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 .
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.
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.
Regarding all rejections below, it is noted that D1 is also identified as KR-20230060280-A.
Claim(s) 1-3, 11, 12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 (KR 10-2023-0060280 A to SEO, Ho Young 04 May 2023).
Re Claim 1
D1 discloses:
An air pressure control mattress device comprising:
a mattress unit (see all figures);
a control unit (MCU);
a pump unit (15); and
a user input unit (UI – user interface associated with the MCU);
wherein the mattress unit comprises a plurality of air cells supplied with air from the pump unit (air cells 6, 6a, 6b etc);
wherein the control unit comprises a processor (inherent with the MCU), … , at least one pressure sensor measuring air pressure within the air cells (see 8, Sa, Sb), and at least one air pressure control unit controlling air intake and exhaust of the air cells based on the instructions executed by the processor (see paragraphs [0023], [0033], [0041], [0051] and [0053]-[0054], and fig. 7-8).
D1 does not explicitly disclose:
a memory storing at least one instruction for air pressure control
The above would have been readily obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date as it is a common feature for memory to store instructions for controllers including for air pressure control. The above is old and well known in the art for facilitating control and as a commonplace means for achieving control of air pressures in a bed / mattress. It would have been readily apparent given the features disclosed in D1 in which the controller (MCU) including the operating program and the memory controls the injection and discharge of the compressed air (9) of the air pockets (6, 6a, 6b) (see paragraphs [0033] and [0053]-[0054], and fig. 7-8). Therefore, modifying D1 to include the limitation at issue would have been obvious for facilitating control and as a commonplace means for achieving control of air pressures in a bed / mattress.
Re Claim 2
D1 as modified above further discloses:
wherein the air pressure control unit comprises at least one valve (10) for injecting air into or discharging air from the air cells (see paragraphs [0047], [0049] and [0054], and fig. 7-8).
Re Claim 3
D1 as modified above discloses all claim limitations, see above, except:
wherein the instructions, when the control unit receives a first input from the user input unit, are further executed by the processor to:
inject air into the air cells via the at least one valve,
continuously receive the air pressure in each air cell from the pressure sensor, and
stop the air injection into the air cells via the at least one valve for air cells where the received air pressure reaches a first set value.
D1 discloses features in which, when the reference pressure value is set by the input means, the controller (MCU) including the operation program performs control to inject the compressed air (9) into the air pockets (6, 6a, 6b) through the 3-way valves (10) and then close the 3-way valves (10), to receive the pressure of the compressed air (9) inside
the air pockets (6, 6a, 6b) from the pressure sensors (8, Sa, Sb), and to maintain the current pressure when the received pressure of the compressed air (9) falls within a reference pressure range (see paragraphs [0033], [0041], [0051] and [0053]-[0054], and fig. 7-8). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify D1 to further include the features as claimed above as part of the instructions since the entirety of the feature set itself is already disclosed in D1, which is merely silent as to the instructions component. The same reasons as discussed above apply. See above for details.
Re Claim 11
D1 as modified above discloses all claim limitations, see above, except:
wherein the instructions, when the control unit receives a sixth input from the user input unit, are executed by the processor to: inject air via valves corresponding to the air cells located under at least one of a user's head, chest, buttocks, or heels, and send a pump operation signal to the pump unit.
D1 does not necessarily disclose the above in the instructions, but does disclose the feature in general (i.e. the reference pressure value is set by the input means, the controller (MCU) including the operating program operates the air pump (15) to inject or discharge the compressed air (9) through the 3-way valves (10) corresponding to the air pockets (6, 6a, 6b) located under body portions (5a, 5b, 5c) of a patient (5) (see paragraphs [0033], [0041], [0047], [0049] and [0053]-[0054], and fig. 7-8).). It does not disclose that it is a part of a sixth input, but there is no criticality to the number of the input and any number input would equally be able to achieve the same function. Therefore it would have been readily apparent and obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to modify D1 to have the above as part of the instructions and input as claimed in furtherance of the processor achieving its disclosed function(s); see above for details.
Re Claim 12
D1 as modified above discloses all claim limitations, see above, except:
wherein the instructions, when the control unit receives a sixth input from the user input unit, are executed by the processor to discharge air via valves corresponding to the air cells located under at least one of a user's head, chest, buttocks, or heels.
D1 does not necessarily disclose the above in the instructions, but does disclose the feature in general (i.e. the reference pressure value is set by the input means, the controller (MCU) including the operating program operates the air pump (15) to inject or discharge the compressed air (9) through the 3-way valves (10) corresponding to the air pockets (6, 6a, 6b) located under body portions (5a, 5b, 5c) of a patient (5) (see paragraphs [0033], [0041], [0047], [0049] and [0053]-[0054], and fig. 7-8).). It does not disclose that it is a part of a sixth input, but there is no criticality to the number of the input and any number input would equally be able to achieve the same function. Therefore it would have been readily apparent and obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to modify D1 to have the above as part of the instructions and input as claimed in furtherance of the processor achieving its disclosed function(s); see above for details.
Re Claim 14
D1 as modified above further discloses:
wherein the air cells located under at least one of a user's head, chest, buttocks, or heels comprise a filler inside (the filler being the air with which the cells are inflated; see all figs; see above).
Claim(s) 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 (KR 10-2023-0060280 A to SEO, Ho Young 04 May 2023) in view of Strobel et al. (US 20030061662 and hereinafter “Strobel”).
Re Claim 13
D1 as modified above discloses all claim limitations, see above, except:
wherein the air pressure control unit further comprises at least one optical sensor for checking the status of the valves.
Strobel teaches using optical sensors for checking the status of valves in [0027] so as to determine the position and status of a valve as is commonly known in the art. It would therefore have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to modify D1 with the teachings above for the purpose(s) as articulated above.
Claim(s) 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 (KR 10-2023-0060280 A to SEO, Ho Young 04 May 2023) in view of D3 (US 20200146909 to Hill-Rom / Bobey et al.).
Re Claim 15
D1 as modified above discloses all claim limitations, see above, except:
wherein the control unit further comprises at least one angle sensor for measuring an angle between at least one of the air cells and the ground surface.
D3 teaches a mattress with air zones and further teaches using at least one angle sensor for measuring an angle between the at least one of the air cells and the ground surface for the purpose of positioning control and determination (see angle sensor 502 and see abstract, paragraphs [0077], [0085] and [0093], and fig. 2 and 5-6). It would therefore have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to modify D1 as modified above to include the teachings above for the purpose(s) as articulated above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-10 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. See also US 20030061662 A1 regarding the optical sensor for a valve, particularly [0027]. US 20060184079 A1 discloses the same subject matter regarding optical sensors and valves; see paragraphs 0069, 0084, and 0099.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID E SOSNOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-7944. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM and 9 PM through 11:59 PM Monday through Friday, generally.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Justin Mikowski can be reached at (571)272-8525. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID E. SOSNOWSKI/
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 3673
/David E Sosnowski/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3673
