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 .
This Office Action is responsive to: Application filed 16 Aug. 2024
Claims 1-15 are pending in this case. Claims 1 and 15 are independent claims
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.
Claims 1, 2 and 6-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bryant et al. (Pub. No.: US 2008/0127065 A1; Filed: Aug. 24, 2007) (hereinafter “Bryant”).
Regarding independent claims 1 and 15, Bryant discloses a method for configuring a PLC device, which is connected to a PLC central unit, with PLC configuration information, said method comprising the following method steps:
executing a first application and displaying a first graphical user interface for generating configuration information for the at least one PLC device by the first application (0029; 0031; 0035-0037; 0043-0044);
detecting at least one user input on the first graphical user interface by the first application (0031; 0044; 0091; 0246-0248);
generating the configuration information with at least one configuration parameter for the at least one PLC device based on the detected user input by means of the first application (0029-0031; 0044; 0091; 0246-0248);
executing a second application and displaying a second graphical user interface for controlling the PLC central unit by the second application (0029-0032; 0245-0246);
transmitting the configuration information from the first application to an input field for configuring the at least one PLC device on the second graphical user interface of the second application (0029-0032; 0245-0246);
generating the PLC configuration information based on the configuration information by means of the second application (0029-0031; 0044; 0091; 0246-0248);
transmitting the PLC configuration information to the at least one PLC device by the PLC central unit (0029-0032; 0155).
Regarding dependent claim 2, Bryant discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the first application and the second application are executed by the same computer system (0029-0032; 0245-0246).
Regarding dependent claim 6, Bryant discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information is transmitted from the first application to the input field of the second graphical user interface of the second application by a copy/paste command (0140-0143).
Regarding dependent claim 7, Bryant discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the PLC configuration information corresponds to the configuration information or wherein the PLC configuration information is derived from the configuration information (0029-0031; 0042-0048; 0085-0090).
Regarding dependent claim 8, Bryant discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein, only for that property of the PLC device that is configured via the first graphical user interface, a configuration parameter is added to the configuration information that is defined by the user input (0029-0032; 0245-0246).
Regarding dependent claim 9, Bryant discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein only for that property of the PLC device that is configured via the first graphical user interface, a configuration parameter is added to the configuration information that has a value that differs from a standard value (0029; 0031-0036; 0246-0248; 0282).
Regarding dependent claim 10, Bryant discloses the method according to claim 9, wherein, independently of the property of the PLC device that is configured via the first user interface, at least one configuration parameter, which has a specific value, is added to the configuration information (0029; 0031-0036; 0246-0248; 0282).
Regarding dependent claim 11, Bryant discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein a configuration parameter is added to the configuration information for each property of the PLC device that can be configured via the first user interface (0029-0032; 0245-0246).
Regarding dependent claim 12, Bryant discloses the method according to claim 11, wherein one, more or all of these configurable properties of the PLC device are defined by a user input (0029-0032; 0245-0246).
Regarding dependent claim 13, Bryant discloses the method according to claim 11, wherein a configuration parameter is never added to the configuration information for a specific property of the PLC device that can be configured via the first user interface (0029; 0031-0036; 0246-0248; 0282).
Regarding dependent claim 14, Bryant discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the PLC device initializes configuration parameters that are not included in the PLC configuration information with a standard value (0029; 0031-0036; 0246-0248; 0282).
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.
Claims 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bryant in view of Jennyc et al. (Pat. No.: US 6,334,158 B1; Filed: Nov. 29, 1996) (hereinafter “Jennyc”).
Regarding dependent claim 3, Bryant does not expressly disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one configuration parameter comprises one name-value-pair or a plurality of name-value pairs.
Jennyc teach wherein the at least one configuration parameter comprises one name-value-pair or a plurality of name-value pairs (col 5 line 65-col 6 line 14; col 15 line 27-37; col 17 lines 51-58).
Therefore prior to the filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the are to combine Jennyc with Bryant for the benefit of automatically integrating applications having incompatible programming interfaces at the same or different functional levels of an organization in a fast, efficient and cost effective manner (col 3 lines 7-10).
Regarding dependent claim 4, Bryant in view of Jennyc disclose the method according to claim 3, wherein the name-value pair or the plurality of name-value pairs comprises the detected setting by the user input of an element on the first graphical user interface (col 5 line 65-col 6 line 14; col 15 line 27-37; col 17 lines 51-58).
Regarding dependent claim 5, Bryant does not expressly disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one configuration parameter is included in plain text and unencrypted in the configuration information.
Jennyc teach wherein the at least one configuration parameter is included in plain text and unencrypted in the configuration information (col 5 line 65-col 6 line 14; col 15 line 27-37; col 17 lines 51-58).
Therefore prior to the filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the are to combine Jennyc with Bryant for the benefit of automatically integrating applications having incompatible programming interfaces at the same or different functional levels of an organization in a fast, efficient and cost effective manner (col 3 lines 7-10).
NOTE
It is noted that any citations to specific, pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the reference should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2123.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES J DEBROW whose telephone number is (571)272-5768. The examiner can normally be reached on 09:00 - 06:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William Bashore can be reached on 571-272-4088. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/James J Debrow/
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2174
571-272-5768
Prosecution Insights