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.
Claims 1-3, 5-10, and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Pub. 2017/0092996 (“Rodriguez”) in view of U.S. Patent Pub. 2003/0186111 (“Tamakoshi”).
Claim 1
Rodriguez discloses a method comprising: measuring a first temperature at a control panel using a temperature sensor included at a battery of the control panel when the first temperature at the control panel exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature, transitioning the control panel to a reduced operational mode; when the control panel is in the reduced operational mode (Fig. 6, paragraph [0053], battery temperature monitoring 302, mode 608), measuring a second temperature at the control panel using the temperature sensor included at the battery of the control panel (paragraph [0071], multiple temperature measurements); and when the second temperature at the control panel exceeds the predetermined threshold temperature (Fig. 6, paragraph [0053], battery temperature monitoring 302, mode 610).
Rodriguez does not appear to explicitly disclose outputting an abnormal temperature notification at the control panel.
Tamakoshi discloses an abnormal temperature notification displayed on a display (paragraph [0051]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated outputting an abnormal temperature notification at the control panel, as disclosed by Tamakoshi, into the device of Rodriguez, for the purpose of indicating a status comparing the measurement and stored values (Tamakoshi, paragraph [0051]).
Claim 2
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the reduced operational mode of the control panel produces less heat locally at the control panel than a normal operational mode of the control panel (Rodriguez, paragraphs [0068-0070], Fig. 6, mode 608 and mode 610).
Claim 3
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein transitioning the control panel to the reduced operational mode includes at least one of terminating charging of the battery, dimming a user interface at the control panel, reducing an operating frequency of processing circuitry at the control panel, and turning off a wireless transmitter at the control panel (Rodriguez, paragraphs [0082-0085], regulating to prevent charging operation).
Claim 5
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the control panel is transitioned to the reduced operational mode both when the first temperature at the control panel exceeds the predetermined threshold temperature and after the control panel has determined a lack of an alarm condition (Rodriguez, paragraphs [0068-0070], Fig. 6, mode 608 and mode 610).
Claim 6
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein, when the second temperature at the control panel exceeds the predetermined threshold temperature, maintaining the control panel in the reduced operational mode (Rodriguez, paragraphs [0068-0070], Fig. 6, mode 608 and mode 610).
Claim 7
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: when the control panel is in the reduced operational mode, measuring a third temperature at the control panel using the temperature sensor included at the battery of the control panel (Rodriguez, Fig. 8, paragraph [0098], multiple temperature measurements).
Claim 8
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 7, wherein when the third temperature at the control panel is below the predetermined threshold temperature, transitioning the control panel from the reduced operational mode to a normal operational mode, wherein the normal operational mode consumes more power than the reduced operational mode (Rodriguez, Fig. 8, paragraphs [0097-0099]).
Claim 9
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 8, wherein the control panel is in the normal operational mode when the first temperature at the control panel is measured (Rodriguez, paragraph [0042], normal state initial measurement).
Claim 10
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 7, wherein when the third temperature at the control panel exceeds a second predetermined threshold temperature that is greater than the predetermined threshold temperature, shutting down operation of the control panel (Rodriguez, Fig. 8; paragraphs [0082-0085], regulating to prevent charging operation).
Claim 16
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein outputting the abnormal temperature notification at the control panel includes sending the abnormal temperature notification to a remote device (Tamakoshi, paragraph [0051], remote monitoring).
Claim 17
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein outputting the abnormal temperature notification at the control panel includes providing an abnormal temperature alert locally at the control panel (Tamakoshi, paragraph [0051], alert on display).
Claim 18
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: when the control panel is in the reduced operational mode, measuring a third temperature at the control panel using the temperature sensor included at the battery of the control panel (Rodriguez, Fig. 11, paragraph [0079]); determining a rate of increase of the temperature at the control panel using at least the second temperature and the third temperature each measured when the control panel is in the reduced operational mode; when the rate of increase of the temperature at the control panel is below a predetermined threshold temperature rate of increase, outputting an abnormal temperature warning at the control panel (Rodriguez, paragraphs [0068-0070], Fig. 6, mode 608 and mode 610); and when the rate of increase of the temperature at the control panel is above the predetermined threshold temperature rate of increase (Fig. 11).
Rodriguez does not appear to explicitly disclose outputting an abnormal temperature critical alert at the control panel.
Tamakoshi discloses an abnormal temperature notification displayed on a display (paragraph [0051]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated outputting an abnormal temperature critical alert at the control panel, as disclosed by Tamakoshi, into the device of Rodriguez, for the purpose of indicating a status comparing the measurement and stored values (Tamakoshi, paragraph [0051]).
Claim 19
Rodriguez discloses a control panel comprising: processing circuitry; a battery coupled to the processing circuity; and a temperature sensor at the battery and coupled to the processing circuitry (Fig. 6, paragraph [0053], battery temperature monitoring 302, mode 608), wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: receive, from the temperature sensor at the battery, a first temperature at the control panel, when the first temperature at the control panel exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature, transition the control panel to a reduced operational mode (Rodriguez, Fig. 8, paragraphs [0097-0099]), when the control panel is in the reduced operational mode, receive, from the temperature sensor at the battery, a second temperature at the control panel (Rodriguez, Fig. 8, paragraphs [0097-0099]), and when the second temperature at the control panel exceeds the predetermined threshold temperature (Fig. 6, paragraph [0053], battery temperature monitoring 302, mode 610).
Rodriguez does not appear to explicitly disclose to output an abnormal temperature notification at the control panel.
Tamakoshi discloses an abnormal temperature notification displayed on a display (paragraph [0051]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated output an abnormal temperature notification at the control panel, as disclosed by Tamakoshi, into the device of Rodriguez, for the purpose of indicating a status comparing the measurement and stored values (Tamakoshi, paragraph [0051]).
Claims 4 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Pub. 2017/0092996 (“Rodriguez”) in view of U.S. Patent Pub. 2003/0186111 (“Tamakoshi”), further in view of U.S. Patent No. 10,594,145 (“Wang”).
Claim 4
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 3.
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi does not appear to explicitly disclose wherein transitioning the control panel to the reduced operational mode includes each of dimming the user interface at the control panel and reducing the operating frequency of processing circuitry at the control panel.
Wang discloses reducing operating frequency or dimming a display (col. 5, lns 41-60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated transitioning the control panel to the reduced operational mode includes each of dimming the user interface at the control panel and reducing the operating frequency of processing circuitry at the control panel, as disclosed by Wang, into the device of Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi, for the purpose of providing thermal management of a device (Wang, col. 5, lns 41-60).
Claim 20
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the control panel of claim 19, wherein the control panel further comprises a user interface coupled to the processing circuity (Rodriguez, paragraph [0032]).
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi does not appear to explicitly disclose wherein the processing circuity is configured to transition the control panel to the reduced operational mode by each of dimming the user interface at the control panel and reducing an operating frequency of the processing circuitry at the control panel.
Wang discloses reducing operating frequency or dimming a display (col. 5, lns 41-60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the processing circuity is configured to transition the control panel to the reduced operational mode by each of dimming the user interface at the control panel and reducing an operating frequency of the processing circuitry at the control panel, as disclosed by Wang, into the device of Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi, for the purpose of providing thermal management of a device (Wang, col. 5, lns 41-60).
Claims 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Pub. 2017/0092996 (“Rodriguez”) in view of U.S. Patent Pub. 2003/0186111 (“Tamakoshi”), further in view of U.S. Patent No. 5,187,425 (“Tanikawa”).
Claim 11
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi discloses the method of claim 1.
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi does not appear to explicitly disclose wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor at the battery.
Tanikawa discloses a temperature sensor for a battery is a thermistor (col. 2, lns 13-35).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor at the battery, as disclosed by Tanikawa, into the device of Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi, for the purpose of monitoring a status of an input (Tanikawa, col. 2, lns 13-35).
Claim 12
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi, further in view of Tanikawa discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery, and wherein the thermistor is embedded at the battery to measure a temperature of the battery when the battery is being charged in addition to the temperature at the control panel (Tanikawa, col. 2, lns 13-35).
Claim 13
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi, further in view of Tanikawa discloses he method of claim 12, wherein the first temperature at the control panel is measured when the battery is not being charged (Rodriguez, Fig. 8).
Claim 14
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi, further in view of Tanikawa discloses the method of claim 12, wherein the first temperature at the control panel is measured when the control panel has determined a lack of an alarm condition (Rodriguez, paragraphs [0068-0070], Fig. 6, mode 608 and mode 610).
Claim 15
Rodriguez in view of Tamakoshi, further in view of Tanikawa discloses the method of claim 12, wherein battery is a backup battery (Tanikawa, col. 2, lns 13-35, backup battery used).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERICA S Y LIN whose telephone number is (571)270-7911. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4, TW M,W.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERICA S LIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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