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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/02/2024 was filed after the mailing date of the Application on 12/02/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1-11, 13, and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by TATERA et al. (US 2022/0371877).
With regards to claim 1:
TATERA et al. discloses (refer to Fig. 1 below) an electronic device (controller (101)) for controlling a faucet (104), the electronic device comprising a data processing unit (processor of controller (101)), see [0027]) configured for receiving in input at least an identifying signal (liquid identification data, see [0039]) of at least a first source of conditioned water or fluid of a plurality of sources of conditioned water or fluid (110, 120, 130) configured for being modularly connected to any of a plurality of inlets (111, 121, 131) of said faucet, said plurality of inlets being directly realized on said faucet or being realized in at least a connection module (102) configured for being connected to the faucet (104);
the electronic device comprising at least a first command (actuation component, see [0033]) for selecting a supply of an outlet of the faucet (outlet of the dispenser (104), see [0035]) with a fluid coming from at least an inlet of the plurality of inlets (111, 121, 131) of said faucet; said at least a first command being operatively connected to said data processing unit (see [0033]);
said data processing unit being configured for assigning to said at least a first command (108 via switch (109)) a logical association between said at least a first source of conditioned water or fluid and an inlet of said plurality of inlets (111, 121, 131) to which the first source of conditioned water or fluid is connected, so that said first command, when activated, recalls the logical association and causes a supply of the outlet of said faucet (104) with a fluid supplied from said first source of conditioned water or fluid on said inlet to which the first source of conditioned water or fluid is connected, by making said inlet a first, specific, inlet logically associated to said first source of conditioned water or fluid (see [0033]).
With regards to claim 2:
TATERA et al. discloses the device according to claim 1, wherein the inlets of said plurality of inlets are equal among them and are configured for being selectively pairable, indifferently, to each source of said plurality of sources of conditioned water or fluid (110, 120, 130) (see [0032]: each of the inlets can be associated with one of the first liquid source 110, second liquid source 120, and the third liquid source 130) and/or wherein the data processing unit (101) is configured for storing, in a memory operatively associated to said data processing unit and in a way at least partially automated, the logical association (complex programmable logic device) between said at least a first source of conditioned water or fluid and said first inlet of said plurality of inlets (see [0027]);
wherein said logical association is a univocal logical association, and wherein said data processing unit (101) is configured for receiving in input said identifying signal (108) of said first source of conditioned water or fluid on a wired data transmission channel and/or on a wireless data transmission channel (108).
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Fig. 1
With regards to claim 3:
TATERA et al. discloses (see [0027]) the device according to claim 1, comprising a wired transmission channel (108) comprising at least one among:
- a common data bus for at least the reception of said identifying signal (108) of said first source of conditioned water or fluid or of a second source of conditioned water or fluid of said plurality of sources (110, 120, 130) of conditioned water or fluid, and wherein said data processing unit (101) is configured for storing said logical association through the reception of said identifying signal on said data bus, said identifying signal being an identifying signal univocally identifying a specific source of conditioned water or fluid, in particular said first source of conditioned water or fluid,
- a plurality of data lines (108) each one univocally associated (via Valve (013), Pumps (105, 107)) to a respective inlet of said plurality of inlets (111, 121, 131), and wherein said data processing unit is configured for storing said logical association (complex programmable logic device) through the reception of said identifying signal (108) of the first source of conditioned water or fluid on a data line of said plurality of data lines univocally associated to said first inlet (111, or 121, or 131).
With regards to claim 4:
TATERA et al. discloses (see [0033]-[0039]) the device according to claim 1, wherein said signal (108) is a signal transmitted from said at least a first source of conditioned water or fluid and/or wherein said signal is an electromagnetic signal (since the signal (108) from switch (109) configured to control the solenoid/motor of the valve (103), pumps (105, 107) or magnetic flow meter (see [0033]).
With regards to claim 5:
TATERA et al. discloses the device according to claim 1, comprising a wireless data transmission channel, in particular a radiofrequency wireless transmission channel, and comprising at least an antenna (wireless transmitter/receiver (this is typical for wireless communication)) operatively connected to said data processing unit, wherein said data processing unit is configured for storing said logical association through the reception of said identifying signal through said antenna, said identifying signal being an identifying signal univocally identifying a specific source of conditioned water or fluid, in particular said first source of conditioned water or fluid (see [0028]);
said electronic device optionally comprising a reader for wireless tags, operatively connected to said data processing unit and configured and specifically destined to read a wireless tag positioned on said first source of conditioned water or fluid and to receive said identifying signal at a connection of the first source of conditioned water or fluid to said first inlet, said reader for wireless tags being optionally positioned in substantial correspondence of said first inlet (see [0039]).
With regards to claim 6:
TATERA et al. discloses (see [0033]-[0039]) the device according to claim 2, wherein said data processing unit (101), when said at least a first command is activated, is configured for:
- searching in said memory the logical association corresponding to said first command,
- transmitting at least one between a signal of activation toward said first source of conditioned water or fluid and a signal of opening of at least a valve operatively associated to said first inlet for determining the supply of the outlet of the faucet through water coming from said first source of conditioned water or fluid and/or from said first inlet;
wherein transmitting said at least one between the signal of activation toward said first source of conditioned water or fluid and the signal of opening of said at least a valve (103) operatively associated to said first inlet (131) takes place on said data bus or on said data line (108) operatively associated to said first inlet or on said wireless data transmission channel.
With regards to claim 7:
TATERA et al. discloses (see [0027]) the device according to claim 3, wherein the valve (103) is positioned within said faucet or is positioned within said first source (130) of conditioned water or fluid (110, 120, 130).
With regards to claim 8:
TATERA et al. discloses an electronic for water dispensing, comprising:
- a body (dispenser 104) of the faucet;
- a dispensing command (see [0033]) for adjusting at least one between a water flow and a temperature of the water, said dispensing command being installed on said body;
- an outlet for water dispensing, positioned in a predefined ending position of said body (outlet of the dispenser 104, see [0035]);
- a plurality of inlets (inlet to flow connector (012) coming from liquid sources) modularly selectable and/or installable, each of which is configured and specifically destined to be connected with any source of conditioned water or fluid of a plurality of sources of conditioned water or fluid configured for supplying in use conditioned water or fluid to said faucet (see [0021]); and
- an electronic device according to claim l (see rejected claim 1 above).
With regards to claim 9:
TATERA et al. discloses (refer to Fig. 1 above) the electronic faucet according to claim 8, comprising at least one connection module modules (102) for the inlet of conditioned water or fluid, and wherein at least part of the inlets of said plurality of inlets (111, 121, 131) is arranged on said at least one connection module (102); wherein at least a first part of said plurality of inlets is arranged on said at least a module (102), and wherein a second part (106) of said plurality of inlets is directly connected to the body of the faucet (dispenser 104) and wherein the at least one module (102) is configured and specifically destined to be connected to an inlet of a further connection module for the inlet of conditioned water or fluid or to one of the inlets of the second part of said plurality of inlets (111, 121, 131).
With regards to claim 10:
In making and/or using the device of TATERA et al., one would necessarily perform the method of coupling between a source of conditioned water or fluid and a faucet, comprising:
- a supply of an electronic faucet (100) for water dispensing, comprising a body (dispenser (104)), a dispensing command (108) for adjusting at least one between a water flow and a water temperature, an outlet (104) for water dispensing, positioned in a predefined ending position, of said body, a plurality of inlets (111, 1211, 131) modularly selectable and/or installable, each of which is configured and specifically destined to be connected with any source of conditioned water or fluid of a plurality of sources of conditioned water or fluid (110, 120, 130) configured for supplying in use conditioned water or fluid to said faucet (104) and a command (actuation component, see [0033]) the selection of the supply of conditioned water or fluid from at least an inlet of said plurality of inlets to said outlet (104); and
- a connection of a first source of conditioned water or fluid of said plurality of sources of conditioned water or fluid (110, 120, 130) to any inlet of a plurality of inlets of said faucet, said plurality of inlets being directly realized on said faucet or being realized in at least a connection module (102) configured to be connected to the faucet (104).
With regards to claim 11:
TATERA et al. discloses the method according to claim 10, comprising a step of connection of at least one module (102) for the inlet of conditioned water or fluid to the body of said faucet (104), in such a way that at least part of the inlets of said plurality of inlets (111, 121, 131, 106) is arranged on said at least one module (102), preferably on said plurality of modules;
in such a way that at least a first part (111, 121, 131) of said plurality of inlets is arranged on said at least one module (102), and a second part (106) of said plurality of inlets is directly connected to the body of the faucet (104), the at least a module being configured and specifically destined to be connected to an inlet of another module for the inlet of conditioned water or fluid or to one of the inlets of the second part of said plurality of inlets.
With regards to claim 13:
TATERA et al. discloses the method according to claim 10, comprising a step of transmission of at least an identifying signal (108), said transmission being carried out from said at least a first source of conditioned water or fluid and/or wherein said identifying signal is an electromagnetic signal (since the signal (108) from switch (109) configured to control the solenoid/motor of the valve (103), pumps (105, 107) or magnetic flow meter (see [0033]).
With regards to claim 15:
TATERA et al. discloses (see [0027], [0033]-[0039]) the method according to claim 10, comprising an activation of said first command (actuation component, see [0033]) and a subsequent step of supply of the outlet of said faucet (104) with a fluid supplied from said first source of conditioned water or fluid on said first inlet, said step of supply taking place by effect of the activation of said first command.
With regards to claim 16:
TATERA et al. discloses the method according to claim 12, wherein said logical connection between said first source of conditioned water or fluid and said data processing unit determines the transmission of said at least an identifying signal (18) of said first source of conditioned water or fluid on a wired data transmission channel comprising at least one among:
- a common data bus for at least the reception of said identifying signal (18) of said first source of conditioned water or fluid or of a second source of conditioned water or fluid of said plurality of sources of conditioned water or fluid, and wherein the storage occurs after a reception of said identifying signal on said data bus, said identifying signal being an identifying signal univocally identifying a specific source of conditioned water or fluid (see [0027]), and
- a plurality of data lines (108) each one univocally associated to a respective inlet of said plurality of inlets, and wherein the storage occurs after a reception of said identifying signal of the first source of conditioned water or fluid on the data line univocally associated to said first inlet.
With regards to claim 17:
TATERA et al. discloses (see rejected claim 5 above) the method according to claim 12, wherein said logical connection between said first source of conditioned water or fluid and said data processing unit determines the transmission of said at least an identifying signal of said first source of conditioned water or fluid on a wireless transmission channel, wherein at least an antenna is operatively connected to said data processing unit, and wherein the storage occurs after a reception of said identifying signal through said antenna, said identifying signal being an identifying signal univocally identifying a specific source of conditioned water or fluid.
With regards to claim 18:
TATERA et al. discloses (see [0033]-[0039]) the method according to claim 10, comprising a step of activation of said first command, a step of searching, in said memory, the logical association corresponding to said first command, and a step of transmission of at least one between a signal of activation toward said first source of conditioned water or fluid and a signal of opening of at least a valve operatively associated to said first inlet for allowing the supply of the outlet of the faucet through water or fluid coming from said first source of conditioned water or fluid and/or from said first inlet, said step of searching and said step of transmission taking place after, and as consequence, of said activation of said first command.
With regards to claim 19:
TATERA et al. discloses (see [0033]-[0039]) the method according to claim 18, wherein the valve (103) is positioned within said faucet or is positioned within said first source of conditioned water or fluid (110, 120, 130) and wherein the step of transmission of said at least one between the signal of activation toward said first source of conditioned water or fluid and the signal of opening of at least a valve occurs on said data bus or on said data line operatively associated to said first inlet or on said wireless data transmission channel (108).
With regards to claim 20:
TATERA et al. discloses (see [0027], [0033]-[0039]) the method according to claim 17, wherein said specific source of conditioned water or fluid is said first source of conditioned water or fluid (110, 120, 130), and wherein said logical connection between said first source of conditioned water or fluid and said data processing unit determines the transmission of said at least an identifying signal of said first source of conditioned water or fluid through a wireless tag positioned on said first source of conditioned water or fluid and comprises a reception of said identifying signal of said first source of conditioned water or fluid by a reader for wireless tags operatively connected to said data processing unit and configured and specifically destined to read the wireless tag positioned on said first source of conditioned water or fluid, said reader for wireless tags being positioned in substantial correspondence of said first inlet.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12 and 14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Minh Le, whose telephone number is 571-270-3805. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:30AM-5:00PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors can be reached by phone. Kenneth Rinehart can be reached at 571-272-4881 or Craig Schneider can be reached at 571-272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MINH Q LE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3753