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 .
Application Status
Claims 1-10 are pending and have been examined in this application.
Information disclosure statements (IDS) have been filed on 10/18/2024, 09/16/2025, and 02/24/2026 and reviewed by the Examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claim 2 is 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.
Claim 2 recites the phrase "a portion of the casting information" in line 2. This is a double inclusion of “a portion of the casting information” in lines 7-8 of claim 1. The Examiner suggests changing “a portion of the casting information” to --the portion of the casting information--.
Appropriate correction is required. Accordingly, the invention has been examined as best understood.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3 and 5-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(2) as being anticipated by da Rosa (U.S. Pub. 20140358483).
In regard to claim 1, da Rosa discloses a fishing information management system comprising a fishing reel, a first external information communication terminal configured to communicate with the fishing reel, and a second external information communication terminal configured to communicate with the first external information communication terminal (Figs. 1 and 3 and Paragraphs [0029-0047] and [0051-0069], where there is a fishing reel (part of 14), a first external information communication terminal 25 at least configured to communicate with the fishing reel, and a second external information communication terminal 35/45/55 at least configured to communicate with the first external information communication terminal 25), wherein the fishing reel is configured to transmit casting information of each casting of the fishing reel to the first external information communication terminal (Figs. 1 and 3 and Paragraphs [0029-0047] and [0051-0069], where the fishing reel (part of 14) is configured to transmit casting information of each casting (“real-time equipment use data (EUD) and environmental data (RED) can be automatically updated and communicated to the communication element 25 continuously and/or at set time intervals, at set distance intervals, or can be automatically updated and communicated to the communication element 25 at the occurrence of a triggering event”) of the fishing reel to the first external information communication terminal 25) and the first external information communication terminal is configured to transmit a portion of the casting information of each casting of the fishing reel, and wherein the casting information comprises detailed casting data and prompt casting data (Figs. 1 and 3 and Paragraphs [0029-0047], [0051-0069], and [0072-0076], where the first external information communication terminal 25 is at least configured to transmit a portion of the casting information of each casting (“the communication element 25, which in turn, can store the information to the data storage device 45 such as, for example, a memory card, flash card or memory stick, or can transmit the information to the PC 35 or the cloud storage/processing 55”) of the fishing reel and where the casting information comprises detailed casting data (all of the data collected at a trigger) and prompt casting data (at least includes some of the detailed casting data collected at a trigger)) and the portion of the casting information of each casting of the fishing reel is the prompt casting data (Figs. 1 and 3 and Paragraphs [0029-0047], [0051-0069], and [0072-0076], where the portion of the casting information of each casting of the fishing reel is the prompt casting data (the data which was originally transmitted to the first external information communication terminal 25 as previously shown by “real-time equipment use data (EUD) and environmental data (RED) can be automatically updated and communicated to the communication element 25…”) is then transmitted to the second external information communication terminal 35/45/55).
In regard to claim 2, da Rosa discloses the fishing information management system according to claim 1, wherein the fishing reel is configured to transmit a portion of the casting information of each casting of the fishing reel to the second external information communication terminal (Figs. 1 and 3 and Paragraphs [0029-0047], [0051-0069], and [0072-0076], where the fishing reel is configured to transmit a portion of the casting information of each casting (the data which was originally transmitted to the first external information communication terminal 25 as previously shown by “real-time equipment use data (EUD) and environmental data (RED) can be automatically updated and communicated to the communication element 25…”) to the second external information communication terminal 35/45/55).
In regard to claim 3, da Rosa discloses the fishing information management system according to claim 1, wherein the fishing reel is configured to transmit the detailed casting data out of the casting information of each casting of the fishing reel to the second external information communication terminal (Figs. 1 and 3 and Paragraphs [0029-0047], [0051-0069], and [0072-0076], where the fishing reel is configured to transmit the detailed casting data out of the casting information of each casting (data such as “number of cast, casting distance, direction of cast, lure depth, lure retrieval speed, and when a fish is caught”) of the fishing reel to the second external information communication terminal 35/45/55 via the first external information communication terminal 25).
In regard to claim 5, da Rosa discloses the fishing information management system according to claim 1, wherein the first external information communication terminal is a smartphone (Figs. 1 and 3 and Paragraphs [0029-0030], where the first external information communication terminal is a smartphone 25), and the second external information communication terminal is a wearable terminal (Figs. 1 and 3 and Paragraphs [0032] and [0046], where the second external information communication terminal is a terminal 45 which is at least “wearable” since it is portable and can be held on a user’s body or in a user’s pockets).
In regard to claim 6, da Rosa discloses the fishing information management system according to claim 1, wherein the second external information communication terminal is configured to display the prompt casting data (Figs. 1 and 3 and Paragraphs [0032] and [0046], where the second external information communication terminal 35 is configured to display (via a screen) the prompt casting data (“some of the detailed casting data collected at a trigger”)).
In regard to claim 7, da Rosa discloses the fishing information management system according to claim 6, wherein when the prompt casting data is displayed on the second external information communication terminal, the second external information communication terminal is configured to display at least two out of a number of casting, a date and time of casting, a maximum spool rotation speed, and a flying distance of the fishing line (Figs. 4A-4D and Paragraphs [0056-0061], where the second external information communication terminal 35 is configured to display the prompt casting data (“the real-time data of FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D can be displayed on the communication element 25 or the PC 35”) which includes at least a date and time of casting (bottom right corner of the graphs), a number of casts (“indicating four casting motions”), and a flying distance (“casting, casting distance”)).
In regard to claim 8, da Rosa discloses the fishing information management system according to claim 5, wherein the smartphone is configured to display the detailed casting data (Figs. 1-5C and Paragraphs [0029-0038], where the smartphone 25 utilizes data such as “the number of casts, casting distance, the direction of the cast, lure depth and retrieval speed, and when a fish is caught” to create displays as shown in the display examples of Figs. 4A-5C).
In regard to claim 9, da Rosa discloses the fishing information management system according to claim 8, wherein when the detailed casting data is displayed on the smartphone (Figs. 1-5C and Paragraphs [0029-0038] and [0061-0067], where there is smartphone 25 which displays detailed casting data), the smartphone is configured to display a graphical representation of the detailed casting data (see Figs. 4A-5C).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over da Rosa (U.S. Pub. 20140358483) in view of Beckham (U.S. Pub. 20090095835) and Priednieks (U.S. Pat. 7523882).
In regard to claim 4, da Rosa discloses the fishing information management system according to claim 1, wherein the detailed casting data comprises a spool rotation speed history, a motion of a fishing rod, a fishing line speed history, and a casting method (Paragraph [0040] and [0042], where the data includes a spool rotation speed history (“measuring the rotation speed”), a motion of a fishing rod (“detect and provide information regarding movement of the rod and reel”), a fishing line speed history (“calculate line feed amount and line retrieval rates”), and a casting method (“calculate casting and casting distance” and “calculate casting direction”)), and the prompt casting data comprises a number of casting, a date and time of casting, a spool rotation start point, a spool rotation end point, a maximum spool rotation speed and a flying distance of the fishing line (Paragraph [0037], [0040-0043], and [0046], where the data includes a number of casting (“number of cast”), a date and time of casting (“real-time environmental data (RED) such as date, time”), a spool rotation start point (captured by the optical tachometer or a magnetometer to calculate “line feed amount”), a spool rotation end point (captured by the optical tachometer or a magnetometer to calculate “line feed amount”), a maximum spool rotation speed (“measuring the rotation speed”) and a flying distance of the fishing line (“line feed amount”); For example, the fishing reel calculates the flying distance or “line feed amount” of a fishing line cast from the spool rotation start point and the spool rotation end point via an optical tachometer or a magnetometer, and the optical tachometer or a magnetometer also measures the “rotation speed” of the spool during casting). da Rosa is silent on casting data includes a brake setting. Beckham discloses casting data includes a brake setting (Abstract and Paragraphs [0035-0037], where there is a brake setting dynamically changed by a system controller based on information received from a sensor). da Rosa and Beckham are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor which include fishing devices. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device body of da Rosa such that casting data includes a brake setting in view of Beckham. The motivation would have been to have a brake which apples resistance against the free rotation of the spool to slow or stop the rotation and prevent backlash from occurring (Beckham, Paragraph [0035]).
da Rosa is silent on casting data includes dimensions of the fishing line and a spool diameter. Priednieks discloses casting data includes dimensions of the fishing line and a spool diameter (Column 4 lines 19-57 and Column 6 lines 54-61, where the cast distance is calculated by measuring the number of spool rotations (start and end points), the length and diameter (dimensions) of the fishing line, and the minimum diameter and width of the spool (spool diameter)). da Rosa and Priednieks are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor which include fishing devices. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device body of da Rosa such that casting data includes dimensions of the fishing line and a spool diameter in view of Priednieks. The motivation would have been to more accurately calculate the length of line that was released from the fishing reel, in order to approximate the location to which the cast was made relative to the user’s location. Calculating this information would enable the system to inform the user of precise locations and circumstances in which fish were caught.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over da Rosa (U.S. Pub. 20140358483) in view of Naoki et al. (JP 2005071007).
In regard to claim 10, da Rosa discloses the fishing information management system according to claim 1, wherein when the casting information of each casting of the fishing reel is transmitted from the fishing reel to the first external information communication terminal (Figs. 1 and 3 and Paragraphs [0029-0047] and [0051-0069], where the casting information of each casting of the fishing reel is transmitted to the first external information communication terminal 25 (“real-time equipment use data (EUD) and environmental data (RED) can be automatically updated and communicated to the communication element 25 continuously and/or at set time intervals, at set distance intervals, or can be automatically updated and communicated to the communication element 25 at the occurrence of a triggering event””) from the fishing reel 14). da Rosa is silent on the fishing reel is configured to transmit the prompt casting data out of the casting information prior to the detailed casting data. Naoki et al. disclose the device is configured to transmit the prompt data out of the information prior to the detailed data (Translated Specification, Page 3, lines 6-15 and Abstract, where there is a networking system that allows for the latest data to be sent in order of priority, even when the previous data has not successfully completed sending to the external information communication terminal (master information terminal) yet; Therefore, in other words, the “prompt data” is transferred prior to transmitting the “detailed data” if the priority of the “prompt data” is determined to be higher than the priority of the “detailed data”). da Rosa and Naoki et al. are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor which include data transmission devices. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device body of da Rosa such that the fishing reel is configured to transmit the prompt casting data out of the casting information prior to the detailed casting data in view of Naoki et al., since the data transmission method of Naoki et al. could be used with the device of da Rosa. The motivation would have been to reduce a delay in transmission of data to provide more accurate real time information, determined to be higher priority, to the user (Naoki et al., Abstract).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Particularly the references were cited because they pertain to the state of the art of fishing devices.
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/KEVIN M DENNIS/Examiner, Art Unit 3647
/KIMBERLY S BERONA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3647