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, claims 1-10, in the reply filed on 10 June 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 11-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention(s), there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 10 June 2026.
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.
Claims 1-10 are 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.
Regarding claim 1, it is unclear what is meant by “control a rotation speed of the circulation pump based on a temperature of the washing water without detergent”. How is it controlled? What is the function being performed? Does this simply read on turning the pump on and off during operation with such operation including washing water temperature control? The claim lacks adequate functional language of how the speed is “controlled” and what is meant by the control being “based on a temperature” in order to particularly point out and distinctly claim the operational step.
Regarding claim 5, the recitation of the operations to “perform a weight detection process” and “a material detection process” is indefinite because it is unclear how such operations can be performed by a controller without adequate sensor/detector structure. Such requisite structures should be including in the claims in order for the washing machine controller to perform such functions.
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) 1-4 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2013/0291316 to Kim et al. (“Kim”) in view of WO 2013/001681 A1 to Yasui et al. (“Yasui”).
Regarding claim 1, Kim (in Figs. 1-2 and associated text) discloses a washing machine (see, e.g., Fig. 1) comprising:
a main body (10);
a tub (11) provided inside the main body;
a first water supply device (30) configured to supply washing water without detergent to the tub;
a second water supply device (top pipe of 26) configured to supply washing water containing detergent to the tub;
a temperature sensor (110) configured to detect a temperature of the washing water stored in the tub;
a circulation bubble device (63) configured to circulate the washing water stored in the tub or generate bubbles in the washing water stored in the tub;
a circulation pump (61) configured to supply the washing water stored in the tub to the circulation bubble device;
memory storing one or more computer programs; and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory (see control unit 130; note conventional control units in the art implicitly/inherently include processors and memory, such being standard and conventional controller components in the art),
wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions (inherent/implicit to a washing machine controller) that, when executed by one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the washing machine to:
control the first water supply device to supply the washing water without detergent to the tub (see control of valve 32 via control unit in ¶ [0105] and step S502 in Fig. 4A, which supplies water to the tub without detergent).
Kim discloses the invention including air pump (61) which circulates water and mixes with air to produce bubbles to the tub, as well as washing clothes using a normal washing course (i.e. with detergent) or a bubble washing course. Kim does not expressly disclose the controller performing the step of control a rotation speed of the circulation pump based on a temperature of the washing water without detergent. Yasui teaches an art-related washing machine performing a bubble washing course “by controlling the rotational speed of the circulation pump 17 and the like based on the temperature detected by the temperature detector 15” in order to heat the washing water to an optimum washing temperature (see Yasui at p. 6, ¶ 5 of translation).
Therefore, the position is taken that it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to modify the washing course of Kim with controlling a rotational speed of a circulating pump based on a detected temperature, such as that taught in Yasui, to yield the same and predictable results of optimizing water temperature during a bubble washing course.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Kim and Yasui above teaches control of the circulation pump speed based on temperature, but does not expressly disclose such control with different speeds as claimed. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to control the pump speeds as desired to achieve the desired temperature during circulation, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. See MPEP § 2144.05(II) regarding Routine Optimization.
Regarding claims 3-4, Kim and Yasui both disclose a heater (16 and 14, respectively) configured to heat the washing water stored in the tub, and controlling the heater during water circulation. However, the references do not expressly disclose operating the heater at different times as claimed. However, such heater operation time directly correlates to a target temperature, it would have been prima facie obvious to operate the heater at desired times to achieve a target temperature (see Routine Optimization above).
Regarding claim 9, Kim further discloses user capability of selecting a bubble washing course or a normal washing course (see Kim at ¶ [0071]).
Claim(s) 5-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Yasui, as applied to claims 1-4 above, and further in view of CN 110924061 A to Lin et al. (“Lin”).
Regarding claim 5 Kim and Yasui, supra, disclose the claimed invention including Kim disclosing performing a weight detection of laundry and supplying water based on the weight detection (see KIM at ¶ [0073]), and controlling the valve (32) to supply water and detergent (see Kim above). Neither discloses controlling water supply based on material detection as claimed. Lin teaches an art related washing machine and that it is known to perform a washing course based on detected clothes weight/quantity and detected clothing material (see Lin translation at p. 10, ¶ 7).
Therefore, the position is taken that it would have been obvious at the time of effective filing to provide the washing machine with clothes weight detection of Kim and Yasui with clothes material detection, such as that taught in Lin, to yield the same and predictable results of performing a washing course based on known clothes parameters such as clothes weight and type of material.
Regarding claims 6-8, see above regarding controlling rotation speed based on temperature, operation of the circulation bubble device. The position taken that such combination of control operations of Kim in view of Yasui combined with both weight and material detection as taught in Lin would achieve the same and predictable washing optimization results (see also Routine Optimization above).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Yasui, as applied to claims 1-4 and 9 above, and further in view of EP 3396051 A1 to Kwon et al. (“Kwon”).
Kim and Yasui, supra, disclose the claimed invention including Kim disclosing user selection of a washing course (see claim 9 above). Neither discloses user selecting a washing course based on recommended feedback based on the weather. Kwon teaches an art-related washing machine and that it is known to provide user selection of an optimized washing course based on being recommended by reflected weather and atmospheric information (see Kwon at ¶ [0033]-[0034]).
Therefore, the position is taken that it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing to provide the user course selection of Kim with a recommended user selection based on weather information, such as that taught in Kwon, to yield the same and predictable results of optimizing a washing course selection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2021/0198829 to Kang et al., which discloses a washing machine with first and second water supplies for supplying washing water with detergent (detergent only) or without detergent (fabric softener only).
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