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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. In claim 4, the phrase “an NFC reader” is vague and unclear, thereby the metes and bounds of the claimed invention are not clearly established, as the applicant has not defined what the acronym “NFC” defines.
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) 1-14 and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jacobs et al (2018/0271287). Jacobs teaches the use of a client device (100,175) comprising an identifier input element (130,145,160) as described in para[107]) is configured to determine furnishing unit data conveyed by an identifier conveyance unit (161,169,170) when in proximity to a furnishing unit (see para[0111]); the conveyance unit has at least one memory (165) and at least one processor (164) and processor storing operational instructions that when executed causes the client device to display experience option data for the furnishing unit via an interactive user interface (display screen of telephone or tablet) based on the determining the furnishing unit identifier data and generate experience selection data based on user input to the interactive user interface; and transmit the experience selection data to the furnishing unit, wherein the furnishing unit configures output of at least one experience facilitation element based on receiving the experience selection data (see para[0111]). Regarding claim 2, Jacobs has disclosed that the experience option data indicates a plurality of options that includes at least one of: at least one option for configuring heating intensity by at least one heating element of the furnishing unit; at least one option for configuring heating location by at least one heating element of the furnishing unit; at least one option for configuring cooling by at least one cooling element of the furnishing unit; at least one option for configuring volume of at least one speaker of the furnishing unit; at least one option for configuring music played by of at least one speaker of the furnishing unit; at least one option for configuring entertainment content displayed by at least one display of the furnishing unit; at least one option for configuring lighting by at least one lighting element of the furnishing unit; and wherein the experience selection data indicates selection of at least one of the plurality of options, (see para[0011-0012], [0117]). Regarding claim 3, the experience selection data may be generated (while the client device is at least one being held (via the tablet or phone) while the user is seated upon a bottom of the furnishing unit. Regarding claim 4, wherein the identifier input is implemented via at least one of: a Near-Field Communications tag (see para[0009-0011]). Regarding claims 5-6 and 11, Jacobs has disclosed that the client device accommodates a plurality of furnishing units (see para[0106]) therefore the client device (via the identifier input unit) is in proximity to the furnishing unit during a first temporal period, wherein the client device is in proximity to a second furnishing unit during a second temporal period after the first temporal period, wherein the identifier input unit determines second furnishing unit identifier data conveyed by a second identifier conveyance unit of a second furnishing unit in proximity to the client device during the second temporal period, and wherein the operational instructions, when executed by the at least one processor during the second temporal period, further cause the client device to: display second experience option data for the second furnishing unit via the interactive user interface based on determining the second furnishing unit identifier data, wherein the second experience option data is different from the experience option data based on a first set of furnishing experience facilitation elements of the furnishing unit that includes the at least one experience facilitation element being different from a second set of furnishing experience facilitation elements of the second furnishing unit; generate second experience selection data based on second user input to the interactive user interface; and transmitting the second experience selection data to the second furnishing unit, wherein the second furnishing unit configures output of another at least one experience facilitation element of the second set of experience facilitation elements based on receiving the second experience selection data (see para[0106-0108]). Regarding claims 7, the furnishing unit is implemented as a seating unit (171, 210,410) , and wherein the at least one surface includes: a seat bottom (225,425) configured to be seated upon by the user; and a seat back (215,415) configured to support a back of the user while the user is seated upon the seat bottom; wherein the client device generates the experience selection data while the user is seated upon the seat bottom, and wherein the furnishing unit configures the output of the at least one experience facilitation element while the user is seated upon the seat bottom. Regarding claim 8, Jacobs et al. has disclosed that furniture unit is configured for any venue (see para[0106]) which inherently includes an outdoor venue, whereby at least one experience facilitation element (i.e., heater, LED light, et.) delivers output to counter at least one environmental condition at the outdoor location. Regarding claims 9-10, and 12 Jacobs et al. has disclosed that the at least one experience facilitation element delivers lighting, heating and cooling to counter at least one corresponding environmental condition due to darkness, both cold and hot ambient temperatures respectively and that the furnishing unit comprises a set of experience facilitation elements (see para[0011-0012], [0117]). Jacobs et al. has disclosed that the furnishing unit receives experience selection and configures the output of the at least one experience facilitation element during a first temporal period corresponding to use of the furnishing unit by a first user associated with the client device, and wherein the furnishing processing system is further operable to, during a second temporal period corresponding to use of the furnishing unit by a second user associated with a second client device: receive second experience selection data generated by the second client device based on second user input to a second interactive user interface displayed by the second client device, wherein the second client device generates the second experience selection data based on determining the furnishing unit identifier data for the furnishing unit when in proximity to the furnishing unit during the second temporal period; and configuring second output of at least one experience facilitation element of the furnishing unit based on the second experience selection data, wherein the second output is different from the output based on the second experience selection data being different from the experience selection data (see para [0090-0097]). Regarding claims 14, and 16-18, Jacobs et al has disclosed the identifier conveyance unit implemented via a visual identifier data, or a microchip storing the furnishing unit (via cloud storage) and a coil (via an electric motor), along with a Near-Field Communications tag (see para[0009-0023]).
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) 15 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jacobs et al. Jacobs et al. discloses all of the teachings of the claimed invention except the furnishing unit identifier data is in accordance to a quick response (QR) code. It would have been an obvious matter of design choice for one of ordinary skill in the art to try and use different data codes as Jacobs et al. has stated that data may be received by an internet connection, WIFI and cellular phones which inherently has cameras to capture quick response codes. See KSR. Furthermore regarding claims 19-20, the method claims as recited would have been incorporated within the use of the invention as taught by Jacobs et al.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Reference Nos. 2020/0214456 and 2022/0400871 show features of the claimed invention.
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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February 05, 2026