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 .
The instant application having application No. 18/951,571 of CHILDERS for “UNIVERSAL EMERGENCY ALARM SYSTEM” filed November 18, 2024 and a Preliminary Amendment submitted November 19, 2024 has been examined.
Drawings
Drawings Figures 1-5 submitted on November 18, 2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.121(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted November 18, 2024 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 4-5, 10-11 and 13-20 are objected to because of the following informalities: the dependent claims 4-5, 10-11 and 13-20 improperly depend on canceled claim 1. Appropriate correction is required.
Applicant is advised that should claim 4 be found allowable, claim 6 will be objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 3-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by the Applicant Submitted Prior Art of HASSLER et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2013/0346333 A1) hereinafter “Hassler” in view of the Prior Art of COLE et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2024/0212479 A1) hereinafter “Cole”.
As to claim 3, Hassler discloses universal emergency alarm system (a computer system configured to allow for sending requests for aid, responding to requests for aid, and receiving requests to aid in a multi-user environment, meets the claimed [i.e. universal emergency alarm system], shown in Figures 1-5 and described in Abstract and Paragraphs 0008, 0012, 0014, 0042, 0047and 0090), comprising: a. one or more decentralized alarm panels (first smartphone 190 [i.e. one or more decentralized alarm panels], shown in Figures 1, 3 and described in described in Paragraphs 0014, 0042, 0047, 0049, 0052 and 0061-0063), wherein each panel is located in a non-controlled area and able to be activated by a non-administrative occupant (smartphone app of smartphone 190 will send an instruction via network 120 to network computer system that the requestor has sent a request for a response to a lower priority emergency, such as when two student are fighting, e.g. a mobile application for a requestor, such as a teacher or employee [i.e. wherein each panel is located in a non-controlled area and able to be activated by a non-administrative occupant], described in Paragraph 0090), and wherein each panel comprises a housing and at least one coded emergency lever (when computer-implemented method used in conjunction with the hardware and software described in conjunction with FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 8 [i.e. wherein each panel comprises a housing and at least one coded emergency lever], shown in Figure 4 and described in Paragraphs 0092-0097); and b. one or more alarms, wherein each alarm comprises a housing, a visual source, and an audio signal (send a request an administrator to initiate a response to an emergency situation is provided. A user interface will allow the requestor to specify the type of emergency event and any comments which the requestor would like to send to emergency response personnel. Additional embodiments provide for a mobile application allowing an administrator to view and confirm requests from requestors, A when an authorized requestor has sent a request for a lockdown and an administrator has confirmed the request by selecting a "Confirm Request" button of a user interface displayed on the administrator's mobile device, described in Paragraphs 0009-0010, 0052-0053 and 0083-0084); wherein each lever corresponds with a different alarm profile, and wherein, upon activation of a first lever, a first alarm profile is executed by one or more alarms (A user interface will allow the requestor to specify the type of emergency event and any comments which the requestor would like to send to emergency response personnel, meet the claimed [i.e. wherein each lever corresponds with a different alarm profile, and wherein, upon activation of a first lever, a first alarm profile is executed by one or more alarms], shown in Figures 6A, 6B and described in Paragraphs 0009-0010, 0052-0053 and 0083-0084).
Hassler does not expressly disclose the visual alarm being in the form of a light source.
Cole, in similar field of endeavor, discloses an emergency alarm system that provide an alert light (described in Paragraphs 0023, 0032, 0051 and 0055).
Thus, given the system of Hassler and having the teaching of Cole disclosing a system an emergency alarm that provide an alert light that is also well-known and conventional in the art, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Hassler by incorporating the teaching of Cole such that the system of Hassler to provide a universal emergency alarm system, comprising: a. one or more decentralized alarm panels, wherein each panel is located in a non-controlled area and able to be activated by a non-administrative occupant, and wherein each panel comprises a housing and at least one coded emergency lever; and b. one or more alarms, wherein each alarm comprises a housing, a light source, and an audio signal; wherein each lever corresponds with a different alarm profile, and wherein, upon activation of a first lever, a first alarm profile is executed by one or more alarms, for the obvious advantage of providing a visual indication as suggested by Cole (Paragraph 0011) that is desirable feature particularly in the case of the lockdown alarm situation of Hassler.
As to claim 4, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further both Hassler and Cole disclose wherein each lever can be a button or a touchscreen activated display (panic icon 3000 and lockdown icon 3002, shown in Figure 3 and described in Paragraph 0090 of Hassler and sign/decal 346, shown in Figure 1 and described in Paragraph 0039 of Cole).
As to claim 5, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Hassler discloses the system further comprising one or more centralized alarm panels (shown in Figures 7A-7J), wherein each centralized alarm panel is located in a controlled area and able to be activated by an administrative occupant, and wherein each centralized alarm panel comprises a housing and at least one coded emergency lever (shown in Figures 7A-7J and described in Paragraphs 0115-0127).
As to claim 6, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Hassler discloses wherein each lever can be a button or a touchscreen activated display (panic icon 3000 and lockdown icon 3002, shown in Figure 3 and described in Paragraph 0090 of Hassler and sign/decal 346, shown in Figure 1 and described in Paragraph 0039 of Cole).
As to claim 7, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Hassler discloses wherein the decentralized alarm panel levers are coded the same as the centralized alarm panel levers (shown in Figures 7A-7J and described in Paragraphs 0115-0127).
As to claim 8, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Hassler discloses wherein the centralized alarm panel comprises one or more differently-coded levers than the decentralized alarm panel (A user interface will allow the requestor to specify the type of emergency event and any comments which the requestor would like to send to emergency response personnel, meet the claimed [i.e. wherein each lever corresponds with a different alarm profile, and wherein, upon activation of a first lever, a first alarm profile is executed by one or more alarms], shown in Figures 6A, 6B and described in Paragraphs 0009-0010, 0052-0053 and 0083-0084).
As to claim 9, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Hassler discloses wherein the centralized alarm panel comprises at least one more lever than the decentralized alarm panel (shown in Figure 6A and described in Paragraphs 0112-0113).
As to claim 10, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Hassler discloses communicates to emergency dispatch, activates one or more alarms, communicates to mobile application, or combinations thereof (described in Abstract, Paragraphs 0034 and 0041).
As to claim 11, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Hassler discloses wherein the system is capable of alerting one or more interested parties of an emergency (described in Abstract and Paragraphs 0010 and 0034).
As to claim 12, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 9, further Hassler discloses wherein the one or more interested parties are selected from the group consisting of administrative occupants, non-administrative occupants, non-occupants, emergency dispatch, zone members, community members, and combinations thereof (described in Abstract and Paragraphs 0010 and 0034).
As to claim 13, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Hassler discloses the system further comprising a mobile application that can be used to alert and communicate with zone members in one or more connectivity zones (GPS coordinates for locations (such as a classroom) within an organization or sub-organization, described in Paragraph 0078).
As to claim 14, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Hassler discloses the system further comprising a mobile application that can be used to alert and communicate with community members in one or more connectivity communities (described in Paragraphs 0034 and 0078).
As to claim 15, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Hassler discloses the system further comprising a mobile application that can be used to activate one or more alarms (described in Abstract, Paragraphs 0034, 0041 and 0078).
As to claim 16, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Cole discloses wherein the light source is capable of generating one or more different colors of light (change in color or brightness, described in Paragraph 0055).
As to claim 17, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Cole discloses wherein the light source is capable of generating one or more different strobe patterns of light (strobes, described in Paragraphs 0040, 0043 and 0067).
As to claim 18, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Hassler discloses wherein the audio signal is capable of generating one or more different patterns of audio (plurality of audio files or "clips", described in Paragraph 0084).
As to claim 19, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further both Hassler and Cole disclose wherein each alarm profile is customizable by one or more of the following features: alarm lever color, alarm type, strobe light color, strobe flash pattern, audio signal, sprayer instructions, and notification instructions (plurality of audio files or "clips", described in Paragraph 0084 of Hassler; change in color or brightness, described in Paragraphs 0040, 0043 and 0067 and strobes, described in Paragraph 0055 of Cole).
As to claim 20, the combination of Hassler and Cole as set forth above in claim 3, further Hassler discloses wherein each alarm comprises a sprayer (sprinkler systems, described in Paragraph 0090).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following cited arts are further to show the state of related art.
U.S. Publication No. 2021/0280048 A1 of McNUTT et al, discloses a system and methods for notifying first responders of the general or specific location of a security crisis or threat in a building or public location, and the type of threat or crisis that has occurred, while notifying building occupants or others in the public location of the crisis and how to respond. The crisis management and notification system provides critical information to the first responders, including initial location of the crisis and whether the crisis location has changed in real time, audio and video input of the crisis arena, communications with designated occupants in the crisis arena, static building or location information, and other information. The crisis notification system can be scaled to allow the effective use in facilities of differing sizes and layouts. The system is also flexible, enabling the system to integrate with currently existing systems or to operate with new devices.
U.S. Publication No. 2021/0043053 A1 of KRONZ et al, discloses systems and methods for allowing rapid detection and display of an emergency condition using a plurality of specially-constructed multifunction sensors and display units, which allow building evacuation plans to be evaluated, modified, and transmitted to building occupants.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SISAY YACOB whose telephone number is (571)272-8562. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10:30-07:00 ET.
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/SISAY YACOB/ February 07, 2026
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686