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 § 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.
Claims 1-7 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noriyuki (WIPO, WO2018211619) in view of Bicknell (US PUB. 20140217185) in further view of Delgoshaei (US PUB. 20180259235).
Regarding claim 1, Noriyuki teaches An air conditioner comprising:
an indoor unit including a main body having formed therein a blow-out port through which air-conditioned air is blown out toward a space to be air-conditioned (page 3, ¶ 7 “The air heat-exchanged by the indoor heat exchanger 25 is supplied to the indoor space as conditioned air. Thereby, indoor space is air-conditioned. When the indoor blower 27 starts the air blowing operation, a negative pressure is generated inside the indoor unit 12 and sucks air in the indoor space. The sucked air is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger 25, exchanged heat with the indoor heat exchanger 25, and then blown out into the indoor space. As the amount of heat exchange between the refrigerant and air in the indoor heat exchanger 25 increases, the cooling capacity or heating capacity of the air conditioning system 1 increases”), and a microphone element that accepts a voice instruction captured from a voice capturing portion (page 5 ¶ 6 “The sound sensor 107 is also called a microphone and is a sensor that detects sound.”, page 5 ¶ 7 “The speech recognition server 200 is a server that provides a speech recognition service using cloud computing, and causes the air conditioning system 1 to function in cooperation with the air conditioning control device 100.”) connected to a wall of the main body that faces the space to be air-conditioned and arranged at a position that deviates from a ventilation space through which the air blown out from the blow-out port flows (page 3 ¶ 7, figure 2);
a transmitter that transmits a signal that is based on the voice instruction accepted by the microphone element, the signal being transmitted externally of the air conditioner (page 5 ¶ 11 “The communication unit 203 includes a communication interface for connecting to the wide area network N, and communicates with the air conditioning control device 100 via the wide area network N. Specifically, the communication unit 203 receives voice information from the air conditioning control device 100 under the control of the control unit 201, and transmits information indicating the result of voice recognition to the air conditioning control device 100.”, page 2 ¶ 6 “Voice acquisition means for acquiring the user's voice when at least one of the user's posture, the user's position, the user's facial expression, and the user's orientation changes; Air conditioning control means for controlling the air conditioning based on the voice acquired by the voice acquisition means”, page 3 “The air conditioning control device 100 and the voice recognition server 200 are connected to be communicable via the wide area network N and the base station S. The wide area network N is, for example, the Internet, and relays transmission / reception of information between the air conditioning control device 100 and the voice recognition server 200. The base station S is a facility for connecting the air
conditioning control device 100 and devices existing in the vicinity area of the base station S to the wide area network N.”, fig. 1);
and a receiver that receives a command corresponding to the signal transmitted from the transmitter, the command being received from externally of the air conditioner (page 5 ¶ 11 “The communication unit 203 includes a communication interface for connecting to the wide area network N, and communicates with the air conditioning control device 100 via the wide area network N. Specifically, the communication unit 203 receives voice information from the air conditioning control device 100 under the control of the control unit 201, and transmits information indicating the result of voice recognition to the air conditioning control device 100.”).
The cited prior art do not teach the blow-out port being formed so as to extend with a longitudinal direction thereof corresponding to a second direction, the indoor unit further including a fan and an inverter fan motor that drives the fan, the fan being accommodated in the main body and a rotational axis of the fan extending in the second direction, and the inverter fan motor being disposed on one side of an inside of the main body in the second direction and being disposed on one side of the fan in the second direction, and the voice capturing portion being disposed on an opposite side of the main body as the side on which the inverter fan motor is disposed in the second direction.
Bicknell teaches the blow-out port being formed so as to extend with a longitudinal direction thereof corresponding to a second direction (0042 “the system controller 106 may comprise and/or connect directly with a microphone 170 and/or an image sensor 172. In some embodiments, the zone thermostat 158 may communicate directly with a microphone 170 and/or an image sensor 172. In some embodiments, the zone sensor 160 may communicate directly with a microphone 170 and/or an image sensor 172. In some embodiments, a microphone 170 and/or an image sensor 172 may be attached to a wall mounted air handler or a ceiling mounted air handler. The skilled artisan will appreciate that the microphone 170 and/or the image sensor 172 may be attached to other HVAC components that may have a line of sight to any of the climate conditioned zones”, 0018 “indoor fan 110 is a centrifugal blower comprising a blower housing, a blower impeller at least partially disposed within the blower housing, and a blower motor configured to selectively rotate the blower impeller. In other embodiments, the indoor fan 110 may comprise a mixed-flow fan and/or any other suitable type of fan. The indoor fan 110 is configured as a modulating and/or variable speed fan capable of being operated at many speeds over one or more ranges of speeds. In other embodiments, the indoor fan 110 may be configured as a multiple speed fan capable of being operated at a plurality of operating speeds by selectively electrically powering different ones of multiple electromagnetic windings of a motor of the indoor fan”),
the indoor unit further including a fan and an [inverter] fan motor that drives the fan, the fan being accommodated in the main body and a rotational axis of the fan extending in the second direction, and the [inverter] fan motor being disposed on one side of an inside of the main body in the second direction and being disposed on one side of the fan in the second direction (0018 “indoor fan 110 is a centrifugal blower comprising a blower housing, a blower impeller at least partially disposed within the blower housing, and a blower motor configured to selectively rotate the blower impeller. In other embodiments, the indoor fan 110 may comprise a mixed-flow fan and/or any other suitable type of fan. The indoor fan 110 is configured as a modulating and/or variable speed fan capable of being operated at many speeds over one or more ranges of speeds. In other embodiments, the indoor fan 110 may be configured as a multiple speed fan capable of being operated at a plurality of operating speeds by selectively electrically powering different ones of multiple electromagnetic windings of a motor of the indoor fan”),
and the voice capturing portion being disposed on an opposite side of the main body as the side on which the inverter fan motor is disposed in the second direction (0042).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to have modified voice control air conditioning system of Noriyuki with the microphone positioning teachings of Bicknell since Bicknell teaches a means for reconfigure user settings using the microphones in a manner consistent with user preferences (0012).
The cited prior art do not teach inverter fan motor.
Delgoshaei teaches inverter fan motor (0025).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to have modified the teachings of Noriyuki and Bicknell with the teachings of Delgoshaei since Delgoshaei teaches a means for preventing damage to the air blower (0025).
Regarding claim 2, The cited prior art teach the air conditioner according to claim 1.
Bicknell teaches wherein the blow-out port, through which air is blown out in a first direction in a bottom view, is formed in a lower surface of the main body, and the voice capturing portion is disposed in the lower surface of the main body at a location other than the downstream side of the blow-out port in the first direction in the bottom view (0026 “the system controller 106 may use communication bus 128 to communicate with a microphone 170”, 0016).
Regarding claim 3, the cited prior art teach the air conditioner according to claim 1.
Bicknell teaches wherein the blow-out port is formed in a first surface of the main body, and the voice capturing portion is disposed in a second surface of the main body that intersects the first surface (0042 “a microphone 170 and/or an image sensor 172 may be attached to a wall mounted air handler or a ceiling mounted air handler. The skilled artisan will appreciate that the microphone 170 and/or the image sensor 172 may be attached to other HVAC components that may have a line of sight to any of the climate conditioned zones 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, and 216.”).
Regarding claim 4, the cited prior art teach the air conditioner according to claim 1.
Bicknell teaches wherein the voice capturing portion is disposed on the extension of the blow-out port in the second direction (0042 “a microphone 170 and/or an image sensor 172 may be attached to a wall mounted air handler or a ceiling mounted air handler. The skilled artisan will appreciate that the microphone 170 and/or the image sensor 172 may be attached to other HVAC components that may have a line of sight to any of the climate conditioned zones 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, and 216.”).
Regarding claim 5, the cited prior art teach the air conditioner according to claim 1.
The cited prior art teach wherein the main body further has formed therein a suction port through which air is sucked from the space to be air-conditioned (Noriyuki page 3, ¶ 7 “The air heat-exchanged by the indoor heat exchanger 25 is supplied to the indoor space as conditioned air. Thereby, indoor space is air-conditioned. When the indoor blower 27 starts the air blowing operation, a negative pressure is generated inside the indoor unit 12 and sucks air in the indoor space. The sucked air is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger 25, exchanged heat with the indoor heat exchanger 25, and then blown out into the indoor space. As the amount of heat exchange between the refrigerant and air in the indoor heat exchanger 25 increases, the cooling capacity or heating capacity of the air conditioning system 1 increases”), and the voice capturing portion is disposed on the main body between the blow-out port and the suction port (Bicknell 0042 “ a microphone 170 and/or an image sensor 172 may be attached to a wall mounted air handler or a ceiling mounted air handler. The skilled artisan will appreciate that the microphone 170 and/or the image sensor 172 may be attached to other HVAC components that may have a line of sight to any of the climate conditioned zones 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, and 216.”).
Regarding claim 6, the cited prior art teach the air conditioner according to claim 1.
Bicknell teaches wherein the indoor unit is a wall-mounted type, and the voice capturing portion is disposed above the blow-out port (0026 “the system controller 106 may use communication bus 128 to communicate with a microphone 170”, 0016).
Regarding claim 7, the cited prior art teach the air conditioner according to claim 1.
The cited prior art teach wherein the indoor unit is a wall-mounted type, the indoor unit has two or more combinations (Noriyuki page 3, ¶ 7 “The air heat-exchanged by the indoor heat exchanger 25 is supplied to the indoor space as conditioned air. Thereby, indoor space is air-conditioned. When the indoor blower 27 starts the air blowing operation, a negative pressure is generated inside the indoor unit 12 and sucks air in the indoor space. The sucked air is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger 25, exchanged heat with the indoor heat exchanger 25, and then blown out into the indoor space. As the amount of heat exchange between the refrigerant and air in the indoor heat exchanger 25 increases, the cooling capacity or heating capacity of the air conditioning system 1 increases”), each including the voice capturing portion and the microphone element, and the voice capturing portions are disposed at least at both ends of the main body in the second direction (Bicknell 0042 “ a microphone 170 and/or an image sensor 172 may be attached to a wall mounted air handler or a ceiling mounted air handler. The skilled artisan will appreciate that the microphone 170 and/or the image sensor 172 may be attached to other HVAC components that may have a line of sight to any of the climate conditioned zones 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, and 216.”).
Claim 10 is rejected using similar reasoning as the rejection of claims 1-9 due to reciting similar limitations.
Claims 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noriyuki (WIPO, WO2018211619) in view of Bicknell (US PUB. 20140217185) in further view of Varadi (US PUB. 20170046640).
Regarding claim 11, Noriyuki teaches An air conditioner comprising:
an indoor unit including a main body having formed therein a blow-out port through which air-conditioned air is blown out toward a space to be air-conditioned, and a microphone element that accepts a voice instruction captured from a voice capturing portion connected to a wall of the main body that faces the space to be air-conditioned and arranged at a position that deviates from a ventilation space through which the air blown out from the blow-out port flows (page 3, ¶ 7 “The air heat-exchanged by the indoor heat exchanger 25 is supplied to the indoor space as conditioned air. Thereby, indoor space is air-conditioned. When the indoor blower 27 starts the air blowing operation, a negative pressure is generated inside the indoor unit 12 and sucks air in the indoor space. The sucked air is supplied to the indoor heat exchanger 25, exchanged heat with the indoor heat exchanger 25, and then blown out into the indoor space. As the amount of heat exchange between the refrigerant and air in the indoor heat exchanger 25 increases, the cooling capacity or heating capacity of the air conditioning system 1 increases” page 5 ¶ 6 “The sound sensor 107 is also called a microphone and is a sensor that detects sound.”, page 5 ¶ 7 “The speech recognition server 200 is a server that provides a speech recognition service using cloud computing, and causes the air conditioning system 1 to function in cooperation with the air conditioning control device 100.”);
a transmitter that transmits a signal that is based on the voice instruction accepted by the microphone element, the signal being transmitted externally of the air conditioner (page 5 ¶ 11 “The communication unit 203 includes a communication interface for connecting to the wide area network N, and communicates with the air conditioning control device 100 via the wide area network N. Specifically, the communication unit 203 receives voice information from the air conditioning control device 100 under the control of the control unit 201, and transmits information indicating the result of voice recognition to the air conditioning control device 100.”, page 2 ¶ 6 “Voice acquisition means for acquiring the user's voice when at least one of the user's posture, the user's position, the user's facial expression, and the user's orientation changes; Air conditioning control means for controlling the air conditioning based on the voice acquired by the voice acquisition means”);
and a receiver that receives a command corresponding to the signal transmitted from the transmitter, the command being received from externally of the air conditioner from externally of the air conditioner (page 5 ¶ 11 “The communication unit 203 includes a communication interface for connecting to the wide area network N, and communicates with the air conditioning control device 100 via the wide area network N. Specifically, the communication unit 203 receives voice information from the air conditioning control device 100 under the control of the control unit 201, and transmits information indicating the result of voice recognition to the air conditioning control device 100.”),
the indoor unit further including a fan and a motor that drives the fan, the fan being accommodated in the main body below a center of the main body (page 3 “outdoor unit 11 includes a compressor 21, a four-way valve 22, an outdoor heat exchanger 23, an expansion valve 24, an outdoor blower 26, and an outdoor unit control unit 28. The indoor unit 12 includes an indoor heat exchanger 25, an indoor fan 27, and an indoor unit control unit 29. The refrigerant pipe 15 connects the compressor 21, the four-way valve 22, the outdoor heat exchanger 23, the expansion valve 24, and the indoor heat exchanger 25 in an annular shape. Thereby, the heat pump is comprised. The heat pump is also called a refrigeration cycle”).
The cited prior art do not teach the indoor unit being a floor-mountable type, and the voice capturing portion being disposed above a center of the main body in a height direction and above the fan motor.
Bicknell teaches and the voice capturing portion being disposed above a center of the main body in a height direction and above the fan motor (0042 “In some embodiments, the zone sensor 160 may communicate directly with a microphone 170 and/or an image sensor 172. In some embodiments, a microphone 170 and/or an image sensor 172 may be attached to a wall mounted air handler or a ceiling mounted air handler”, 0012)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to have modified voice control air conditioning system of Noriyuki with the microphone positioning teachings of Bicknell since Bicknell teaches a means for reconfigure user settings using the microphones in a manner consistent with user preferences (0012).
The cited prior art do not teach the indoor unit being a floor-mountable type.
Varadi teaches the indoor unit being a floor-mountable type (0002 “ datacenters use environmental maintenance systems including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units to control indoor temperature, humidity, and other variables. It is common to have many HVAC units deployed throughout a data center. They are often floor-standing units”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to have modified voice control air conditioning system of Noriyuki and the teachings of Bicknell with the teachings of Varadi since Varadi teaches a means for a common space that is temperature-controlled and humidity controlled by multiple HVAC units (0002).
Conclusion
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/TAMEEM D SIDDIQUEE/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2116
Prosecution Insights