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 .
Drawings
New corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in this application because Fig. 2 comprises descriptions of items 210 and 255 that do not coincide with the description in the Specification. Applicant is advised to employ the services of a competent patent draftsperson outside the Office, as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office no longer prepares new drawings. The corrected drawings are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The requirement for corrected drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 20250023753 A1 (Arana et al., hereinafter Arana).
Regarding claim 14, Arana discloses a method for controlling a first household appliance (Fig. 4), wherein the method comprises the steps of:
establishing a wireless connection between the first household appliance and a mobile device (Fig. 1, “communication unit(s) 162” for wireless communication with at least “computing device 110” using wireless signals 168; pars. [0047] and [0082]).
determining user setting data which controls the function of the first household appliance (par. [0036], where users make determinations about the settings); and
transferring the user setting data to the mobile device (Fig. 1 and par. [0036], when the user enters the settings data, the setting data is transferred from the “computing device 110” screen to the “device settings 125”).
Regarding claim 15, Arana discloses a method for controlling a second household appliance (Fig. 4), wherein the method comprises the steps of:
establishing a wireless connection between the second household appliance and a mobile device (Fig. 1, “communication unit(s) 162” for wireless communication with at least “computing device 110” using wireless signals 168; pars. [0047], [0051], “computing device 110 may repeat this process with additional home automation devices”. Par. [0082]).
receiving user setting data from the mobile device (Fig. 1 and pars. [0041], [0044], [0082], “computing device 110 may be configured to transmit signal 168 to home automation device 160, with signal 168 including information stored in device settings database 126.”); and
controlling a function of the second household appliance dependent on the user setting data received (par. [0050], “home automation device 160 may retrieve the initialization settings from device settings database 166 and implement the initialization settings in operation.”).
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.
Claims 1-7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arana in view of US 20230171124 A1 (Hong et al., hereinafter Hong).
Regarding claim 1, Arana discloses a household appliance (Fig. 1, “home automation device 160”; par. [0002]), comprising:
a controller (par. [0036], where at least a controller/processor is required for controlling functions they are required to execute) for controlling a function of the household appliance dependent on a user setting (par. [0036], where users manually enter/input desired settings or receive settings from “computing device 110”); and
a wireless interface for communicating with a mobile device (Fig. 1, “communication unit(s) 162” for wireless communication with at least “computing device 110” using wireless signals 168; par. [0047]), wherein said controller is adapted to exchange user setting data with the mobile device (Fig. 1 and pars. [0041], [0044], “computing device 110 may be configured to transmit signal 168 to home automation device 160, with signal 168 including information stored in device settings database 126.”).
Although implied, Arana does not specifically disclose where the household appliance comprises a controller.
In related art concerning electronic device and operation method of electronic device controlling external device, Hong discloses a controller (pars [0083], “electronic device 300 may transmit information related to the operation of the electronic device 300 including a location of the electronic device 300 (e.g. air conditioners, electric blinds, gas valves, acoustic equipment, robot vacuum cleaners, washing machines, dryers and/or air dressers)…”; and [0200], [0223], “processor’).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use Hong’s teachings about a processor with the thermostat configuration and control method disclosed by Arana because one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that modern electronic appliances comprise at least a controller/processor to execute the functions stored in the memory of the apparatus.
Regarding claim 12, Arana discloses a system (Fig. 1), comprising
a first household appliance (Fig. 1, “home automation device 160”; par. [0002]), containing:
a first controller (par. [0036], where at least a controller/processor is required for controlling functions they are required to execute) for controlling a function of said first household appliance dependent on a first user setting (par. [0036], where users manually enter/input desired settings or receive settings from “computing device 110”).
wireless interfaces including a first wireless interface for communicating with a mobile device (par. [0044], “home automation device 160 utilizing NFC technology”, or any other wireless interface from a number of wireless interfaces), wherein said first controller is adapted to exchange first user setting data with the mobile device (Fig. 1 and pars. [0041], [0044], “computing device 110 may be configured to transmit signal 168 to home automation device 160, with signal 168 including information stored in device settings database 126.”), and a second wireless interface (par. [0047], “Home automation device 160 may include one or more communication units 162”, where the second interface can be “an Ethernet card[)], an optical transceiver, a radio frequency transceiver, a GPS receiver, an RFID transceiver…or any other type of device that can send and/or receive information…short wave radios, cellular data radios, wireless network radios, as well as universal serial bus (USB) controllers”); and
wherein said first controller is adapted to establish a data link on said second wireless interface through communication on said first wireless interface; and
a second household appliance (pars. [0046], [0069], any of the additional home automation devices recited), containing:
a second controller for controlling the function of said second household appliance dependent on a second user setting (pars. [0050]- [0051], [0080], “home automation device 160 may retrieve the initialization settings from device settings database 166 and implement the initialization settings in operation.”); and
a third wireless interface for communicating with the mobile device (Fig. 1, a different “automation device 160” communicating with the “computing device 110” using a “third” wireless interface. Since the link is a different link, the wireless interface can be labeled as a third wireless interface), wherein said second controller is adapted to exchange second user setting data with the mobile device (Fig. 1 and pars. [0041], [0044], “computing device 110 may be configured to transmit signal 168 to home automation device 160, with signal 168 including information stored in device settings database 126.”; pars. [0047], [0051], [0080], “computing device 110 may repeat this process with additional home automation devices”).
Arana does not specifically disclose wherein said second controller is adapted to transfer the second user setting data to the mobile device.
Hong discloses wherein said second controller is adapted to transfer the second user setting data to the mobile device (Fig. 2 and par. [0082], “electronic device 300 may transmit information related to the operation of the electronic device 300 including… a location of the electronic device 300 (e.g. air conditioners, electric blinds, gas valves, acoustic equipment, robot vacuum cleaners, washing machines, dryers and/or air dressers), an activation time (e.g., information related to a time when the electronic device is active, such as time, date, and season information), an operation execution time, an executed operation content (e.g., set temperature of air conditioners and/or heaters, TV channels, lighting value and/or intensity, whether electric blinds and/or gas valves are opened or closed, setting of acoustic equipment volume and/or equalizer, operating mode of robot vacuum cleaner, operating mode of washing machines, dryers and/or air dressers), an inactivation time and/or a control method (e.g., online control, offline control) to the server 200 and/or the mobile device 1000”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use Hong’s teachings where a second controller is adapted to transfer the second user setting data to the mobile device with the thermostat configuration and control method disclosed by Arana because one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that it is well-known that information/data, including information data, can be read from electronic devices, including household appliances.
Regarding claim 2, Arana and Hong disclose all the limitations of claim 1. Arana and Hong further disclose wherein said wireless interface contains a near field communications (NFC) interface (par. [0044], “home automation device 160 utilizing NFC technology”).
Regarding claim 3, Arana and Hong disclose all the limitations of claim 2. Arana further discloses wherein said NFC interface is capable of passive operation only (pars. [0034]- [0035], where passive tags/NFC is one of the possible configurations in near-field communications).
Regarding claim 5, Arana and Hong disclose all the limitations of claim 1.
wherein said controller is adapted to transfer the user setting data to the mobile device.
Arana does not specifically disclose wherein said controller is adapted to transfer the user setting data to the mobile device.
Hong discloses wherein said controller is adapted to transfer the user setting data to the mobile device (Fig. 2 and par. [0082], “electronic device 300 may transmit information related to the operation of the electronic device 300 including… a location of the electronic device 300 (e.g. air conditioners, electric blinds, gas valves, acoustic equipment, robot vacuum cleaners, washing machines, dryers and/or air dressers), an activation time (e.g., information related to a time when the electronic device is active, such as time, date, and season information), an operation execution time, an executed operation content (e.g., set temperature of air conditioners and/or heaters, TV channels, lighting value and/or intensity, whether electric blinds and/or gas valves are opened or closed, setting of acoustic equipment volume and/or equalizer, operating mode of robot vacuum cleaner, operating mode of washing machines, dryers and/or air dressers), an inactivation time and/or a control method (e.g., online control, offline control) to the server 200 and/or the mobile device 1000”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use Hong’s teachings where a second controller is adapted to transfer the second user setting data to the mobile device with the thermostat configuration and control method disclosed by Arana because one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that it is well-known that information/data, including information data, can be read from electronic devices, including household appliances.
Regarding claim 6, Arana and Hong disclose all the limitations of claim 1. Arana further discloses wherein said controller is adapted to accept the user setting data from the mobile device (Fig. 1 and par. [0044] and [0051], “computing device 110 may receive a single instance of user input.”) and to control the function dependent on the user setting data accepted (Fig. 1 and par. [0050], “home automation device 160 may retrieve the initialization settings from device settings database 166 and implement the initialization settings in operation.”).
Regarding claim 9, Arana and Hong disclose all the limitations of claim 1. Arana further discloses wherein said controller is adapted to provide identification information of the household appliance through said wireless interface (par. [0034], “RFID”).
Regarding claim 11, Arana and Hong disclose all the limitations of claim 1. Arana further discloses further comprising a kitchen machine (par. [0069], “refrigerator…dishwasher”).
Regarding claim 13, Arana and Hong disclose all the limitations of claim 12. Arana further discloses where said mobile device being part of the system, wherein said mobile device has a smartphone (par. [0042]).
Claims 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arana in view of Hong, and further in view of CN115150800A.
Regarding claim 4, Arana and Hong disclose all the limitations of claim 1. Arana further discloses wherein said wireless interface is a first wireless interface (par. [0047], “NFC transceiver”); further comprising a second wireless interface (par. [0047], “Home automation device 160 may include one or more communication units 162”, where the second interface can be “an Ethernet card[)], an optical transceiver, a radio frequency transceiver, a GPS receiver, an RFID transceiver…or any other type of device that can send and/or receive information…short wave radios, cellular data radios, wireless network radios, as well as universal serial bus (USB) controllers”).
Arana and Hong do not specifically disclose wherein said controller is adapted to establish a data link on said second wireless interface through communication on said first wireless interface.
In related art concerning intelligent household appliance distribution network system based on NFC technology, CN115150800A discloses wherein said controller is adapted to establish a data link on said second wireless interface through communication on said first wireless interface (Fig. 4 and par. [0015], “the mobile device will actively send a command to the NFC chip of the smart module to forward to the WiFi module…”, reads on establishing a data link between the NFC and the WiFi interfaces).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use CN115150800A’s teachings wherein said controller is adapted to establish a data link on said second wireless interface through communication on said first wireless interface with the thermostat configuration and control method disclosed by Arana and Hong because one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that it is desirable to provide data connections between different interfaces within a household appliance, so that the NFC interface can provide a longer range interface with information related to a mobile device, so that a longer range connection can be established between the mobile device and the household appliance can be initiated, if necessary.
Claims 7-8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arana in view of Hong, and further in view of US 20140106684 A1 (Burns et al., hereinafter Burns).
Regarding claim 7, Arana and Hong disclose all the limitations of claim 1. Arana further discloses wherein said wireless interface contains a loop antenna (Fig. 1, at least “loop antenna 164”).
Arana and Hong do not specifically disclose where the antenna having conductive strips disposed on a transparent film, said transparent film being disposed at an outer surface of the household appliance.
In related art concerning transparent antennas on a display device, Burns discloses where the antenna having conductive strips disposed on a transparent film (Fig. 3A and pars. [0064], [0121]), said transparent film being disposed at an outer surface of the household appliance (the location of the film is a mere design consideration).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use Burns’s teachings where the antenna having conductive strips disposed on a transparent film, said transparent film being disposed at an outer surface of the household appliance with the thermostat configuration and control method disclosed by Arana and Hong because one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that a transparent film antennas provide design flexibility in curved surfaces, also they can be adhered directly into existing external surfaces in electronic devices, among others.
Regarding claim 8, Arana, Hong and Burns disclose all the limitations of claim 7.
Burns further discloses wherein: said transparent film has conductive patches (pars. [0065] and [0066]); and said controller is adapted to determine a touch on said transparent film at one of said conductive patches based on a change in capacitance of said one conductive patch (par. [0048], where in NFC communications, when devices come within close proximity or when they contact each other, the capacitance of the devices changes when within NFC range).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use Burns’s teachings wherein: said transparent film has conductive patches and said controller is adapted to determine a touch on said transparent film at one of said conductive patches based on a change in capacitance of said one conductive patch with the thermostat configuration and control method disclosed by Arana and Hong because one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that such behavior is characteristic of NFC antennas.
Regarding claim 10, Arana and Hong disclose all the limitations of claim 9.
Arana discloses passive tags providing identification (pars. [0032], [0034]).
Burns further discloses wherein said wireless interface contains a flat antenna and a patch with printed identification information of the household appliance covering said flat antenna (par. [0064], [0108]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use Burns’s teachings about a flat antenna with the thermostat configuration and control method disclosed by Arana and Hong because one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that a flat antennas are widely used in electronic devices, where flat antennas provide the advantage of having a thin structure, so that they can be placed on small surfaces; therefore, providing easy integration and compacted design.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20210051040 A1 relates to automatic transitions in automation settings.
US 20170171949 A1 relates to lighting system, lighting device, and control method thereof.
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/Angelica M. Perez/
Primary Patent Examiner AU 2649
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