations, the electronic fire sprinkler based on the sprinkler address data (paragraphs 0044, 0110, and 0114); and
transmit an activation signal to the electronic fire sprinkler to cause the electronic fire sprinkler to output fluid. Wertsberger fails to specifically disclose, determine that a ceiling temperature is below a ceiling threshold temperature or with the ceiling temperature below the ceiling threshold temperature (the sensor malfunctions the common sprinkler head activation would eventually active is understood referring to the ceiling threshold temperature of the sprinklers bulb/activation itself (paragraph 0076), it is not specifically disclosing however the heat is not at the ceiling threshold level, although one might understand it being such as it happens prior to the bulb activation).
Yu, paragraph 0024, discloses utilizing heat sensors that detects the fire sooner than the sprinklers themselves in order to activate the system and this reduce delay in the systems activation.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing dates of the claimed invention to utilize heat sensors that activate the system prior to the sprinklers themselves as disclosed in Yu into the system of Wertsberger, such a combination would allow the system to activate sooner and reduce any delay in suppressing the fire. The noted ceiling temperature threshold is understood being that at which the sprinkler itself activates, being the threshold temperature at the ceiling which then breaks the fusible elements/activates the sprinkler.
The method claims of 38 is disclosed above in the rejection of the apparatus, as all method steps are understood found in the apparatus.
With respect to claim 22 and 39, Wertsberger discloses the electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler of a plurality of electronic fire sprinklers (see figure 2), comprising the processing circuit to: receive the sprinkler address data; and generate the map of sprinkler locations based on an association between a location of each of the plurality of electronic fire sprinklers and the sprinkler address data (the map being generated predetermined based off of the location of the sprinklers/sensors/ports, see rejection of claim 1, understood that the addresses are already there and the sprinkler address is referring back to the map itself where the sprinklers are already known).
With respect to claim 23, Wertsberger discloses the sprinkler address data including at least one of a bar code or RFID data (paragraph 0026 as the sprinkler address data further includes that the condition senso, which from the specification is understood as the sensor that detects the conditions associated with a fire, the sprinkler comprising the first sensor which is the condition sensor, paragraph 0018)).
With respect to claim 24 and 40, Wertsberger discloses the processing circuit to identify the electronic fire sprinkler based on a topology of sprinkler locations indicated by the map of sprinkler locations (paragraphs 0033 and 0109).
With respect to claim 25, Wertsberger discloses the processing circuit to determine a time to transmit the activation signal to the electronic fire sprinkler based on a topology of sprinkler locations indicated by the map of sprinkler locations (where the time is done at the time the fire is detected, paragraph 0030, where there is no delay just a activation signal sent at the time of fire detection, a noted delay may be implements to avoid false activation signals as well though, paragraph 0139).
With respect to claim 26, Wertsberger discloses the electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler, comprising: the processing circuit to execute a policy to selectively activate the first electronic fire sprinkler and a second electronic fire sprinkler (figure 2, activating multiple sprinklers based on the sensed fire, paragraph 0077 discloses a combination of sprinklers being activated).
With respect to claim 28, Wertsberger discloses the electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler (being the first sprinkler), comprising: the processing circuit (that of port controller 780) to identify a second electronic fire sprinkler to actuate based on the activation signal transmitted to the first electronic fire sprinkler to cause the second electronic fire sprinkler to output fluid (activating other ports, paragraphs 0128 and 0131, where the port controller can activate the sprinkler or the ports (other sprinklers) that it controls, essentially where the port controller of the first sprinkler is controlling other sprinklers as well).
With respect to claim 29, Wertsberger discloses the electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler, comprising: the processing circuit to identify a second electronic fire sprinkler to actuate based on a policy that indicates a maximum distance between electronic fire sprinklers to activate together (where the noted sprinklers use the same port controller, paragraph 0131, the distance being a selected parameter, paragraph 0036 and being below a threshold, paragraph 0083).
With respect to claim 30, Wertsberger discloses the electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler, comprising: the processing circuit to execute a policy to identify a second electronic fire sprinkler to actuate (paragraphs 0128-0131, where the sprinkler includes a controller that can actuate/activate other sprinklers).
With respect to claim 31, Wertsberger discloses the electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler (being a first sprinkler), and wherein the activation signal is a first activation signal (activating said sprinkler), comprising the processing circuit (that of the controller, paragraphs 0128-0131) to: determine that the detected temperature is above a detected temperature threshold (and thus activate the sprinkler via the controller); and identify a second electronic fire sprinkler within a threshold distance of the first electronic fire sprinkler (the threshold distance being the determined distance of sprinklers about the sprinkler and grouped with the controller); and transmit a second activation signal to the second electronic fire sprinkler to cause the second electronic fire sprinkler to output fluid with the ceiling temperature below the ceiling threshold temperature (paragraphs 0128-0131, which activates the second sprinkler via the shared controller in response to the temperature/heat detection).
With respect to claim 32, Wertsberger discloses the electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler, comprising: the processing circuit to cause activation of a plurality of electronic fire sprinklers including the first electronic fire sprinkler within ten feet of the sensor (as the sensor is located at the sprinkler, and thus the activation includes the sprinkler being within ten feet).
With respect to claim 34, Wertsberger discloses the electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler (being the sprinkler that the port controller is with), comprising: a plurality of electronic fire sprinklers including the first electronic fire sprinkler arranged in a two-dimensional arrangement (as shown in figure 2, where the sprinklers are per floor, and thus each floor forms a two-dimensional arrangement, which in turn is three dimensional with multiple floors).
With respect to claim 35, Wertsberger discloses electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler, comprising: a plurality of electronic fire sprinklers including the first electronic fire sprinkler arranged in a three-dimensional arrangement (as shown in figure 2, where the sprinklers are arranged both on a plane and vertically).
With respect to claim 36. Wertsberger discloses the electronic fire sprinkler is a first electronic fire sprinkler, comprising: a second electronic fire sprinkler; the processing circuit to identify the first electronic fire sprinkler as being closer to the sensor than the second electronic first sprinkler is to the sensor; and the processing circuit to identify the second electronic fire sprinkler as being within a threshold distance of the first electronic fire sprinkler (where the sensor is on the first sprinkler of the two sprinklers and is thus closer, and the system can also identify the sprinklers grouped with it (and thus within the threshold distance) that are controlled by the port controller 780).
With respect to claim 37, Wertsberger discloses the electronic fire sprinkler, but fails to disclose the electronic fire sprinkler having a response time index (RTI) less than or equal to 50 m1/2s1/2.
Yu, abstract, discloses a high thermal sensitivity of the sprinkler to allow for quick activation (paragraph 0009) being 40-100 (ft sec).sup.1/2 (40 (ft sec).sup.1/2 being under 50 m1/2s1/2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the RTI of Yu into the system of Wertsberger, so the sprinklers have a quick thermal sensitivity and faster activation in response to the sensed temperature.
Claim(s) 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wertsberger (U.S. 20180200552) in view of Yu (U.S. 2006/0289174) as applied to claim21 above, and further in view of Khire (U.S. 2017/0103633).
With respect to claim 27, Wertsberger as modified discloses the processing circuit, but fails to disclose processing circuit to execute a heuristic policy to identify the electronic fire sprinkler.
Khire, paragraph 0040, discloses using heuristic rules in the mitigation module to deploy selected threat mitigation plans, allowing the system to supply effective suppressant via sprinklers in the fire zone. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to utilize the heuristic rules (heuristic policy) of Khire into the system of Wertsberger, allowing the mitigation modules (controller) to effectively suppress a fire. Applicants’ specification discloses no criticality for the use of a heuristic policy, and utilizing such a known policy would have been known to one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize such existing methods to run the fire suppression system.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 33 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. The prior art of the application discloses using triangulation to determine where a fire is based off of sensors, but fails to disclose the processing circuit to: execute a trilateration algorithm to determine the location of the electronic fire sprinkler.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH A GREENLUND whose telephone number is (571)272-0397. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm EST.
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/JOSEPH A GREENLUND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3752
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