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 § 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.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, regards as the invention.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the water […] connectors" in lines 5-6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The water connectors seem to be introduced in claim 6 but claim 8 does not depend upon claim 6. For the purpose of compact prosecution, the Examiner interpret that the claim could depend upon claim 6.
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 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doyle et al. (US 20240099209), hereinafter Doyle, in view of Westlind et al. (US 20200329654), hereinafter Westlind.
Regarding claim 1, Doyle teaches of (fig. 16) an automated plant production system (¶0053, 0146, invention has automated systems controlled by a computer) comprising:
a primary control hub (cloud management system 200) comprising a controller (¶0042, remote controller system);
a plurality of plant growth modules (fig. 2, High Cube Refrigerated Shipping Container (HCRSC) container 100), each plant growth module comprising:
a secondary hub (growlink control panel system controller 175 in the container farm) in communication with and controlled by the primary hub (fig. 16, ¶0008, can control the system controller 175 remotely from a cloud application),
a plurality of plant assemblies (racks that support the grow channels), each configured for growing a plurality of individual plants (racks configured to grow a plurality of individual plants), and
a distribution tank (fig. 17, 100 gallon reservoir) in fluid connection with each of the plant assemblies (fig. 17, ¶0053, reservoir for the plant assemblies);
a plurality of supply tanks (fig. 17, dosing tanks), each supply tank containing a supply to support plant growth (¶0109, dosing system for nutrients and pH for supporting plant growth); and
a plurality of supply lines (fig. 17, ¶0109, supply lines from the dosing tanks), each supply line connecting one supply tank to the distribution tank of each of the plurality of plant growth modules (fig. 17, ¶0109, supply lines connected to the 100 Gallon distribution tank for each of the plurality of plant growth modules);
wherein the primary hub (200) separately controls delivery of each of the supplies to each of the plurality of plant growth modules (figs. 16-17, ¶0008, 0104, 0109-0110, primary control hub 200 controls the HCRSC controller for separately controlling each valve and supply of the plurality of plant growth modules of the container farms).
Doyle does not appear to teach of wherein the plant assemblies comprise a vertical plant wall with a first and second side, each first and second side comprising a plurality of plant columns, wherein each plant column comprises a plurality of plant wells and are arranged in a back-to-back configuration, relative to the first and second side, as a component of the plant wall.
Westlind teaches of (fig. 1A) wherein the plant assemblies (vertical farming system 100) comprise a vertical plant wall (growth media field wall 130) with a first and second side (front and back sides), each first and second side comprising a plurality of plant columns (columns of plants), wherein each plant column comprises a plurality of plant wells (¶0085, vertical plant wall 130 has media pore apertures as plant sites. The plate sites can be pores, plug holes, and between layers) and are arranged in a back-to-back configuration, relative to the first and second side, as a component of the plant wall (fig. 2C-2F, the plants in the plant wells can be arranged in a back-to-back configuration, relative to the first and second side, as a component of the plant wall).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Westlind of wherein the plant assemblies comprise a vertical plant wall with a first and second side, each first and second side comprising a plurality of plant columns, wherein each plant column comprises a plurality of plant wells and are arranged in a back-to-back configuration, relative to the first and second side, as a component of the plant wall in order to effectively use the surface area of the plant wall and reduce the amount of space needed to grow a large number of plants.
Regarding claim 2, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 1, and wherein the supplies comprise water, nutrient, and buffer (¶0109, water dosing, nutrient dosing, and pH control dosing, which would include buffers).
Regarding claim 3, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 1, and wherein the plant assemblies comprise hydroponic plant assemblies (¶0003, plants are grown in a hydroponic growing system) for growing a plurality of plants in separate wells (¶0007, hollow growing channels for the transplanted plants) and an array of lights (fig. 9, array of lights for lighting 150).
Regarding claim 11, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 1, and further comprising (fig. 17) a plurality of pumps (¶0122, water pump, air pump; figs. 3 and 17, dosing pumps 135, 136, 137) for the supplies in the supply lines and a plurality of valves (plurality of valves seen in fig. 17), wherein the primary hub separately controls the delivery of the supplies to each of the plant growth modules by opening and closing the valves (¶0102, the valves for the supply deliveries are controlled by the HCRSC system controller. ¶0008, The HCRSC system is controlled by the cloud application.).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doyle, as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Tyink (US 20210137037).
Regarding claim 4, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 3, but does not appear to teach of wherein the plant assemblies comprise vertical walls.
Tyink teaches of wherein the plant assemblies comprise vertical walls (fig. 4A, plant unit 210 comprises of vertical walls).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Tyink of wherein the plant assemblies comprise vertical walls in order to organize the plants in vertical rows such that they can compact more in a space and take up less horizontal space.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doyle, as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Ray, Jr. (US 20190141923).
Regarding claim 5, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 3, and wherein a light cycle of the plant assemblies in each plant growth module is controlled by the primary hub (figs. 14, ¶0089 and 0130, control each growing zones’ lighting circuit junction box and power supply).
Doyle does not appear to teach of wherein a light cycle of the plant assemblies in each plant growth module is controlled by the primary hub
Ray, Jr. teaches of wherein a light cycle of the plant assemblies in each plant growth module is controlled by the primary hub (¶0033-0034, the controller may control individual light sources).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Ray, Jr. of wherein a light cycle of the plant assemblies in each plant growth module is controlled by the primary hub in order to have high control over each plant growth module and adjust based on individual zones as motivated by Ray, Jr. in para. 0033.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doyle, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Speetjens et al. (US 20190335692), hereinafter Speetjens.
Regarding claim 6, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 1, but does not appear to teach of wherein the plant growth module further comprises a distribution wall, wherein the distribution tank is located in the distribution wall, the distribution wall providing connectors to each of the plurality of plant assemblies for a flow of water from the distribution tank to the plant assemblies and back to the distribution tank.
Speetjens teaches of (fig. 6) wherein the plant growth module further comprises a distribution wall (shelf of Ebb and Flow irrigation system 110 is a distribution wall), wherein the distribution tank (reservoir 113) is located in the distribution wall (seen in fig. 6),
the distribution wall providing connectors to each of the plurality of plant assemblies for a flow of water from the distribution tank to the plant assemblies (¶0043, The input conduit 115 extends from the reservoir 113 and serves as the conduit through which nutrient solution may be directed from the reservoir 113 into the flood trays 112.) and back to the distribution tank (¶0045, The output conduit 117 extends from the underside of each flood tray 112 to the reservoir 113 to permit evacuation of nutrient solution from the respective flood trays 112 back to the reservoir 113).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Speetjens of wherein the plant growth module further comprises a distribution wall, wherein the distribution tank is located in the distribution wall, the distribution wall providing connectors to each of the plurality of plant assemblies for a flow of water from the distribution tank to the plant assemblies and back to the distribution tank in order to have an area to organize the distribution tank close by the plant growth modules and to recirculate the water such that less water should be added throughout the system.
Claims 7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doyle as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Ray, Jr. (US 20190141923).
Regarding claim 7, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 5, and further comprising a power supply line connecting to each of the plurality of plant growth modules (fig. 9, lighting power supply/ballast 155 connecting to each of the plurality of plant growth modules).
Doyle does not appear to teach of wherein the distribution wall further provides a power connector for each of the plurality of plant assemblies.
Ray, Jr. teaches of wherein the distribution wall (fig. 4A, wall of hydroponics system 200) further provides a power connector (power supply 209 is on the distribution wall) for each of the plurality of plant assemblies (power supply 209 is connected to the controller 250 and to each of the light sources 410a-d in the plurality of plant assemblies 402a-e).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Ray, Jr. of wherein the distribution wall further provides a power connector for each of the plurality of plant assemblies in order to organize components on the distribution wall and to supply power to each of the plurality of plant assemblies.
Regarding claim 10, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 7, and wherein each plant assembly further comprises a temperature sensor (¶0122, climate sensor includes air temperature for the environment in which each plant assembly is in) in data communication with the secondary hub (fig. 16, ¶0096, HCRSC system controller is connected to climate sensors such as temperature of the air to control the air temperature), and wherein the primary hub (200) is configured to separately direct each secondary hub to maintain a temperature (¶0008, cloud application controls the HCRSC controller, which controls the maintained temperature).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doyle as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Tyink (US 20210137037) and Millward et al. (US 20240130309), hereinafter Millward.
Regarding claim 8, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 7, and wherein the plant assemblies are connected to the water and power connectors of the distribution wall (as best understood by the 112b rejection above, Doyle as modified by Speetjens has a distribution wall and water connecters and Doyel as modified by Ray, Jr. has power connectors to the distribution wall).
Doyle does not appear to teach of wherein the plant assemblies comprise an array of lights projecting light onto each of the first and second side of the plant wall, wherein the plant assemblies are arranged in a directly adjacent side-by-side stacked configuration on each first and second elongated side of the distribution wall when connected to the water and power connectors of the distribution wall.
Tyink teaches of wherein the plant assemblies comprise an array of lights projecting light onto each of the first and second side of the plant wall (fig. 2A, lighting tracks 154 project light on each side of the wall of the planting structures 102 with plant units 210).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Tyink of wherein the plant assemblies comprise an array of lights projecting light onto each of the first and second side of the plant wall in order to provide lighting to the plants on the sides of the vertical walls for optimal growth.
Millward teaches of wherein the plant assemblies (fig. 1, grow trays 300) are arranged in a directly adjacent side-by-side stacked configuration on each first and second elongated side of the distribution wall (irrigation system 250 in the center is a distribution wall) (fig. 6, the grow trays are located directly adjacent side-by-side on each long side of the distribution wall and is stacked vertically on each side) when connected to the water and power connectors of the distribution wall.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Millward of wherein the plant assemblies are arranged in a directly adjacent side-by-side stacked configuration on each side of the distribution wall when connected to the water and power connectors of the distribution wall in order to optimize the space to distribute supplies to the plant assemblies.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doyle as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Dittman (US 20140283452), and Belanger (US 20210267133).
Regarding claim 9, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 6, and comprises a dehumidifier and an HVAC system (¶0122, table 1, fig. 5, HVAC 145 with a Dehumidifier) comprising includes a duct with vents to supply air to each of the plant assemblies (Table 1, HVACs have vented ducts to supply ventilation to each of the plant assemblies).
Doyle does not appear to teach of a heat pump and wherein the distribution wall includes a duct with vents to supply air to each of the plant assemblies.
Dittman teaches of a heat pump (fig. 5, ¶0027, heat pump 357).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Dittman of a heat pump in order to use a highly efficient air conditioner as motivated by Dittman in para. 0027.
Belanger teaches of (fig. 2) wherein the distribution wall (handlebar 20, air supply ducts 28, and fans 31 form a distribution wall at the ends of the racks 12) includes a duct (air supply ducts 28) with vents to supply air to each of the plant assemblies (¶0071-0074, air supply ducts have ventilation duct assembly 38 to supply air to the plants P).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Belanger of wherein the distribution wall includes a duct with vents to supply air to each of the plant assemblies in order to supply air to the plants for optimum growth.
Claims 12-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doyle et al. (US 20240099209), hereinafter Doyle, in view of Westlind et al. (US 20200329654), hereinafter Westlind, and Sakaguchi et al. (US 20210185955), hereinafter Sakaguchi.
Regarding claim 12, Doyle teaches of (fig. 16) an automated system for plant production (¶0053, 0146, invention has automated systems controlled by a computer) comprising:
a primary control hub (cloud management system 200), the primary control hub comprising a controller (¶0042, remote controller system) and a water testing device (fig. 17, pH sensor);
a plurality of plant growth modules (fig. 2, High Cube Refrigerated Shipping Container (HCRSC) container 100), each plant growth module comprising:
a secondary hub (growlink control panel system controller 175 in the container farm) in communication with and controlled by the primary hub (fig. 16, ¶0008, can control the system controller 175 remotely from a cloud application),
a plurality of plant assemblies (racks that support the grow channels), each configured for growing a plurality of individual plants (racks configured to grow a plurality of individual plants), and
a distribution tank (fig. 17, 100 gallon reservoir) in fluid connection with each of the plant assemblies (fig. 17, ¶0053, reservoir for the plant assemblies) to supply water and nutrients to the plant assemblies (¶0104 and 0109, the reservoir supplies water and nutrients that are added to the water);
a plurality of supply tanks (fig. 17, dosing tanks) comprising a water supply tank, a nutrient supply tank, and a buffer tank (¶0109, dosing tanks A, B, and C are water dosing, nutrient dosing, and pH control dosing tanks, which would include buffers);
a plurality of supply lines (fig. 17, ¶0109, supply lines from the dosing tanks), each supply line connecting one supply tank of the distribution tanks of each of the plurality of plant growth modules (fig. 17, ¶0109, supply lines connected to the 100 Gallon distribution tank for each of the plurality of plant growth modules);
a water return line (fig. 17, ¶0075, recirculating return line) running from each of the plant growth modules (¶0075, slope of the racks allows the water into the gutter return into the reservoir return line that runs back to the recirculating reservoir) to supply return water to the water testing device (fig. 17, recirculating water gets tested by the pH sensor);
wherein the primary hub (200) separately controls delivery of each of the supplies to each of the plurality of plant growth modules (figs. 16-17, ¶0008, 0104, 0109-0110, primary control hub 200 controls the HCRSC controller for separately controlling each valve and supply of the plurality of plant growth modules of the container farms).
Doyle does not appear to teach of wherein the plant assemblies comprise a vertical plant wall with a first and second side, each first and second side comprising a plurality of plant columns, wherein each plant column comprises a plurality of plant wells and are arranged in a back-to-back configuration, relative to the first and second side, as a component of the plant wall; and
a water return line running from each of the plant growth modules to the primary hub.
Westlind teaches of (fig. 1A) wherein the plant assemblies (vertical farming system 100) comprise a vertical plant wall (growth media field wall 130) with a first and second side (front and back sides), each first and second side comprising a plurality of plant columns (columns of plants), wherein each plant column comprises a plurality of plant wells (¶0085, vertical plant wall 130 has media pore apertures as plant sites. The plate sites can be pores, plug holes, and between layers) and are arranged in a back-to-back configuration, relative to the first and second side, as a component of the plant wall (fig. 2C-2F, the plants in the plant wells can be arranged in a back-to-back configuration, relative to the first and second side, as a component of the plant wall).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Westlind of wherein the plant assemblies comprise a vertical plant wall with a first and second side, each first and second side comprising a plurality of plant columns, wherein each plant column comprises a plurality of plant wells and are arranged in a back-to-back configuration, relative to the first and second side, as a component of the plant wall in order to compactly arrange the plants on the plant wall and reduce the amount of space needed to grow a large number of plants.
Sakaguchi teaches of (figs. 1-2) a water return line (return lines for the nutrient solution circulation device 40) running from each of the plant growth modules (seen in fig. 1) to the primary hub (returns to the control unit 60 located in the cultivation device 1A by the operation unit 50 and display unit 70).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Sakaguchi of a water return line running from each of the plant growth modules to the primary hub in which the primary hub is physically by the plant growth modules in order to reduce delay in sensor measurements and to control the primary hub from inside the space.
Regarding claim 13, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 12, and wherein the water testing device comprises a pH testing device (fig. 17, pH sensor), wherein the primary hub is configured to automatically test the pH of the return water from each of the plurality of plant growth modules on a schedule (¶0107, pH sensor automatically measures the pH of the recirculating water from each of the plurality of plant growth modules on an immediate schedule to measure and control the pH. The primary hub 200 controls and obtains information from the pH testing device).
Regarding claim 14, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 13, and wherein the controller is configured to calculate, for each automatic pH test, the amount of buffer, if any, needed to correct the pH of water in the plant growth module of which the return water was tested (¶0107 and 0109, additives are added to control the pH of the recirculating water from each of the plant growth module).
Regarding claim 15, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 14, and further comprising (fig. 17) a plurality of valves (plurality of valves seen in fig. 17), wherein the primary hub separately controls the delivery of the supplies to each of the plant growth modules by opening and closing the valves (¶0102, the valves for the supply deliveries are controlled by the HCRSC system controller. ¶0008, The HCRSC system is controlled by the cloud application.), and wherein the primary hub (200) is configured to automatically deliver the calculated amount of buffer to the plant growth module of which the return water was tested (¶0107 and 0109, additives are automatically added to control the pH of the recirculating water. ¶0008, The HCRSC system is controlled by the cloud application.).
Regarding claim 16, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 12, and wherein the testing device measures an amount of a nutrient (¶0109, the amount of nutrients to be added is controlled, which requires measuring an amount of the nutrients), wherein the primary hub is configured to automatically test the return water from each of the plurality of plant growth modules on a schedule (¶0107, and 0109, the recirculating water is tested for pH and nutrient control on an immediate schedule to measure and control the pH) and to calculate the amount of nutrient needed for each plant growth module to maintain the nutrient at a desired level in each plant growth module (¶0109).
Regarding claim 17, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 12, and further comprising a plurality of valves (plurality of valves seen in fig. 17), wherein the primary hub separately controls the delivery of the supplies to each of the plant growth modules by opening and closing the valves (¶0102, the valves for the supply deliveries are controlled by the HCRSC system controller. ¶0008, The HCRSC system is controlled by the cloud application.), and wherein the primary hub is configured to automatically deliver the calculated amount of nutrient to each plant growth module in need of additional nutrient based upon results of the automatic testing (¶0109, the amount of nutrient needed to be added is automatically added. ¶008, primary hub 200 controls the HCRSC system).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doyle et al. (US 20240099209), hereinafter Doyle, in view of Westlind et al. (US 20200329654), hereinafter Westlind, and Pham et al. (US 20190183062), hereinafter Pham.
Regarding claim 18, Doyle teaches of (fig. 16) an automated plant production system (¶0053, 0146, invention has automated systems controlled by a computer) comprising:
a primary control hub (cloud management system 200) comprising a controller (¶0042, remote controller system);
a plurality of plant growth modules (fig. 2, High Cube Refrigerated Shipping Container (HCRSC) container 100), each plant growth module comprising:
a secondary hub (growlink control panel system controller 175 in the container farm) in communication with and controlled by the primary hub (fig. 16, ¶0008, can control the system controller 175 remotely from a cloud application),
a plurality of plant assemblies (racks that support the grow channels), each configured for growing a plurality of individual plants (racks configured to grow a plurality of individual plants), and
a water distribution tank (fig. 17, 100 gallon reservoir) in fluid connection with each of the plant assemblies (fig. 17, ¶0053, reservoir for the plant assemblies);
a plurality of supply tanks (fig. 17, dosing tanks) comprising a nutrient supply tank, a water supply tank, and a buffer supply tank (¶0109, dosing tanks A, B, and C are water dosing, nutrient dosing, and pH control dosing tanks, which would include buffers);
a water supply line connecting the water supply tank to each of the plant growth modules (water supply line connecting the water tank of the dosing tanks to the plant growth modules) and comprising a water supply valve at each plant growth module (ball valves before the plant growth modules);
a nutrient supply line connecting the nutrient supply tank to each of the plant growth modules (nutrient supply line connecting the nutrient tank of the dosing tanks to the plant growth modules) and comprising a nutrient supply valve at each plant growth module (ball valves before the plant growth modules);
a buffer supply line connecting the buffer supply tank to each of the plant growth modules (pH control supply line connecting the pH control tank of the dosing tanks to the plant growth modules) and comprising a buffer supply valve at each plant growth module (ball valves before the plant growth modules);
Doyle does not appear to teach of wherein the plant assemblies comprise a vertical plant wall with a first and second side, each first and second side comprising a plurality of plant columns, wherein each plant column comprises a plurality of plant wells and are arranged in a back-to-back configuration, relative to the first and second side, as a component of the plant wall; and
wherein the primary hub is configured to separately control each water supply valve, nutrient supply valve, and buffer supply valve to separately regulate the flow of water, nutrient, and buffer to each plant growth module.
Westlind teaches of (fig. 1A) wherein the plant assemblies (vertical farming system 100) comprise a vertical plant wall (growth media field wall 130) with a first and second side (front and back sides), each first and second side comprising a plurality of plant columns (columns of plants), wherein each plant column comprises a plurality of plant wells (¶0085, vertical plant wall 130 has media pore apertures as plant sites. The plate sites can be pores, plug holes, and between layers) and are arranged in a back-to-back configuration, relative to the first and second side, as a component of the plant wall (fig. 2C-2F, the plants in the plant wells can be arranged in a back-to-back configuration, relative to the first and second side, as a component of the plant wall).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Westlind of wherein the plant assemblies comprise a vertical plant wall with a first and second side, each first and second side comprising a plurality of plant columns, wherein each plant column comprises a plurality of plant wells and are arranged in a back-to-back configuration, relative to the first and second side, as a component of the plant wall in order to compactly arrange the plants on the plant wall and reduce the amount of space needed to grow a large number of plants.
Pham teaches of (fig. 12) wherein the primary hub (¶0015, micro-controller for controlling the system) is configured to separately control each water supply valve (first distribution pump/valve device 1211 connected to first growing drawer 624, which can be filled with water or a water-nutrient solution mixture), nutrient supply valve (second distribution pump/valve device 1212 connected to second water-nutrient solution mixture container 1202), and buffer supply valve (third distribution pump/valve device 1213 connected to a third water-nutrient solution mixture container 1203, which can be filled with a buffer) to separately regulate the flow of water, nutrient, and buffer to each plant growth module (¶0089, separate valves for separate supplies and are separately controlled to each plant growth module).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Pham of wherein the primary hub is configured to separately control each water supply valve, nutrient supply valve, and buffer supply valve to separately regulate the flow of water, nutrient, and buffer to each plant growth module in order to precisely mimic different growing conditions for different types of plants and trees and simulate the exact growing environments as motivated by Pham in paragraphs 0011-0012.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doyle as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Sakaguchi.
Regarding claim 19, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 18, and wherein the system further comprises a water return line (fig. 17, ¶0075, recirculating return line), the primary hub further comprising a pH testing device (fig. 17, pH sensor) and a nutrient testing device (¶0109, a nutrient testing device would be included to determine how much of nutrient A and Nutrient B should be added) configured to receive return water from each plant growth module in the water return line (¶0109, operated on the recirculating water), wherein the primary hub separately regulates the flow of nutrient and buffer to each plant growth module based on results from the pH testing device and the nutrient testing device (¶0109, adjusts how much of Nutrient A, Nutrient B and pH control medium should be added to the water based on the pH testing device and the nutrient testing device).
Doyle does not appear to teach of a water return line connecting each plant growth module to the primary hub.
Sakaguchi teaches of (figs. 1-2) a water return line (return lines for the nutrient solution circulation device 40) connecting each plant growth module (seen in fig. 1) to the primary hub (returns to the control unit 60 located in the cultivation device 1A by the operation unit 50 and display unit 70).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Sakaguchi of a water return line connecting each plant growth module to the primary hub in which the primary hub is physically by the plant growth modules in order to reduce delay in sensor measurements and to control the primary hub from inside the space.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doyle as applied to claim 18 above, and further in view of Adams et al. (US 20090307973), hereinafter Adams.
Regarding claim 20, Doyle as modified teaches of claim 18, and wherein the water distribution tank of each plant growth module (water distribution tank is the 100 gallon reservoir connected to each plant growth module) include a water level sensor (fig. 17, ¶0104, water level sensor) in communication with the primary hub (¶0104, water level sensor communicates with the HCRSC system which is connected to the primary hub 200).
Doyle does not appear to teach of wherein the primary hub is configured to automatically and separately supply water to each plant growth module in response to the water level sensor to maintain a predetermined water level in each water distribution tank.
Adams teaches of configured to automatically and separately supply water to each plant growth module in response to the water level sensor to maintain a predetermined water level in each water distribution tank (¶0128, The trays may also be fitted with optical sensors to adjust the water levels in the trays. When the optical sensor detects that a water level in a particular tray is too low, the sensor can activate the water inlet, opening up a valve and thereby causing water to enter the tray, which is the water distribution tank of each module.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Doyle to incorporate the teachings of Adams of wherein the primary hub is configured to automatically and separately supply water to each plant growth module in response to the water level sensor to maintain a predetermined water level in each water distribution tank in order to maintain an optimal water level in each plant growth module.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
The cited references made of record in the contemporaneously filed PTO-892 form and not relied upon in the instant office action are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, and may have one or more of the elements in Applicant’s disclosure and at least claim 1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZOE TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-8530. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7:30am-6pm EST.
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/ZOE TAM TRAN/ Examiner, Art Unit 3647