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 Species II, claims 1-13, in the reply filed on 21 July 2026 is acknowledged.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR 10-2018-0086168 to Son et al. (“Son”) in view of KR 10-2021-0087897 to Kim.
Regarding claim 1, Son (in Figs. 1-5 and associated text) discloses a laundry treating apparatus comprising:
a first treating apparatus (110) comprising a first receiving unit configured to receive laundry;
a second treating apparatus (120) comprising a second receiving unit configured to receive laundry;
an output unit provided in the first treating apparatus or the second treating apparatus, the output unit being configured to output a screen (see output function of display unit 200; see p. 5 of translation);
an input unit provided in the first treating apparatus or the second treating apparatus, the input unit being configured to receive a user command for selecting a target to be displayed on the screen (see input function of display unit 200; see p. 5 of translation); and
a power button provided in one of the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus, the power button being manipulated by a user (power unit supplying power to the first processing unit and the second processing unit may be a switch on the display unit, see p. 9, ll. 11-12 of translation),
wherein the output unit is configured to output a simultaneous screen configured to display both progress information of a first course to be performed by the first treating apparatus and progress information of a second course to be performed by the second treating apparatus, among a plurality of courses for treating the laundry (see first area 210 and second area 220 of display 200 providing separate input/output to the first treating apparatus and second treating apparatus),
wherein the simultaneous screen comprises a first course object configured to display the progress information of the first course and a second course object configured to display the progress information of the second course (see Fig. 12(a) and associated text regarding progress status display).
Son discloses the claimed invention including a split display for user input/output for a first and second treating apparatus, and use of a power switch. Son does not expressly disclose wherein, based on the second course object being selected and the power button is manipulated, the second treating apparatus is powered off and the first treating apparatus remains on. Kim teaches an art-related washer and dryer combination and using the washer control panel to independently power on/off both the dryer and washer (see Kim at p. 34 of translation, particularly note ll. 11 et seq.).
Therefore, the position is taken that it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the washer and dryer of Son with the control operation of using the washer display to power off the dryer, as taught in Kim, to yield the same and predictable results of controlling a second appliance using the display of the first appliance.
Regarding claim 2, Kim further discloses wherein, based on the first course object being selected and the power button being manipulated, the first treating apparatus is powered off and the second treating apparatus remains on (note on p. 34 of translation, Kim discloses the washer and dryer may power-on or power-off based on user selection).
Regarding claim 3, Kim further discloses wherein the output unit and the input unit are provided in the first treating apparatus, and wherein, based on the first course object being selected and the power button being manipulated, the output unit and the first treating apparatus are powered off and the second treating apparatus remains on (note on p. 34 of translation, Kim discloses the washer and dryer may power-on or power-off based on user selection).
Regarding claim 4, Son and Kim further discloses wherein the first treating apparatus is configured to power on based on the power button being manipulated, wherein, based on the first treating apparatus being powered on, the output unit is configured to output a first course selection screen on which the first course to be performed by the first treating apparatus, among a plurality of courses for treating the laundry, is displayed for selection by the input unit, wherein the first course selection screen comprises a mode selection object configured to display one of the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus as selectable, and wherein, based on the second treating apparatus displayed through the mode selection object being selected, the second treating apparatus is powered on (note input/output display of Son teaches displaying different course selection screens and Kim teaches user selection of various modes of either the washer or dryer on p. 34 translation of Kim).
Regarding claim 5, Son and Kim further disclose wherein, based on the power button being manipulated on the simultaneous screen, the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus are simultaneously powered off (based on washer and dryer power operations of Son and Kim, a user could simultaneously power off both appliances as desired).
Regarding claim 6, Son and Kim further disclose wherein based on the second course object being selected on the simultaneous screen, the output unit is configured to output a second option display screen on which option information of the second course and the second course object are displayed, and wherein, based on the power button being manipulated on the second option display screen, the second treating apparatus is configured to power off and the first treating apparatus remains on (based on the teaches of Son and Kim above, a user could readily select plural course objects and selectively power off either treating apparatus as desired).
Regarding claim 7, Son and Kim further disclose wherein, based on the power button being manipulated on the second option display screen, the output unit is configured to output a first course progress screen on which the first course object is displayed excluding the second course object (based on the power switch operations of Kim and the user ability to selectively power off either appliance, it would have been well within the general knowledge and skill of one having ordinary skill in the art to have the course display disappear upon powering off an appliance).
Regarding claim 8, Son and Kim further disclose wherein, based on the first course object being selected on the simultaneous screen, the output unit outputs a first option display screen on which option information of the first course and the first course object are displayed, wherein, based on the first course object being selected on the first option display screen, the output unit outputs a first course progress screen on which the first course object is displayed excluding the second course object (based on the plural course objects and plural display screens of Son, the display can be configured to display both courses or a single course, see Figs. 12(a) and 12(b) showing both configurations).
Regarding claim 9, Son and Kim do not expressly disclose wherein the first option display screen comprises an X button configured to remove the first option display screen, and wherein, based on the X button being selected, the output section is configured to output the first course progress screen. However, based on the ability of Son to display both appliance courses or a single course, and the use of an X button (S222) for closing a screen in Fig. 13, the position is taken that it would have been prima facie obvious to use the X button on any desired screen in order to close the screen).
Regarding claim 10, Son and Kim further disclose wherein the first course progress screen comprises a mode selection object configured to display one of the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus as selectable, and wherein, based on the second treating apparatus being selected through the mode selection object and the power button is manipulated, the second treating apparatus is configured to power off and the first treating apparatus remains on (note the first and second progress screens of Son include operable selections of the first appliance (at S210) or second appliance (at S220) in Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 11, Son and Kim further disclose wherein, wherein, based on a reference time elapses while the second treating apparatus being paused and the first treating apparatus being operated, the second treating apparatus is configured to power off and the first treating apparatus remains on (based on the combination of Son and Kim above, the position is taken that such configuration enables user to power off either appliance as desired while the other remains on).
Regarding claim 12, Son discloses wherein the power button is provided in the treating apparatus having the input unit, which is one of the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus (note the power button of Son above for both the first treating apparatus and second treating apparatus).
Regarding claim 13, Son supra discloses the claimed invention including displaying courses for both treating apparatus. Son does not expressly disclose
wherein the first course selection screen comprises a mode selection object configured to display one of the first treating apparatus and the second treating apparatus as selectable, and wherein, based on the second treating apparatus displayed through the mode selection object being selected, the second treating apparatus is configured to power on. However, Kim supra teaches a washer and dryer combination and using the washer control panel to independently power on/off both the dryer and washer (see Kim at p. 34 of translation, particularly note ll. 11 et seq.).
Therefore, the position is taken that it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the washer and dryer of Son with the control operation of using the washer display to power off the dryer, as taught in Kim, to yield the same and predictable results of controlling a second appliance using the display of the first appliance.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2021/0164145 to Kim et al., which discloses first and second appliance operable through a single display.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH L PERRIN whose telephone number is (571)272-1305. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-4:00.
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Joseph L. Perrin, Ph.D.
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/Joseph L. Perrin/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711
Prosecution Insights