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 .
DETAILED ACTION
The action is in response to the Applicant’s communication filed on 09/24/2024.
Claims 1-20 are pending, where claims 1, 9 and 17 are independent.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/11/2026 has been filed after the filing date of the application. 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 § 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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
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 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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nagoshi, et al. USPGPub No. 20040070630 A1 in view of Amaro, et al. USPGPub No. 20220404790 A1.
As to claim 1, Nagoshi discloses A method for interfacing between client devices and industrial automation devices in industrial automation environments (Nagoshi [0027-62] “server system - controller 105 controls printer 110 to print the image data stored - plurality of multifunction apparatuses - connected to network 115 - Distribution server 200 and client 300” [abstract] see Fig. 1-11), the method comprising, by a client device:
submitting a capabilities request to an industrial automation device for options of a capability supported by the industrial automation device, [the industrial automation device being configured to control a process element in an industrial automation environment;] receiving a capabilities response from the industrial automation device indicative of one or more options of the capability; displaying the one or more options of the capability in a user interface; receiving, via the user interface, a configuration selection of one of the one or more options; (Nagoshi [0027-62] “plurality of multifunction apparatuses - generating menu information for jobs to be executed by multifunction apparatus 100, displaying menu display capability information and job capability information of multifunction apparatus 100, and displaying log information - Distribution server GUI processor 201 connected to menu information processor 203, job capability processor 204, log information processor 205, and network interface controller 206, via distribution server interface processor 202” [abstract] “display capability information and job capability information of the multifunction apparatus - personalized menu information generated, by a user, based on a menu item name (set within the range of the display capability) and a function (selected from the job capability)” [0027-62] See Fig. 1-11, server system, interfacing server, client, generating menu information for jobs to be executed by multifunction apparatus and displaying menu and job capability stored, menu capability display and select function from job capability obviously provides submitting a capabilities request to an industrial automation device for options of a capability supported by the industrial automation device; receiving plurality of capability options; displaying the one or more options of the capability in a user interface; receiving, via the user interface, a configuration selection of one of the one or more options) and
submitting, to the industrial automation device, a command request to configure the capability based on the configuration selection (Nagoshi [0027-62] “plurality of multifunction apparatuses - generating menu information for jobs to be executed by multifunction apparatus 100, displaying menu display capability information and job capability information of multifunction apparatus 100, and displaying log information - Distribution server GUI processor 201 connected to menu information processor 203, job capability processor 204, log information processor 205, and network interface controller 206, via distribution server interface processor 202 - network interface controller 206 transmits menu information to multifunction apparatus 100 - as a response to the menu information request - user selects one of the menu items displayed on panel 111 of multifunction apparatus 100, multifunction apparatus 100 executes the job according to the defined job ID with defined job parameters of the menu information” [abstract] “display capability information and job capability information of the multifunction apparatus - personalized menu information generated, by a user, based on a menu item name (set within the range of the display capability) and a function (selected from the job capability)” [0027-62] See Fig. 1-11, server system, interfacing server, client, generating menu information for jobs to be executed by multifunction apparatus and displaying menu and job capability stored, upon receiving menu display capability and select function from job capability, controller transmits menu information to multifunction apparatus and executes job according to defined job ID and parameters of the menu information obviously provides submitting, to the industrial automation device, a command request to configure the capability based on the configuration selection).
However, Amaro discloses the industrial automation device being configured to control a process element in an industrial automation environment (Amaro [0002-27] “distributed industrial process control systems - in chemical, petroleum, industrial or other process plants to manufacture, refine, transform, generate, or produce physical materials or products, include one or more process controllers communicatively coupled to one or more field devices via physical layers - valves, valve positioners, switches and transmitters (e.g., temperature, pressure, level and flow rate sensors), are located within the process environment of the industrial process plant - generally perform physical process control functions such as opening or closing valves, measuring process and/or environmental parameters such as flow, temperature or pressure, etc. to control one or more processes executing within the process plant or system - receive signals indicative of process measurements made by the field devices and/or other information pertaining to the field devices and execute a control routine or application that runs - generate process control signals based on the received information and coordinate with the control modules or blocks being performed in the field devices - distributed industrial process control systems - process control system of an industrial process plant - process control system automation implemented - industrial process control implemented in a hyper-converged computer system infrastructure environment - software defined process control system dynamically and automatically manages software and hardware resources to support dynamic demands of process control system” [abstract] see Fig. 1-46, industrial process control system of an industrial plant, process control automation system, dynamic and automatic management to support dynamic demands of process control system obviously provides industrial automation device being configured to control a process element in an industrial automation environment).
Nagoshi and Amaro are analogous arts from the same field of endeavor and contain overlapping structural and functional similarities and both contain process control system.
Therefore, at the time the invention was made, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the above functionalities control process element in industrial automation environment, as taught by Nagoshi, and incorporating industrial process control system of an industrial plant, process control automation system, dynamic and automatic management to support dynamic demands of process control system, as taught by Amaro.
As to the independent claims 9 and 17, the claims recite similar limitations as the independent claim 1 and rejected using same rational as stated above.
As to claim 2, the combination of Nagoshi and Amaro disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method of claim 1, wherein the capability is a first capability, and wherein the method further comprises, by the client device: in response to receiving the capabilities response, populating a device profile with the one or more options of the first capability, wherein the device profile comprises plurality of capabilities of the industrial automation device including the first capability and the one or more options of the first capability, and wherein the displaying the one or more options of the first capability comprises retrieving the one or more options of the first capability from the device profile for display (Nagoshi [0027-62] “plurality of multifunction apparatuses - generating menu information for jobs to be executed by multifunction apparatus 100, displaying menu display capability information and job capability information of multifunction apparatus 100, and displaying log information - Distribution server GUI processor 201 connected to menu information processor 203, job capability processor 204, log information processor 205, and network interface controller 206, via distribution server interface processor 202 - network interface controller 206 transmits menu information to multifunction apparatus 100 - as a response to the menu information request - user selects one of the menu items displayed on panel 111 of multifunction apparatus 100, multifunction apparatus 100 executes the job according to the defined job ID with defined job parameters of the menu information” [abstract] “display capability information and job capability information of the multifunction apparatus - personalized menu information generated, by a user, based on a menu item name (set within the range of the display capability) and a function (selected from the job capability)” [0027-62] See Fig. 1-11, generating menu information for jobs to be executed by plurality of multifunction apparatus and capabilities, displaying menu and job capability stored, upon receiving menu display capability information and select function from job capability obviously provides the limitation).
As to claims 10 and 18, the claim recites similar limitations as claim 2 and rejected using same rational as stated above.
As to claims 3, 11 and 19, the combination of Nagoshi and Amaro disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method of claim 2 wherein the populating the device profile comprises: retrieving, for each of the one or more options, an option definition from a schema, wherein the schema comprises definitions for all options of the capability available across multiple devices, wherein the one or more options is a subset of the all options, and binding each retrieved option definition to the device profile (Nagoshi [0027-62] “plurality of multifunction apparatuses - generating menu information for jobs to be executed by multifunction apparatus 100, displaying menu display capability information and job capability information of multifunction apparatus 100, and displaying log information - Distribution server GUI processor 201 connected to menu information processor 203, job capability processor 204, log information processor 205, and network interface controller 206, via distribution server interface processor 202 - network interface controller 206 transmits menu information to multifunction apparatus 100 - as a response to the menu information request - user selects one of the menu items displayed on panel 111 of multifunction apparatus 100, multifunction apparatus 100 executes the job according to the defined job ID with defined job parameters of the menu information” [abstract] “display capability information and job capability information of the multifunction apparatus - personalized menu information generated, by a user, based on a menu item name (set within the range of the display capability) and a function (selected from the job capability)” [0027-62] See Fig. 1-11, generating menu information for jobs to be executed by plurality of multifunction apparatus and capabilities, displaying menu and job capability stored, upon receiving menu display capability information and select function from job capability obviously provides the limitation).
As to claims 4 and 12, the combination of Nagoshi and Amaro disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method of claim 1, wherein the submitting the command request to the industrial automation device comprises submitting the command request via a mapping service, and wherein the method further comprises, by the mapping service: receiving the command request, translating the command request to a domain-specific command request adapted to the industrial automation device, and forwarding the domain-specific command request to the industrial automation device (Nagoshi [0027-62] “plurality of multifunction apparatuses - generating menu information for jobs to be executed by multifunction apparatus 100, displaying menu display capability information and job capability information of multifunction apparatus 100, and displaying log information - Distribution server GUI processor 201 connected to menu information processor 203, job capability processor 204, log information processor 205, and network interface controller 206, via distribution server interface processor 202 - network interface controller 206 transmits menu information to multifunction apparatus 100 - as a response to the menu information request - user selects one of the menu items displayed on panel 111 of multifunction apparatus 100, multifunction apparatus 100 executes the job according to the defined job ID with defined job parameters of the menu information” [abstract] “display capability information and job capability information of the multifunction apparatus - personalized menu information generated, by a user, based on a menu item name (set within the range of the display capability) and a function (selected from the job capability)” [0002-12] “multifunction apparatus receives and utilizes a menu information necessary for its operation via network, a server distributes the menu information to the multifunction apparatus, a server system consists of the multifunction apparatus and the server - for controlling the multifunction apparatus - scanned data transmitted to selected address of the distribution destination via the server - special menu screen minimizes a number of operations for reaching a desired menu item, and stores the menu screen inside of the user's apparatus” See Fig. 1-11, generating menu information for jobs to be executed by plurality of multifunction apparatus and capabilities, displaying menu and job capability stored, upon receiving menu display capability information and select function from job capability, set within range of display capability obviously provides receiving the command request, translating the command request to a domain-specific command request adapted to the industrial automation device).
As to claims 5 and 13, the combination of Nagoshi and Amaro disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method of claim 4 further comprising, by the mapping service:
submitting, to the industrial automation device, an addressing request for addressing information associated with the capability; receiving, from the industrial automation device, an addressing response having the addressing information associated with the capability; and storing the addressing information, wherein the translating the command request comprises utilizing the addressing information to generate the domain-specific command request (Nagoshi [0027-62] “plurality of multifunction apparatuses - generating menu information for jobs to be executed by multifunction apparatus 100, displaying menu display capability information and job capability information of multifunction apparatus 100, and displaying log information - Distribution server GUI processor 201 connected to menu information processor 203, job capability processor 204, log information processor 205, and network interface controller 206, via distribution server interface processor 202 - network interface controller 206 transmits menu information to multifunction apparatus 100 - as a response to the menu information request - user selects one of the menu items displayed on panel 111 of multifunction apparatus 100, multifunction apparatus 100 executes the job according to the defined job ID with defined job parameters of the menu information” [abstract] “display capability information and job capability information of the multifunction apparatus - personalized menu information generated, by a user, based on a menu item name (set within the range of the display capability) and a function (selected from the job capability)” [0027-62] See Fig. 1-11, generating menu information for jobs to be executed by plurality of multifunction apparatus and capabilities, displaying menu and job capability stored, upon receiving menu display capability information and select function from job capability obviously provides the limitation).
As to claims 6 and 14, the combination of Nagoshi and Amaro disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method of claim 5 further comprising, by the industrial automation device:
receiving the addressing request; retrieving the addressing information from a capabilities list maintained in the industrial automation device; and providing, to the mapping service, the addressing response (Nagoshi [0027-62] “plurality of multifunction apparatuses - generating menu information for jobs to be executed by multifunction apparatus 100, displaying menu display capability information and job capability information of multifunction apparatus 100, and displaying log information - Distribution server GUI processor 201 connected to menu information processor 203, job capability processor 204, log information processor 205, and network interface controller 206, via distribution server interface processor 202 - network interface controller 206 transmits menu information to multifunction apparatus 100 - as a response to the menu information request - user selects one of the menu items displayed on panel 111 of multifunction apparatus 100, multifunction apparatus 100 executes the job according to the defined job ID with defined job parameters of the menu information” [abstract] “display capability information and job capability information of the multifunction apparatus - personalized menu information generated, by a user, based on a menu item name (set within the range of the display capability) and a function (selected from the job capability)” [0027-62] See Fig. 1-11, generating menu information for jobs to be executed by plurality of multifunction apparatus and capabilities, displaying menu and job capability stored, upon receiving menu display capability information and select function from job capability obviously provides the limitation).
As to claims 7 and 15, the combination of Nagoshi and Amaro disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method of claim 1 further comprising, by the industrial automation device:
receiving the capabilities request from the client device; retrieving identifications of the one or more options from a capabilities list maintained in the industrial automation device; and providing the capabilities response to the client device, the capabilities response comprising the identifications of the one or more options (Nagoshi [0027-62] “plurality of multifunction apparatuses - generating menu information for jobs to be executed by multifunction apparatus 100, displaying menu display capability information and job capability information of multifunction apparatus 100, and displaying log information - Distribution server GUI processor 201 connected to menu information processor 203, job capability processor 204, log information processor 205, and network interface controller 206, via distribution server interface processor 202 - network interface controller 206 transmits menu information to multifunction apparatus 100 - as a response to the menu information request - user selects one of the menu items displayed on panel 111 of multifunction apparatus 100, multifunction apparatus 100 executes the job according to the defined job ID with defined job parameters of the menu information” [abstract] “display capability information and job capability information of the multifunction apparatus - personalized menu information generated, by a user, based on a menu item name (set within the range of the display capability) and a function (selected from the job capability)” [0027-62] See Fig. 1-11, generating menu information for jobs to be executed by plurality of multifunction apparatus and capabilities, displaying menu and job capability stored, upon receiving menu display capability information and select function from job capability obviously provides the limitation).
As to claims 8, 16 and 20, the combination of Nagoshi and Amaro disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method of claim 1, wherein the industrial automation device comprises a motor control device, and wherein the capability comprises one of start control, stop control, torque control, acceleration rates, direction control, overload protection, voltage control, and preset speed (Amaro [0076-204] “field devices 60 disposed in the field environment 12 - field devices 60 include valves, actuators, pumps, sensors, etc., which generate data signals and receive control signals to thereby control their respective physical operations in the plant 10 - communicatively connected with - known industrial automation wired protocol” [0002-27] “distributed industrial process control systems - in chemical, petroleum, industrial or other process plants to manufacture, refine, transform, generate, or produce physical materials or products, include one or more process controllers communicatively coupled to one or more field devices via physical layers - valves, valve positioners, switches and transmitters (e.g., temperature, pressure, level and flow rate sensors), are located within the process environment of the industrial process plant - generally perform physical process control functions such as opening or closing valves, measuring process and/or environmental parameters such as flow, temperature or pressure, etc. to control one or more processes executing within the process plant or system” [abstract] see Fig. 1-46, field devices include valves, actuators, pumps (includes motor), receive control signals to control the respective physical operations in the plant obviously provides the limitation).
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
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 2141.02 VI. PRIOR ART MUST BE CONSIDERED IN ITS ENTIRETY, i.e., as a whole and 2123.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art made of record:
Lawson, et al. USPGPub No. 2016/0246292 A1 discloses a smart device facilitates automated configuration and integration of the device within an automation system identifies other devices on the system and determines its role within a system.
Gopalan, et al. USPGPub No. 2016/0270145 A1 discloses a method for establishing a persistent miracast session with a sink device, storing identifier of sink device, a session identifier, and configuration parameters, and verifying the stored identifier of the sink device to reestablish persistent miracast session between source device and sink device.
Mazur, et al. USPGPub No. 2021/0216061 A1 discloses an automatically commissioning industrial device assemblies to a controller of an industrial device assembly provides subsequent automatic commissioning of industrial equipment.
Stump, et al. USPGPub No. 2023/0206180 A1 discloses an industrial integrated development environment remotely submit design input to automation system project maintaining project consistency and selectively synchronizing project among multiple locally stored versions of the system project.
Mazur, et al. USPGPub No. 2022/019199 A1 discloses a system for performing industrial automation control include a first device generates a first set of data formatted according to a first protocol and a second device that generates an automation command to control first device based on the first data set.
Talanis, et al. USPGPub No. 2023/0034951 A1 discloses a system for data transmission between a client device, a server device and a plurality of automation devices to load one of the descriptive representations based on a hostname identifying one of the pluralities of automation devices.
Prajapati, et al. USPGPub No. 2021/0276181 discloses a dynamic messaging system for factory automation devices provides flexible data transport, presentation and scheduling to robot controllers using configuration templates loadable without rebooting controller or affecting ongoing operations of the robot.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Md Azad whose telephone @(571)272-0553 or email: md.azad@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Thu 9AM-5PM.
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/Md Azad/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2119
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