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 Objections
Claims 15 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities: “the or each” is confusing. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1, 8 and 12, the limitations "container", “dispensing unit” and "range" in lines 3, 4 and 1, respectively. There are insufficient antecedent bases for these limitations in the claims.
Regarding claims 8 and 11, terms "weight sensor readings" in lines 2 and 3, respectively and further, the phrase "a weight sensor reading with a predetermined periodicity T" (claim 11, line 3), which appear to be unclear and thereby render the claims indefinite. These terms are defined with an indefinite article, causing a lack of clarity as to whether they are intended to refer to the same elements previously defined in the claims or additional elements thereto. Clarification and correction are required.
Claims 2-7, 9 and 13-19 are also rejected as being dependent from a rejected base claim.
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.
Claims 1-13 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ufford et al (WO 2006116665 A1) in view of Bartos (US 20190307648 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 a weight sensor unit (100) comprising: a weight sensor (204) configured to output weight sensor readings indicative of the weight (Fig.2) of the container (200), a transmission device (212) configured to transmit wireless signals (page 9); a processor (206), coupled to the weight sensor (204) and to the transmission device (212), and a battery (214), wherein the weight sensor (204), transmission device (212) and processor (206) are powered by the battery (214); wherein the processor (206) is configured to: receive one or more weight sensor readings (page 9) output by the weight sensor (204), and transmit the one or more weight sensor readings (page 9) wirelessly using the transmission device (212).
Even though Ufford discloses a weight sensor (204) configured to output weight sensor readings indicative of the weight (Fig.2) of the container (200), for purpose of examination, the examiner will also consider Bartos.
Bartos teaches a weight sensor (detector device 102 comprises a scale or weighing sensor) configured to output weight sensor readings indicative of the weight of the container (para [0122]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use Ufford’s system for detecting and reporting the presence and/or weight of inventory items with Bartos’ detector device/weight sensor because this will provide real-time weight monitoring and increase the accuracy of the tracking of items.
Regarding claim 2, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 the weight sensor unit (100), wherein the transmission device (212) is configured to transmit wireless signals (page 9) with a signal power sufficient (Fig.2) to reach a wireless gateway or a wireless access point (Fig.2).
The motivation for this would be the same as the one listed above.
Regarding claim 3, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 the weight sensor unit (100), wherein the transmission device (212) is configured to transmit wireless signals (page 9) with a signal power providing a range of signal reception lying in the range of (i) 1 to 500 m, (ii) 50 to 500 m, (iii) 50 to 400 m or (iv) 100 to 400 m (page 17).
Regarding claim 4, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 the weight sensor unit (100), wherein (i) the transmission device (212). Ufford fails to explicitly disclose a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmitter, and the wireless signals are BLE signals or (ii) the transmission device is an ultra-wide band (UWB) transmitter, and the wireless signals are UWB signals.
Bartos teaches the use of various communication methods including Bluetooth and ultrawide band (para [0036], [0111], [0118], [0121] and [0143]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use Ufford’s system for detecting and reporting the presence and/or weight of inventory items with Bartos’ various communication methods because these will provide real-time/remote weight monitoring.
Regarding claim 5, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 the weight sensor unit (100), wherein the weight sensor unit (100) further comprises a wireless transceiver (page 10) configured to wirelessly interact with devices (ex: PDA) placed in proximity thereto.
Regarding claim 6, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 the weight sensor unit (100), wherein the transceiver (page 10) comprises a NFC transceiver (the use of wireless transceivers such as NFC transceivers to communicate with other wireless devices nearby (PDA) is well known in the field of weighing sensors.
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use Ufford’s weight sensor unit with a NFC transceiver because this will provide real-time and remote weight monitoring of the items.
Regarding claim 7, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 the weight sensor unit (100), wherein all electronic components (Fig.2) of the weight sensor unit are powered by the battery (214).
Regarding claim 8, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 the weight sensor unit (100), wherein the processor (206) is configured to receive a weight sensor reading (page 9) output by the weight sensor (204); construct a weight sensor reporting message (page 9), the weight sensor reporting message including (i) identifying data (page 9) related to the dispensing unit (ex: bin) or to the weight sensor unit (100) and (ii) the weight sensor reading (page 9), and transmit the weight sensor reporting message using the transmission device (212).
Regarding claim 9, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 the weight sensor unit (100), wherein (i) the weight sensor unit (100) has a weight sensor unit ID (page 11) and/or a weight sensor unit type ID, and the identifying data comprises or additionally includes the weight sensor unit ID (page 11) and/or the weight sensor unit type ID and/or (ii) the transmission device (212) has a transmission device ID and/or a transmission device type ID, and the identifying data comprises or additionally includes the transmission device ID and/or the transmission device type ID (page 11).
Furthermore, Bartos aslo discloses the limitations listed above in para [0126].
The motivation would be the same as the one stated for claim 1.
Regarding claim 10, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 the weight sensor unit (100), wherein the weight sensor unit ID is unique (implied; page 11) to the weight sensor unit (100) and/or the transmission device ID is unique (implied; page 11) to the transmission device (212).
Furthermore, Bartos aslo discloses the limitations listed above in para [0126].
The motivation would be the same as the one stated for claim 1.
Regarding claim 11, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 the weight sensor unit (100), wherein: the processor (206); weight sensor (204); weight sensor reading (page 9). Ufford fails to explicitly disclose configured to repeatedly poll with a predetermined periodicity T.
Bartos teaches configured to repeatedly poll with a predetermined periodicity T (para [0122]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use Ufford’s weight sensor unit with repeated polling as taught by Bartos because this will improve consistency and reliability for data management.
Regarding claim 12, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 the weight sensor unit (100). Ufford fails to explicitly disclose wherein (i) T is in the range 1 to 10 minutes, (ii) T is in the range 2 to 5 minutes or (iii) T is 3 minutes.
Bartos teaches T is in the range 1 to 10 minutes, (ii) T is in the range 2 to 5 minutes or (iii) T is 3 minutes (para [0122]).
The motivation would be the same as the one stated above.
Regarding claim 13, Ufford discloses in figures 1-16 the weight sensor unit (100); a dispensing unit (ex: bin), comprising: a container (200) configured to receive or support the stock items (page 14); configured to support, in use, the container (200). For purpose of examination, the examiner will consider the bin as described in Bartos.
Bartos teaches a bin (Abstract) the comprising: a container (200) configured to receive or support the stock items (para [0085]); configured to support (Fig.1), in use, the container (200).
The motivation would be the same as the one stated for claim 1.
Regarding claim 18, Ufford discloses the dispensing unit (ex: bin), wherein the container (200) has a container ID and/or a container type ID and/or the container ID is unique (page 11) to the container (200).
Furthermore, Bartos also discloses the dispensing unit (Abstract), wherein the container (200) has a container ID and/or a container type ID and/or the container ID is unique (para [0117] and [0119]) to the container (200).
The motivation would be the same as the one stated above.
Regarding claim 19, Ufford discloses the dispensing unit (ex: bin), wherein the identifying data (page 11) comprises the container ID and/or the container type ID (page 11).
Furthermore, Bartos also discloses the dispensing unit (ex: bin), wherein the identifying data (para [0117] and [0119]) comprises the container ID and/or the container type ID (para [0117] and [0119]).
The motivation would be the same as the one stated above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-17 are rejected and would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 14, the prior art fails to explicitly disclose supporting the container through cooperating surfaces, cooperating elements whereby the weight sensor unit engages a respective bin in a supporting configuration and/or the weight sensor unit is detachably physically coupled to the container.
Regarding claim 15, the prior art fails to explicitly disclose the cooperating elements comprise at least one respective retention member disposed at a right upper lateral edge and a left upper lateral edge of the weight sensor unit, the or each retention member extending partly or fully along the length of a respective edge.
Regarding claim 16, the prior art fails to explicitly disclose the cooperating elements comprise at least one respective retention member disposed at and protruding from a right upper lateral edge, a left upper lateral edge and a rear upper lateral edge of the weight sensor unit, the retention members having an “L” shape longitudinal cross section.
Regarding claim 17, the prior art fails to explicitly disclose wherein the cooperating elements comprise, at each of a right lower lateral edge, a left lower lateral edge and/or a rear lower lateral edge a respective elongate flange part, the or each elongate flange part extending partly or fully along the length of a respective edge.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MIREILLE SANDRA SADATE-MOUALEU whose telephone number is (571)272-2862. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 0730-1700.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Peter Macchiarolo can be reached at 571-272-2375. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MIREILLE S SADATE-MOUALEU/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/PETER J MACCHIAROLO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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