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
Claims 1-25 are presented for examination
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-10 and 24-25 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 1 and 2, filed June 8, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 19, and 21 under U.S.C. 102 have been fully considered and are not persuasive. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of newly identified prior art provided in the information disclosure statement.
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.
Claims 1-7 and 11-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bamba (US Patent Application 201000048068).
As per claim 1, Bamba teaches a low energy system [system shown in figures 3 and 4] for providing authentication for operating a marine vessel [1, fig. 1] having a power source [15, fig. 4], the low energy system comprising:
an authentication device [10, fig .4] configured to receive a key [11, fig. 4] input and to output a signal when the key input matches a predetermined criteria to thereby provide the authentication for operating at least one function [outboard motors 3 are thereby turned: 0095] of the marine vessel [0047, 0092-0093, as pointed out the key send a signal to the immobilizer 10, then if authentication success or matching, then the engine can be operated as a result. For example, the computer 50 of the immobilizer 10 executes the authentication process on the received user authentication code (function as the user authentication unit 51), and if the authentication succeeds, the operation mode is switched from the sleep mode to the wakeup mode, which is the ordinary mode].
wherein the authentication device has a sleep state and a wake state, wherein the authentication device consumes less power in the sleep state than in the wake state and is inoperable to output the signal when in the sleep state [0092-0093, as pointed out, the immobilizer 10 is in a sleep mode, which is a power saving mode. In this mode, both the start relays 71 and the power supply relays 70 are off and all switching circuits 72 are in the off state].
a switch [70/72, fig. 4] operably coupled to the authentication device and operable to wake the authentication device from the sleep state to the wake state thereof [0092-0093, 0095, as pointed out, in changing the user authentication state from "locked" to "unlocked," the immobilizer 10 turns on all the start relays 71 and further turns on all the power supply relays 70. The power supplies of all outboard motors 3 are thereby turned on and all of the gauges 9 are put in the on state].
wherein the switch is operably coupled such that at least one device [3P, fig. 3] of the marine vessel is configured to receive the power from the power source without the power passing through the switch [0079, as shown in figure 4, switch 70P is connected to battery 15C, as pointed out, the power supply relay 70P is connected to the power supply cable 16P from the battery 15P corresponding to the portside outboard motor 3P].
wherein the authentication device being in the sleep state before being woken by the switch conserves the power from the power source [0092, 0095, as pointed out, the immobilizer 10 is in a sleep mode, which is a power saving mode. In this mode, both the start relays 71 and the power supply relays 70 are off and all switching circuits 72 are in the off state. And the authentication enables the wakeup for example in changing the user authentication state from "locked" to "unlocked," the immobilizer 10 turns on all the start relays 71 and further turns on all the power supply relays 70].
As per claim 21, Bamba teaches a method [method shown in figures 7-8] of controlling a plurality of marine drives [3P, 3C, 3S, fig. 4] of a marine vessel [1, fig. 1], the method comprising:
receiving via an authentication device a key input [11, fig. 44] and outputting an authentication signal when the key input matches a predetermined criteria [0092-0093, for example, the key unit 11 sends the unlock signal along with the user authentication code. These are received by the immobilizer 10. The computer 50 of the immobilizer 10 executes the authentication process on the received user authentication code (function as the user authentication unit 51), and if the authentication succeeds, the operation mode is switched from the sleep mode to the wakeup mode, which is the ordinary mode].
operating a first marine drive [3P, fig. 4] within the plurality of marine drives and a second marine device [3C, fig. 4] within the plurality of marine drives simultaneously when receiving a request from a first switch and the authentication signal [093, 0095-96, where specific motor can be turned on as a result].
operating the first marine device without operating the second marine device when receiving a request from a second switch and the authentication signal [0095-0096, based on switch 81, corresponding outboard motor can be activated].
and operating the second marine device without operating the first marine device when receiving a request from a third switch and the authentication signal [0095-0096, based on switch 81, corresponding outboard motor can be started].
As per claim 2, Bamba teaches a controller operatively coupled with the switch and configured such that the switch ceases waking the authentication device after a predetermined time since being woken [0097, based on the signal activity for specific time period, then the power supply can be turn off. For example, the computer 50 turns off the power supply relay 70 of the corresponding outboard motor 3 under a certain condition (time t3)].
As per claim 3, Bamba teaches after being woken from the sleep state to the wake state the authentication device returns to the sleep state unless the key input is received and determined to match the predetermined criteria within a predetermined time after being woken [0092-0093, as pointed out immobilizer is in the sleep state and wait for authentication and can return to sleep state to conserve power].
As per claim 4, Bamba teaches the switch is operable to wake the authentication device by selectively providing 12 VDC thereto [as shown in figure 4, batteries 15P, 15C, and 15S are considered to be 12 volts battery].
As per claim 5, Bamba teaches the authentication device consumes less than 0.25 Watts of power when in the sleep state [0092, power saving mode using low power].
As per claim 6, Bamba teaches the switch and the authentication device are coupled to the marine vessel via a shared housing [as shown in figure 4, the immobilizer 10 is connected to the switch and the onboard motor].
As per claim 7, Bamba teaches a marine drive, and wherein the switch is further operably coupled to control at least one of powering and cranking the marine drive when the authentication device has provided the authentication for operating the marine vessel [0095-0096, as pointed out specific switch can operation corresponding motor based on the result of the authentication].
As per claim 11, Bamba teaches the authentication device is configured to receive the key input wirelessly [0093, as shown in figure 4, authentication is received via the key 11. For example, the key unit 11 sends the unlock signal along with the user authentication code. These are received by the immobilizer 10].
As per claim 12, Bamba teaches, wherein the marine vessel comprises a powered device configured to receive the power from the power source, and wherein the powered device is prevented from receiving the power from the power source until the authentication device has provided the authentication for operating the marine vessel [0049, as show in figure 4, multiple batteries are used to power until the authentication is received].
As per claim 13, Bamba teaches the powered device is other than a marine drive operable to generate propulsion for the marine vessel [0043, propulsion of the marine vessel based on the onboard motor power].
As per claim 14, Bamba teaches the marine vessel comprises a first powered device and a second powered device each configured to receive the power from the power source, and wherein the first powered device is prevented from receiving the power from the power source until the authentication device has been woken and the second powered device is prevented from receiving the power from the power source until the authentication device has provided the authentication for operating the marine vessel [0095-0096, fig. 4, as shown in each motor is connected to a switch and a battery where the immobilizer can activate each corresponding or all or in combination based on authentication].
As per claim 15, Bamba teaches the second powered device is a marine drive, and wherein the first powered device is a user device, and wherein providing the power to the first powered device before the second powered device allows the first powered device to begin starting up earlier [0095-0096, fig. 4, as shown in each motor is connected to a switch and a battery where the immobilizer can activate each corresponding or all or in combination based on authentication].
As per claim 16, Bamba teaches the power from the power source to the first powered device is subsequently stopped unless the key input is received and determined to match the predetermined criteria within a predetermined time after the authentication device is woken [0047, 0092-0093, perform authentication where there is a match].
As per claim 17, Bamba teaches the marine vessel comprises a powered device [3P, fig. 4] configured to be powered by the power source [15P, fig. 4], wherein the switch is inoperable to stop the powered device from operating after operation of the marine vessel has been authenticated [0079, as shown in figure 3, switch 70P is connected to motor and the battery].
As per claim 18, Bamba teaches the marine vessel comprises a powered device configured to be powered by the power source and operable only after the authentication device has outputted the signal indicating authentication, wherein the powered device has a sleep state and a wake state and uses less power in the sleep state than in the wake state, and wherein the authentication device outputting the signal causes the powered device to wake from the sleep state to the wake state [0092-0093, the immobilizer is at sleep and wake upon authentication to start or operate specific motor].
As per claims 19 and 22-23, they do not teach or further define over the limitations recited in the rejected claims above. Therefore, claims 19 and 22-23 are also anticipated by Bamba for the same reasons set forth in the rejected claims above.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 extension fee 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VOLVICK DEROSE whose telephone number is (571)272-6260. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9AM-6PM.
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/VOLVICK DEROSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2176
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