DETAILED ACTION
Non-Final Rejection
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 27 November 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 11-14 are 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 11 recites the limitation "a method" in line 1. It is unclear whether this method is the one introduced in Claim 10 from which claim 11 depends. For purposes of examination, the method of Claim 11 is the same as the method of Claim 10.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the temperature sensors" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 12-14 recite the limitation “a method according to claim 9” in lines 1. Claim 9 is an apparatus claim. In order to properly depend from claim 9, applicant is advised to correct the language so as to be more in line with that of Claim 10. Examiner advises amending the language to “A method for operating a drinking water supply system according to claim 9”. Such language properly introduces the method with respect to claim 9 from which claims 12-14 depend.
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.
Claims 1-7, 9-12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Alsadah (U.S. Patent 10,323,859).
Regarding claim 1, Alsadah discloses a drinking water supply system (FIG. 5) with circulation cooling comprising a cold water line system (12-50) with at least one consumer (at 44) arranged thereon, a connection (at 12) to a public water supply network, a pump 110 for producing a volumetric flow rate in a cold water circuit in the cold water line system, and at least one cold water return line (between 46 and 42) and also a refrigeration unit 276, characterized in that the drinking water supply system comprises a primary low-temperature loop (12-50-40-46) and a secondary high-temperature loop (12-22-28-42), wherein the refrigeration unit is connected to the primary low-temperature loop and the secondary high-temperature loop, wherein arranged in the cold water line system for cooling of the cold water is a heat exchanger 576 which withdraws heat energy from the cold water and is coupled to the refrigeration unit (see FIG 5) such that the heat exchanger releases or transfers the heat energy of the cold water to the refrigeration unit by means of the primary low-temperature loop and the refrigeration unit makes the withdrawn heat energy available to the high-temperature loop (FIG. 5; Col. 13 ln 63-Col. 15 ln 9).
Regarding claim 2, Alsadah discloses the heat exchanger is connected to a return line of the cold water and the cold water is passed to the heat exchanger via the return line, wherein the heat exchanger cools the cold water to a hygienically optimal temperature and feeds it back into the cold water line system (FIG. 5; Col. 13 ln 63-Col. 15 ln 9).
Regarding claim 3, Alsadah discloses the pump controls the volumetric flow rate in the cold water circuit variably depending on temperature or differential pressure (Col. 13 ln 63-Col. 14 ln 28).
Regarding claim 4, Alsadah discloses in the case of multiple return lines in the cold water line system, circulation control valves (46 is closed by way of a valve) are arranged in the return lines for hydraulic balancing of the cold water line system (Col. 12 ln 1-2).
Regarding claim 5, Alsadah discloses the refrigeration unit transfers the heat energy to a heat store 20 (FIG. 5; Col. 10 ln 19-32).
Regarding claim 6, Alsadah discloses the refrigeration unit comprises a pump 70 for the primary low-temperature loop (FIG. 5; Col. 10 ln 19-32).
Regarding claim 7, Alsadah discloses the refrigeration unit comprises a pump 70 for the secondary high-temperature loop (FIG. 5; Col. 10 ln 19-32).
Regarding claim 9, Alsadah discloses a flush valve 34 is integrated in the cold water system, wherein the flush valve serves to ensure proper water exchange (FIG. 5; Col. 10 ln 33-47).
Regarding claim 10, Alsadah discloses a method for operating a drinking water supply system according to Claim 1 (FIG. 5; Col. 13 ln 63-Col. 15 ln 9), wherein the heat energy withdrawn from the cold water by means of the heat exchanger is supplied to the refrigeration unit via the low-temperature loop (FIG. 5).
Regarding claim 11, Alsadah discloses the desired temperature of the cooled cold water is controlled via the volumetric flow rate of the low-temperature loop and/or of the high-temperature loop, and/or of the cold water circuit (Col. 3 ln 33-47).
Regarding claim 12, Alsadah discloses the pump in the cold water line system controls the cold water circulation volumetric flow rate depending on temperature on the basis of the prevailing temperature of the cold water at at least one of the temperature sensors 48 in the cold water line system (FIG. 5; Col. 10 ln 33-67).
Regarding claim 14, Alsadah discloses the drinking water supply system is controlled and monitored by means of a controller (Col. 14 ln 7-17).
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.
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.
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 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alsadah in view of Melink (U.S. Patent Publication 2021/0148614).
Regarding claim 8, Alsadah discloses the claimed invention substantially as claimed, as set forth above for claim 1.
Alsadah further discloses the refrigeration unit comprises a compressor 72 and an expansion valve 78 (FIG. 5; Col. 6 ln 43-58).
Alsadah is silent regarding the refrigeration unit comprises an evaporator and a condenser.
However, Melink teaches the refrigeration unit comprises an evaporator 118 and a condenser 114 (FIG. 1; Paragraph 24).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify Alsadah by adding an evaporator and a condenser, as taught by Melink, for the purpose of providing additional components that are necessary for achieving the desired fluid flow characteristics.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alsadah.
Alsadah further discloses the pump controls the cold water volumetric flow rate in the cold water line system (Col. 13 ln 63-Col. 14 ln 28).
Alsadah is silent regarding the cold water line system has multiple cold water return lines.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have multiple cold water return lines, similar to the embodiment depicted in FIG. 7, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hartig (U.S. Patent Publication 2016/0311702) discloses a system for providing water similar to the one disclosed in the present application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER D BALLMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-9984. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 6:00-3:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Craig M Schneider can be reached at 571-272-3607. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER D BALLMAN/ Examiner, Art Unit 3753
/CRAIG M SCHNEIDER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3753