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 Objections
Claims 14, 15, and 18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 14 depends on claim 13. However, claim 14 is opposite of claim 13. Therefore, claim 14 is recommended to be changed to depend on claim 1.
Line 7 of claim 15 recites: “wherein the second end of the guide pin…”. There is insufficient antecedent basis of the limitation in the claim. It is recommended to be changed to read: “wherein a second end of the guide pin…”.
Line 2 of claim 18 recites: “…to mount the camera to a wall plate…”. It is recommended to be changed to read: “…to mount the camera to the wall plate…”. See claim 17 lines 5-6.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, and 4-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thieman (U.S. Patent No.: 9,075,290), and further in view of Li et al. (CN 211203543).
Regarding claim 1:
Thieman discloses a camera system comprising: a utility box (FIG. 9, (120), C. 8 L. 22-30) having a wall plate (FIG. 10, (40)/(50), C. 8 L. 22-30); a camera ((100), C. 8 L. 22-30) mounted in the utility box (FIG. 9); a guide pin (FIG. 10, (105), C. 6 L. 50) protruding from the camera or the wall plate of the utility box (when (105) is attached to “threaded opening in bottom of camera”, C. 6 L. 49, through (205) of (40), (105) protrudes from both (100)/(40); similar to (185)/(180)/(100) shown in FIG. 13, C. 8 L. 59-67); and a recess (“threaded opening in bottom of camera”, C. 6 L. 49) to receive the guide pin (FIGS. 9, 10), wherein the recess is located in the camera or in the wall plate of the utility box (located in (100)), wherein the guide pin limits motion of the camera when the camera is mounted on the wall plate of the utility box ((105) secures and limits motion of (100)).
Thieman does not specifically disclose one or more magnets, wherein the magnets generate an attractive force to mount the camera to the wall plate of the utility box.
Li teaches one or more magnets, wherein the magnets generate an attractive force to mount the camera to the wall plate (FIG. 2, (9), [0028, 0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the feature of Li’s with the camera system taught by Thieman for the purpose of providing a surveillance camera convenient for installation and maintenance (Li: Abstract).
Regarding claim 2:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera system of claim 1, wherein Thieman further discloses that the wall plate is a ceiling plate or a floor plate (FIG. 9) and the guide pin limits horizontal motion of the camera when the camera is mounted on the ceiling plate or the floor plate of the utility box ((105) secures and limits motion of (100), C. 6 L. 50).
Regarding claim 4:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera system of claim 1, wherein Li further discloses that the one or more magnets are mounted in or on the wall plate or the one or more magnets are mounted in or on the camera (FIG. 2, (9), [0028, 0030]).
Regarding claim 5:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera system of claim 4, wherein Li further discloses that the camera includes ferromagnetic material ((4), [0028]), and the wall plate includes the one or more magnets (FIG. 2, (9), [0028, 0030]).
Thieman and Li do not specifically disclose that the wall plate includes ferromagnetic material, and the camera includes the one or more magnets.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the wall plate to include ferromagnetic material, and the camera to include the one or more magnets, since it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involve sonly routine skill in the art. In re Einstein, 8 USPQ 167.
Regarding claim 6:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera system of claim 4, wherein Li further discloses that the camera includes ferromagnetic material ((4), [0028]), and the wall plate includes the one or more magnets (FIG. 2, (9), [0028, 0030]).
Regarding claim 7:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera system of claim 4, wherein Li further discloses that the camera includes ferromagnetic material ((4), [0028]).
Thieman and Li do not specifically disclose that the wall plate includes ferromagnetic material.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the wall plate to include ferromagnetic material since it is well known in the art to utilize ferromagnetic material such as iron for brackets and plates.
Regarding claim 8:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera system of claim 4, wherein Li further discloses that the wall plate includes at least one of the one or more magnets (FIG. 2, (9), [0028, 0030]).
Thieman and Li do not specifically disclose that the camera includes at least one of the one or more magnets.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the camera to include at least one of the one or more magnets, since it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involve sonly routine skill in the art. In re Einstein, 8 USPQ 167.
Regarding claim 9:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera system of claim 4, wherein Li further discloses that the one or more magnets are glued ([0007]), screwed, or added during a molding or a 3D printing process.
Regarding claim 10:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera system of claim 1.
Thieman and Li do not specifically disclose that the wall plate is integral to the utility box.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to enable the wall plate to be integral to the utility box, since it has been held that the term “integra” is sufficiently broad to embrace constructions united by such means as fastening and welding. In re Hotte, 177 USPQ 326, 328 (CCPA 1973).
Regarding claim 11:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera system of claim 1, wherein Thieman further discloses that the wall plate is removably mounted to an interior of the utility box (“…mounted onto…”, C. 8 L22-30).
Regarding claim 12:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera system of claim 11, wherein Thieman further discloses that the removably mounted wall plate is L shaped (FIG. 10, (40)/(50), C. 8 L. 22-30).
Regarding claim 13:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera system of claim 1, wherein Thieman further discloses that the guide pin protrudes from a base of the camera (when (105) is attached to “threaded opening in bottom of camera”, C. 6 L. 49, through (205) of (40), (105) protrudes from both (100)/(40); similar to (185)/(180)/(100) shown in FIG. 13, C. 8 L. 59-67), and wherein the recess is located in the wall plate of the utility box (FIG. 10, (205)).
Regarding claim 14:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera system of claim 1, wherein Thieman further discloses that the guide pin protrudes from the wall plate of the utility box (when (105) is attached to “threaded opening in bottom of camera”, C. 6 L. 49, through (205) of (40), (105) protrudes from both (100)/(40); similar to (185)/(180)/(100) shown in FIG. 13, C. 8 L. 59-67), and wherein the recess is located on a base of the camera (“threaded opening in bottom of camera”, C. 6 L. 49).
Regarding claim 15:
Thieman discloses a camera (FIG. 9, (100), C. 8 L. 22-30) configured to be mounted in a utility box FIG. 9, (120), C. 8 L. 22-30), the camera comprising: a threaded screw hole (FIGS. 9, 10, “threaded opening in bottom of camera”, C. 6 L. 49) to receive a first end of a guide pin (FIGS. 9, 10, (105), C. 6 L. 50), wherein the first end of the guide pin includes threads (FIG. 10, “component mounting flat head screw” (105), C. 6 L. 50) to engage the screw hole to connect the guide pin to the camera (FIGS. 9, 10), wherein a second end of the guide pin is configured to be received by a recess (FIG. 10, (205)) in a wall plate (FIG. 10, (40)/(50), C. 8 L. 22-30) of the utility box (FIGS. 9, 10), and wherein the guide pin limits motion of the camera when the camera is mounted on the wall plate of the utility box ((105) secures and limits motion of (100)).
Thieman does not specifically disclose one or more magnets, wherein the magnets generate an attractive force to mount the camera to a wall plate of the utility box.
Li teaches one or more magnets, wherein the magnets generate an attractive force to mount the camera to a wall plate (FIG. 2, (9), [0028, 0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the feature of Li’s with the camera taught by Thieman for the purpose of providing a surveillance camera convenient for installation and maintenance (Li: Abstract).
Regarding claim 16:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera of claim 15, wherein Thieman further discloses that the wall plate is a ceiling plate or a floor plate (FIG. 9) and the guide pin is configured to limit horizontal motion of the camera when the camera is mounted on the ceiling plate or the floor plate of the utility box ((105) secures and limits motion of (100), C. 6 L. 50).
Regarding claim 17:
Thieman discloses a camera (FIG. 9, (100), C. 8 L. 22-30) configured to be mounted in a utility box (FIG. 9, (120), C. 8 L. 22-30), the camera comprising: a guide pin (FIG. 10, (105), C. 6 L. 50), wherein a first end of the guide pin is connected to the camera (FIGS. 9, 10, “threaded opening in bottom of camera”, C. 6 L. 49), wherein a second end of the guide pin is configured to be received by a recess (FIG. 10, (205)) in a wall plate (FIG. 10, (40)/(50), C. 8 L. 22-30) of the utility box (FIGS. 9, 10), and wherein the guide pin limits motion of the camera when the camera is mounted on the wall plate of the utility box ((105) secures and limits motion of (100)).
Thieman does not specifically disclose a camera configured to be mounted using magnetic force.
Li teaches a camera configured to be mounted using magnetic force (FIG. 2, (9), [0028, 0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the feature of Li’s with the camera taught by Thieman for the purpose of providing a surveillance camera convenient for installation and maintenance (Li: Abstract).
Regarding claim 18:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera of claim 17, wherein together Thieman and Li further disclose: one or more magnets, wherein the magnets generate an attractive force to mount the camera to the wall plate (Li: FIG. 2, (9), [0028, 0030]) of the utility box (Thieman: FIG. 9, (120), C. 8 L. 22-30).
Regarding claim 19:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera of claim 17, wherein Thieman further discloses: a threaded screw hole (FIGS. 9, 10, “threaded opening in bottom of camera”, C. 6 L. 49) to receive the first end of the guide pin (FIGS. 9, 10), wherein the first end of the guide pin includes threads (FIG. 10, “component mounting flat head screw” (105), C. 6 L. 50) to engage the screw hole to connect the guide pin to the camera (FIGS. 9, 10).
Regarding claim 20:
Thieman and Li disclose and teach of the camera of claim 17, wherein Thieman further discloses: the wall plate is configured to be removably attached to the utility box (“…mounted onto…”, C. 8 L22-30).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3 is 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FANG-CHI CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5299. The examiner can normally be reached MRF 9am-5pm.
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/FANG-CHI CHANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2852
/STEPHANIE E BLOSS/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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