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 § 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.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0057233 (hereinafter Kobayashi) in view of Miller et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0235374 (hereinafter Miller).
Consider claim 1, Kobayashi teaches a motion state monitoring system comprising: a plurality of sensors attached to respective body parts of bodies of a plurality of respective subjects (Figure 2, 20_1 to 20_11); and a motion state monitoring apparatus configured to monitor the respective subjects by the attached sensors (Figure 1, 12), wherein each of the plurality of motion state monitoring apparatus comprises: at least one memory having stored therein program instructions and at least one processor that when executing the program instructions implements [0084-0085]): an icon display unit configured to display a plurality of sensor icons corresponding to the plurality of respective sensors (Figure 7, 301, “1” to “11” and subject) that have not been associated with any body part ([0039], the sensor 111_1 is attached to the belt 113_1 with the attachment pad 112_1 interposed therebetween after pairing, a calibration, and the like have been completed. Thus, the sensors have not been associated with any body part during pairing, calibration and the like since they are attached after pairing, calibration and the like (see also steps S105-106 after S101-S104)); a display control unit configured to cause the icon display unit to display a sensor a distance of which from the motion state monitoring apparatus is within a predetermined distance among the plurality of sensors (Figure 1, figure 7 and [0052], 20_1, “1”. [0035], pairing (and thus within a predetermined distance)); a reception unit configured to receive a setting operation on a sensor icon displayed on the icon display unit ([0052] and figure 7, a user has selected the subject P as a subject to be monitored); a process unit configured to make, in accordance with the setting operation, the sensor corresponding to the sensor icon correspond to the body part of the subject to which the sensor is to be attached (Figure 1 and [0063], calibration); and a control unit configured to change, in accordance with an input from the sensor, a display aspect of the corresponding sensor icon ([0069], figures 13-14, monitor 300 and icon related to right-upper arm). In addition, Kobayashi teaches in [0041], the motion state monitoring apparatus 12 is, for example, one of a Personal Computer (PC), a mobile phone terminal, a smartphone, and a tablet terminal.
Kobayashi does not appear to specifically disclose a plurality of motion state monitoring apparatuses.
However, in a related field of endeavor, Miller teaches a wearable device (abstract) and further teaches a plurality of motion state monitoring apparatuses (Figure 7a and [0107], communicate data, such as input data, with one or more other devices such as a tablet computer 720, a smart phone 730, and/or other computing device 750).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a plurality of monitoring apparatuses as taught by Miller with the benefit that the base station and/or the UMD may store, synchronize, and/or analyze the aggregated data of the one or more other devices and the base station and/or the UMD as suggested in [0107].
Consider claim 4, Kobayashi and Miller teach all the limitations of claim 1.
In addition, Kobayashi teaches wherein the control unit changes a display aspect in such a way that the corresponding sensor icon performs a motion in accordance with the motion of one of the plurality of sensors ([0070] and figure 14, one of the motions to be monitored is displayed as the graph 308_1).
Consider claim 7, it includes the limitations of clam 1 and thus it is rejected by the same reasoning.
Consider claim 8, it includes the limitations of clam 1 and thus it is rejected by the same reasoning. In addition, Kobayashi teaches a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program [0085].
Claim(s) 2, 3 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi and Miller as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Reisman et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2024/0061513 (hereinafter Reisman).
Consider claim 2, Kobayashi and Miller teach all the limitations of claim 1.
Kobayashi does not appear to specifically disclose wherein the control unit deletes a sensor icon whose display aspect does not change in accordance with the input from the sensor among the plurality of sensor icons displayed on the icon display unit from the icon display unit and disconnects the sensor corresponding to the sensor icon from the motion state monitoring apparatus.
However, in a related field of endeavor, Reisman teaches a wearable device 120 in figure 1a and further teaches wherein the control unit deletes a sensor icon whose display aspect does not change in accordance with the input from the sensor among the plurality of sensor icons displayed on the icon display unit from the icon display unit ([0111] and [0325], deactivates the user interface in accordance with a determination that a second control gesture is not detected within a predetermined amount of time) and disconnects the sensor corresponding to the sensor icon from the motion state monitoring apparatus (([0111] and [0325], deactivates the user interface in accordance with a determination that a second control gesture is not detected within a predetermined amount of time).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to delete or deactivating an icon or interface as taught by Reisman with the benefit that activating the display includes increasing power supplied to the display and/or increasing illumination of the display as suggested in [0324].
Consider claim 3, Kobayashi and Miller teach all the limitations of claim 2. In addition, Reisman teaches wherein the control unit deletes a sensor icon whose display aspect does not change for a predetermined period of time from the icon display unit (([0111] and [0325], deactivates the user interface in accordance with a determination that a second control gesture is not detected within a predetermined amount of time) and disconnects the sensor corresponding to the sensor icon from the motion state monitoring apparatus ([0111] and [0325], deactivates the user interface in accordance with a determination that a second control gesture is not detected within a predetermined amount of time), see motivation to combine in claim 2.
Consider claim 6, Kobayashi and Miller teach all the limitations of claim 1.
Kobayashi does not appear to specifically disclose wherein the sensor includes a switch, and the control unit changes a display aspect based on a state of the switch being pressed.
However, Miller teaches wherein the sensor includes a switch, and the control unit changes a display aspect based on a state of the switch being pressed (Figure 15a, [0202] and [0221], button 6023).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a switch or button with the benefit that the peripheral buttons 6023 and 6027 can be used to turn on or wake (e.g., transition from a sleep state to an active state) the display 6005, unlock the watch body 6020, increase or decrease a volume, increase or decrease a brightness, interact with one or more applications, and/or interact with one or more user interfaces as suggested in [0221].
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi and Miller as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Cha U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0064906 (hereinafter Cha).
Consider claim 5, Kobayashi and Miller teach all the limitations of claim 1.
Kobayashi does not appear to specifically disclose wherein the sensor includes an acceleration sensor, and the control unit changes a display aspect based on a tap input on the sensor collected by the acceleration sensor.
However, in a related field of endeavor, Cha teaches a wearable terminal (abstract) and further teaches wherein the sensor includes an acceleration sensor [0094], and the control unit changes a display aspect based on a tap input on the sensor collected by the acceleration sensor [0120] and [0094].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a tap as taught by Cha in order to display a corresponding screen each time the tap is detected as suggested in [0121].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 6, Applicant argues that “As explained in paragraph [0035] of Kobayashi, the measuring instruments 11_1 to 11_11 are already associated with the respective body parts 20_1 to 20_11 by pairing processing performed with the motion state monitoring apparatus. Kobayashi therefore begins with sensors having predetermined associations with respective body parts, rather than displaying sensor icons corresponding to available sensors that have not yet been made to correspond to any body part.” The Office respectfully disagrees for the following reasons.
Kobayashi teaches in [0039], the sensor 111_1 is attached to the belt 113_1 with the attachment pad 112_1 interposed therebetween after pairing, a calibration, and the like have been completed. Thus, the sensors have not been associated with any body part during pairing, calibration and the like since they are attached after pairing, calibration and the like (see also steps S105-106 after S101-S104). Similarly, Applicant’s publication mention in [0040], the display unit 11 displays a list of sensor icons corresponding to the respective available sensors that have not been made to correspond to any body part to which the sensor is to be attached.
On page 6, Applicant argues that “the calibration described in paragraph [0063] of Kobayashi is not the claimed correspondence processing. The calibration is performed after the motion to be monitored has been specified and the body part to which the already-associated sensor is to be attached has been displayed. Calibration does not, in accordance with an operation on a sensor icon, assign an available sensor to a body part.” The Office respectfully disagrees for the following reasons.
Kobayashi teaches in [0039], the sensor 111_1 is attached to the belt 113_1 with the attachment pad 112_1 interposed therebetween after pairing, a calibration, and the like have been completed. Thus, the sensors have not been associated with any body part during pairing, calibration and the like since they are attached after pairing calibration and the like (see also steps S105-106 after S101-S104).
On pages 6-7, Applicant argues that “Paragraph [0037] explains that a user performs a setting operation on a sensor icon, such as dragging and dropping the sensor icon onto a body part in the human-body schematic diagram.” The Office respectfully disagrees for the following reasons.
Claims do not appear to mention these limitations. Consequently, these arguments have been considered but they are not persuasive.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/ROBERTO W FLORES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
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