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 Status
Claimsn1-19 are currently pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 10/16/2024 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(3)(i) because it does not include a concise explanation of the relevance, as it is presently understood by the individual designated in 37 CFR 1.56(c) most knowledgeable about the content of the information, of each reference listed that is not in the English language. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
The references listed on IDS mailed on 10/16/2024 are considered with exception of non-patent literature document: “International Search Report dated August 29, 2023, issued in International Patent Application No. PCT/KR2023/007613”, because no English translations has been provided for this document.
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 (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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2022/0346609 to Kwak et al. (hereinafter “Kwak”) in view of US 2019/0014962 to Hyun et al. (hereinafter “Hyun”), and US 2015/0366425 to Lee et al. (hereinafter “Lee”), and in further view of US 2016/0095488 to Lee et al. (hereinafter “US’488”).
Regarding claim 1, Kwak teaches a cordless vacuum cleaner (figure 2, #10) comprising a main body (see figures 2, 6 and 7), a suction motor arranged inside the main body (figure 4, #150) [0061], a plurality of batteries (first battery (figure 2, #400), and a second battery (figure 2, #600)) [0059-0067].
Kwak does not that a suction fan, wherein the suction motor is configured to rotate the suction fan.
Hyun teaches a vacuum cleaner comprising a cleaner body provided with a fan unit for generating a suction force, wherein the fan unit may include a suction motor and a suction fan rotated or otherwise driven by the suction motor to generate a suction force or vacuum to draw air into the cleaner body [0023].
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 apparatus disclosed by Kwak, with a suction fan, wherein the suction motor is configured to rotate the suction fan, with a reasonable expectation of success, since Hyun teaches that a vacuum cleaner can comprise a fan unit for generating a suction force, wherein the fan unit may include a suction motor and a suction fan rotated or otherwise driven by the suction motor to generate a suction force or vacuum to draw air into the cleaner body ([0023] of Hyun).
Kwak/Hyun does not teach a charging circuit configured to charge the main body, and that the plurality of batteries can be charged and discharged through the charging circuit.
Lee teaches a vacuum cleaner comprising a main body, a controller, plurality of batteries for supplying power for operating a plurality of parts and a charging circuit configured to charge the main body, wherein the plurality of batteries can be charged and discharged through the charging circuit (see figure 2 and [0027-0030]).
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 apparatus disclosed by Kwak/Hyun with a charging circuit configured to charge the main body, and that the plurality of batteries can be charged and discharged through the charging circuit, with a reasonable expectation of success, since Kwak teaches the vacuum cleaner comprises a plurality of batteries for supplying power to parts of the vacuum cleaner ([0059-0067] of Kwak), and Lee teaches that a vacuum cleaner comprising a plurality of batteries for supplying power for operating a plurality of parts comprises charging circuit configured to charge the main body, wherein the plurality of batteries can be charged and discharged through the charging circuit (see figure 2 and [0027-0030] of Lee).
Kwak/Hyun/Lee does not explicitly teach a memory storing one or more computer programs.
However, it was known in the art that a vacuum cleaner can comprise a memory storing one or more computer programs. For example, US’488 teaches a vacuum cleaner comprising a controller and a memory (figure 3, #180) for storing one or more programs, wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the memory [0043-0046].
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 apparatus disclosed by Kwak/Hyun/Lee with a memory storing one or more computer programs, with a reasonable expectation of success, since US’488 teaches that it was known in the art that a vacuum cleaner can comprise a memory for storing one or more programs, wherein a controller can be communicatively coupled to the memory. ([0038 and 0043-0046] of US’488).
Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 does not teach one or more processors communicatively coupled to the suction motor, the charging circuit, the plurality of batteries, and the memory, wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the cordless vacuum cleaner to, based on state information about each of the plurality of batteries, control discharge of each of the plurality of batteries, and wherein the state information comprises a battery discharge amount of each of the plurality of batteries.
However, Lee further teaches that the vacuum cleaner comprises a controller (figure 2, #130) communicatively coupled to a suction motor and the charging circuit, and the plurality of batteries, wherein the controller is configured to execute computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the vacuum cleaner to, based on state information about each of the plurality of batteries control discharge of each of the plurality of batteries, and wherein the state information comprises the battery voltage [0032-0034, 0041-0044, 0046, and 0070-0071].
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 apparatus disclosed by Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 wherein one or more processors communicatively coupled to the suction motor, the charging circuit, the plurality of batteries, and the memory, wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the cordless vacuum cleaner to, based on state information about each of the plurality of batteries, control discharge of each of the plurality of batteries, and wherein the state information comprises a battery discharge amount of each of the plurality of batteries, with a reasonable expectation of success, since US’488 teaches that a controller can be communicatively coupled to the memory ([0038 and 0043-0046] of US’488), and Lee teaches that the vacuum cleaner comprises a controller communicatively coupled to a suction motor and the charging circuit, and the plurality of batteries, wherein the controller is configured to execute computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the vacuum cleaner to, based on state information about each of the plurality of batteries control discharge of each of the plurality of batteries, and wherein the state information comprises the battery voltage ([0032-0034, 0041-0044, 0046, and 0070-0071] of Lee).
Regarding claim 2, Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 further teaches a brush motor configured to rotate a brush of the main body (see figure 2 of Lee, and figure 3, #520 and [0060] of Kwak), wherein the plurality of batteries comprise a first battery and a second battery ((first battery (figure 2, #400), and a second battery (figure 2, #600), [0059-0067] of Kwak, and figure 2 of Lee), wherein the first battery is arranged adjacent to the suction motor (see figure 4 of Kwak), and wherein the second battery is arranged adjacent to the brush (see figure 2 of Kwak).
Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 does not explicitly teach that the second battery is arranged adjacent to the brush motor.
However, 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 apparatus disclosed by Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 wherein the second battery is arranged adjacent to the brush motor, with a reasonable expectation of success, since Kwak teaches that the second battery is arranged adjacent to the brush (see figure 2 of Kwak), and that the location of the second battery can be adjusted ([0077] of Kwak).
Regarding claim 3, Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 further teaches that the first battery is arranged adjacent to a handle portion (figure 2, #300) of the main body (see figures 2 and 4 of Kwak), and wherein the second battery is arranged adjacent to a brush portion including the brush (see figure 2 of Kwak).
Regarding claim 4, Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 does not explicitly teach that a first capacity of the first battery and a second capacity of the second battery are at different levels.
However, 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 apparatus disclosed by Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 wherein a first capacity of the first battery and a second capacity of the second battery are at different levels, with a reasonable expectation of success, since Kwak teaches that the second battery unit serves to supply additional power in addition to the power supplied from the first battery unit it may not be desirable to significantly increase the battery capacity thereof ([0097] of Kwak), and that since it is desirable for the cleaner to have enough battery capacity to clean the area to be cleaned, the second battery unit does not need to be provided to supply excessive power ([0098] of Kwak).
Regarding claim 5, Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 does not explicitly teach that the first battery and the second battery are connected to each other through at least one power line and at least one communication line.
However, 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 apparatus disclosed by Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 wherein the first battery and the second battery are connected to each other through at least one power line and at least one communication line, with a reasonable expectation of success, since Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 teaches that the vacuum cleaner can received power supplied from the first battery and the second battery ([0068] of Kwak, and figure 2 of Lee).
Regarding claim 6, Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 further teaches that at least one of the plurality of batteries (first battery, figure 2, #400 of Kwak) is arranged in a grip portion of the handle portion (see figure 2 of Kwak).
Regarding claim 7, Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 further teaches a pipe (extension duct, figure 2, #200 of Kwak) configured to connect the handle portion to the brush portion (see figure 2 of Kwak), wherein at least one of the plurality of batteries is arranged in one of a first connector, a second connector, and an inner portion of the pipe, the first connector being configured to connect the pipe to the handle portion, and the second connector being configured to connect the pipe to the brush portion (see figure 2 of Kwak).
Regarding claim 8, Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 further teaches that the state information comprises life information (battery voltage) about each of the plurality of batteries ([0032-0034, 0041-0044, and 0046] of Lee).
Regarding claim 9, Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 further teaches that the state information comprises output information (battery voltage) about each of the plurality of batteries ([0032-0034, 0041-0044, and 0046] of Lee).
Regarding claim 10, Kwak/Hyun/Lee/US’488 further teaches that the controller and each of the plurality of batteries are individually connected to each other through a plurality of communication lines (see figure 2 of Lee).
Claims 11 and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0366425 to Lee et al. (hereinafter “Lee”) in view of US 2019/0014962 to Hyun et al. (hereinafter “Hyun”), and in further view of US 2016/0095488 to Lee et al. (hereinafter “US’488”).
Regarding claim 11, Lee teaches a method for controlling a cordless vacuum cleaner comprising a main body, a suction motor arranged inside the main body, a charging circuit configured to charge the main body, a plurality of batteries charged and discharged through the charging circuit, and a controller communicatively coupled to the suction motor, the charging circuit, and the plurality of batteries (see figures 1 and 2, and [0029, and 0044]), the method comprising the steps of receiving, by the controller, state information about each of the plurality of batteries included in the vacuum cleaner [0041-0046, and 0070-0071], wherein the controller execute instructions that cause the vacuum cleaner to, based on the state information about each of the plurality of batteries, control discharge of each of the plurality of batteries [0041-0046], and wherein the state information comprises the battery voltage (reads on the limitation “a battery discharge amount of each of the plurality of batteries”) [0032-0034, 0041-0044, 0046, and 0070-0071].
Lee does not teach that the vacuum cleaner comprises a suction fan, wherein the suction motor is configured to rotate the suction fan.
Hyun teaches a vacuum cleaner comprising a cleaner body provided with a fan unit for generating a suction force, wherein the fan unit may include a suction motor and a suction fan rotated or otherwise driven by the suction motor to generate a suction force or vacuum to draw air into the cleaner body [0023].
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 method disclosed by Lee, wherein the vacuum cleaner comprises a suction fan, and the suction motor is configured to rotate the suction fan, with a reasonable expectation of success, since Hyun teaches that a vacuum cleaner can comprise a fan unit for generating a suction force, wherein the fan unit may include a suction motor and a suction fan rotated or otherwise driven by the suction motor to generate a suction force or vacuum to draw air into the cleaner body ([0023] of Hyun).
Lee/Hyun does not explicitly teach a memory storing one or more computer programs, wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the memory.
However, it was known in the art that a vacuum cleaner can comprise a memory storing one or more computer programs. For example, US’488 teaches a vacuum cleaner comprising a controller and a memory (figure 3, #180) for storing one or more programs, wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the memory [0043-0046].
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 method disclosed by Lee/Hyun with memory storing one or more computer programs, wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to the memory, with a reasonable expectation of success, since US’488 teaches that it was known in the art that a vacuum cleaner can comprise a memory for storing one or more programs, wherein a controller can be communicatively coupled to the memory. ([0038 and 0043-0046] of US’488).
Regarding claim 14, Lee/Hyun/US’488 further teaches that the charging circuit of the vacuum cleaner can be connected to a power source (charger, figure 1, #30 of Lee) ([0027-0031] of Lee).
Lee/Hyun/US’488 does not explicitly teach the that in response to the charging circuit of the vacuum cleaner being connected to a power source, terminating discharge control of the plurality of batteries.
However, it is noted that there are only two possibilities: a) in response to the charging circuit of the vacuum cleaner being connected to a power source, terminating discharge control of the plurality of batteries, and b) in response to the charging circuit of the vacuum cleaner being connected to a power source, continuing discharge control of the plurality of batteries, and the skilled artisan would have found it obvious to try the Lee/Hyun/US’488 method wherein in response to the charging circuit of the vacuum cleaner being connected to a power source, terminating discharge control of the plurality of batteries, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 15, Lee/Hyun/US’488 does not explicitly teach that among the plurality of batteries, controlling to terminate discharge of a battery having a voltage less than or equal to a threshold voltage.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to modify the method disclosed by Lee/Hyun/US’488 wherein among the plurality of batteries, controlling to terminate discharge of a battery having a voltage less than or equal to a threshold voltage, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of preventing damage of the motor, since Lee teaches that the voltage of the battery is determined and the step of comparting the voltage battery value to a value for operating the suction motor ([0041] of Lee).
Regarding claim 16, Lee/Hyun/US’488 further teaches that the battery discharge amount comprises life information (battery voltage) about each of the plurality of batteries ([0032-0034, 0041-0044, and 0046] of Lee).
Regarding claim 17, Lee/Hyun/US’488 further teaches that the battery discharge amount comprises output information about each of the plurality of batteries ([0032-0034, 0041-0044, and 0046] of Lee).
Claims 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0366425 to Lee et al. (hereinafter “Lee”) in view of US 2019/0014962 to Hyun et al. (hereinafter “Hyun”), and US 2016/0095488 to Lee et al. (hereinafter “US’488”), and in further view of JP2019034139 to Andres et al. (hereinafter “Andres”, see attached English translation).
Regarding claim 12, Lee/Hyun/US’488 further teaches that after the receiving of the state information about each of the plurality of batteries based on the state information about each of the plurality of batteries (battery voltage), selecting at least one battery available for discharge from among the plurality of batteries, and controlling the plurality of batteries to drive a motor of the cordless vacuum cleaner by using power from the at least one battery ([0041-0046] of Lee).
Lee/Hyun/US’488 does not teach that controlling the plurality of batteries to drive the motor of the vacuum cleaner by using power from the at least one battery includes the step of suspending discharge of the other batteries.
However, Andres teaches a control method for a vacuum cleaner comprising a plurality of batteries for driving a motor of the vacuum cleaner (English translation [0014]). Andres teaches that the controller is configured to sense functional parameters of the first and second batteries, wherein the functional parameters are in particular values specifying whether one of a plurality of batteries is present, the terminal voltage of the battery, in particular the open circuit voltage, the current temperature of the battery, and/or the remaining capacity of the battery, and that the control device sets the switches of the switching unit as a function of the detected functional parameters so that power is supplied to the motor, wherein the controller can set to connect one or both batteries to provide power to drive the motor based on the functional parameters of the first and second batteries (English translation [0010], and figures 1-2).
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 method disclosed by Lee/Hyun/US’488 wherein controlling the plurality of batteries to drive the motor of the vacuum cleaner by using power from the at least one battery includes the step of suspending discharge of the other batteries, with a reasonable expectation of success, since Andres teaches that the control device can be configured to set the switches of the switching unit as a function of the detected functional parameters so that power is supplied to the motor, wherein the controller can set to connect one or both batteries to provide power to drive the motor based on the functional parameters of the first and second batteries (English translation [0010], and figures 1-2 of Andres).
Regarding claim 13, Lee/Hyun/US’488/Andres further teaches that after the controlling of the plurality of batteries to drive the motor of the vacuum cleaner by using the power from the at least one battery and to suspend the discharge of the other batteries, at a discharge end time point for the at least one battery, determining a replacement battery available for discharge from among the other batteries (English translation [0010, and 0012-0013], and figures 1-2 of Andres).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0366425 to Lee et al. (hereinafter “Lee”) in view of US 2019/0014962 to Hyun et al. (hereinafter “Hyun”), and in further view of US 2020/0201348 to Leech (hereinafter “Leech”).
Regarding claim 18, Lee teaches a cordless vacuum cleaner comprising a main body, a suction motor arranged inside the main body, a charging circuit configured to charge the main body, a plurality of batteries charged and discharged through the charging circuit, and a controller configured to control the suction motor, the charging circuit, and the plurality of batteries (see figures 1 and 2, and [0029, and 0044]) to perform a method comprising the steps of receiving, by the controller, state information about each of the plurality of batteries included in the vacuum cleaner [0041-0046, and 0070-0071], wherein the controller execute instructions that cause the vacuum cleaner to, based on the state information about each of the plurality of batteries, control discharge of each of the plurality of batteries [0041-0046], and wherein the state information comprises the battery voltage (reads on the limitation “a battery discharge amount of each of the plurality of batteries”) [0032-0034, 0041-0044, 0046, and 0070-0071].
Lee does not teach that the vacuum cleaner comprises a suction fan, wherein the suction motor is configured to rotate the suction fan.
Hyun teaches a vacuum cleaner comprising a cleaner body provided with a fan unit for generating a suction force, wherein the fan unit may include a suction motor and a suction fan rotated or otherwise driven by the suction motor to generate a suction force or vacuum to draw air into the cleaner body [0023].
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 method disclosed by Lee, wherein the vacuum cleaner comprises a suction fan, and the suction motor is configured to rotate the suction fan, with a reasonable expectation of success, since Hyun teaches that a vacuum cleaner can comprise a fan unit for generating a suction force, wherein the fan unit may include a suction motor and a suction fan rotated or otherwise driven by the suction motor to generate a suction force or vacuum to draw air into the cleaner body ([0023] of Hyun).
Lee/Hyun does not teach that the vacuum cleaner comprises one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the controller individually or collectively, cause perform the vacuum cleaner operations.
However, Leech teach a vacuum cleaner comprising a processor (abstract), wherein a method can be embodied as instructions in at least one non-transitory computer readable medium such that, when the instructions are executed by one or more processors, the method can be caused to be carried out [0003].
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 apparatus disclosed by Lee/Hyun wherein the vacuum cleaner comprises one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the controller individually or collectively, cause perform the vacuum cleaner operations, with a reasonable expectation of success, since Leech teach that a vacuum cleaner performing method can be embodied as instructions in at least one non-transitory computer readable medium such that, when the instructions are executed by one or more processors, the method can be caused to be carried out ([0003] of Leech).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0366425 to Lee et al. (hereinafter “Lee”) in view of US 2019/0014962 to Hyun et al. (hereinafter “Hyun”), and US 2020/0201348 to Leech (hereinafter “Leech”), and in further view of JP2019034139 to Andres et al. (hereinafter “Andres”, see attached English translation).
Regarding claim 19, Lee/Hyun/Leech further teaches that after the receiving of the state information about each of the plurality of batteries based on the state information about each of the plurality of batteries (battery voltage), selecting at least one battery available for discharge from among the plurality of batteries, and controlling the plurality of batteries to drive a motor of the cordless vacuum cleaner by using power from the at least one battery ([0041-0046] of Lee).
Lee/Hyun/Leech does not teach that controlling the plurality of batteries to drive the motor of the vacuum cleaner by using power from the at least one battery includes the step of suspending discharge of the other batteries.
However, Andres teaches a control method for a vacuum cleaner comprising a plurality of batteries for driving a motor of the vacuum cleaner (English translation [0014]). Andres teaches that the controller is configured to sense functional parameters of the first and second batteries, wherein the functional parameters are in particular values specifying whether one of a plurality of batteries is present, the terminal voltage of the battery, in particular the open circuit voltage, the current temperature of the battery, and/or the remaining capacity of the battery, and that the control device sets the switches of the switching unit as a function of the detected functional parameters so that power is supplied to the motor, wherein the controller can set to connect one or both batteries to provide power to drive the motor based on the functional parameters of the first and second batteries (English translation [0010], and figures 1-2).
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 apparatus disclosed by Lee/Hyun/Leech wherein controlling the plurality of batteries to drive the motor of the vacuum cleaner by using power from the at least one battery includes the step of suspending discharge of the other batteries, with a reasonable expectation of success, since Andres teaches that the control device can be configured to set the switches of the switching unit as a function of the detected functional parameters so that power is supplied to the motor, wherein the controller can set to connect one or both batteries to provide power to drive the motor based on the functional parameters of the first and second batteries (English translation [0010], and figures 1-2 of Andres).
Conclusion
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/A.I.R/Examiner, Art Unit 1714
/KAJ K OLSEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1714