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
This is a first action on the merits for this continuous application filed on 12/02/2024
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 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 1-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Segal (US 6,236,953 B1).
Regarding claims 1, 17, and 29; Segal discloses a sanitation system (Fig.1:10) and a method (Figures 6-8 and columns 12-13) of conducting a sanitation activity and procedure, comprising:
A sink (Fig.1:12);
A sensor (Fig.1:48) in communication with either the sink or the dispenser (col.8, lines 21-55), the sensor operable to detect activation of either the sink or the dispenser;
A dispenser (Fig.1:50) for dispensing a sanitation material, the dispenser including a dispenser sensor (col.8, lines 21-55) operable to detect activation of the dispenser and to control operation of the dispenser;
An electronic multifunction device (Fig.1:16) in electronic communication with the sensor, the electronic multifunction device including an output device, a processor, and memory (Fig.1:68, 42, 38);
Wherein the sensor (col.7, lines 52-67 through col.8, lines 41) signals the electronic multifunction device of activation of either the dispenser or the sink thereby initiating a sanitation module operating on the electronic multifunction device;
Wherein the output device includes an output (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 46), and wherein the output is capable of outputting media content after the multifunction device is signaled of the activation;
A dryer (Fig.1:74) for either dispensing dryer material or for blowing hot air, the dryer including a dryer sensor (col.8, lines 64-68 through col.9, lines 1-11) operable to detect activation of the dryer and to control operation of the dryer;
An electronic multifunction device (Fig.1:16) in electronic communication with the dispenser sensor and the dryer sensor, and the electronic multifunction device including an output device, a processor, and memory (Fig.1:68, 42, 38);
Wherein a sanitation module is operating on the electronic multifunction device (col.5, lines 39-51) and is in communication with the dispenser sensor and the dryer sensor;
Wherein the sanitation module is operable to monitor the length of time of a sanitation activity, the sanitation activity beginning with an activation event and ending with an ending event (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 46);
Alert a user (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 1-46) of the sanitation system when the user has not conducted the sanitation activity for a predetermined amount of time;
Identify the user and store user data regarding the user’s use of the sanitation system (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 46);
Wherein the activation event is either the dispensing of sanitation material or the activation of the sink;
Wherein the output device includes an output (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 46), and wherein the output is capable of outputting media content after the multifunction device is signaled of the activation;
providing an electronic multifunction device (Fig.1:10) in a sanitation environment, the sanitation environment including a sink (Fig.1:12) and a dispenser (Fig.1:50) for dispensing a sanitation material, the electronic multifunction device operable to monitor the dispenser, the electronic multifunction device including an output, a processor, and memory (Fig.1:68,42,38);
activating the dispenser (col.7, lines 52-67 through col.8, lines 41) thereby defining an activation event;
monitoring (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 1-46) for an ending event of the sanitation procedure;
determining the length of time (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 1-46) between the activation event and the ending event;
alerting the user (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 1-46) of a premature finish to the sanitation procedure if the length of time between the activation event and the ending event is less than a predetermined length of time; and
providing media content (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 1-46) on the output upon the activation event.
Regarding claims 2 and 24, the media content in Segal includes an electronic clock circuit (Fig.3:22) is capable of being a countdown timer that is initiated by tine initiation of sanitation activity.
Regarding claims 3 and 25, Segal discloses that the electronic multifunction device further comprising an input device (Fig.3:26). the sanitation module of Segal is capable of being configured to identify a user of the sanitation system from user data provided through the input device, and the sanitation module of Segal is capable of being configured to individually tailor the media content based on the identification of the user.
Regarding claims 4, 19 and 26, Segal discloses that the multifunction device is in further communication with a remote processor or computer (col.12, lines 19-32) the remote processor having access to a database of user data or electronic medical records.
Regarding claims 5, 21 and 27; the media content (Fig.1:10) in Segal is capable of being customizable by the individual user.
Regarding claim 6, the database of a user data in Segal is capable of including electronic medical records.
Regarding claim 7, Segal sanitation module is capable of being configured to monitor the length of time of the sanitation activity, the sanitation activity beginning with the activation of either the dispenser or the sink and ending with an ending event.
Regarding claim 8, the dryer in Segal (Fig.1:74) is capable of being operable to either dispense dryer material or heated air, the dryer including a dryer sensor (col.7, lines 52-67 through col.8, lines 41) is capable of being operable to monitor the activation of the dryer, and wherein the ending event occurs by the activation of the dryer.
Regarding claims 9 and 16, the sensor in Segal (col.7, lines 52-67 through col.8, lines 41) is capable of being operable to determine when water no longer flows from the sink, and wherein the ending event occurs by the cessation of water flowing from the sink; and that the sensor is further capable of monitoring and transmitting data regarding either the use of water by the sink or the use of sanitation material dispensed by the dispenser.
Regarding claims 10-11 and 28; Segal discloses that the input device and the output device are both a display (Fig.3:32), and the output device is a display (Fig.3:32).
Regarding claim 12, the Segal media content (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 46) is capable of being individually tailored based at least in part on a user’s onsite interaction with the sanitation system.
Regarding claim 13, the sanitation module (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 46) in Segal is capable of adjusting the functionality of either the dispenser or the sink in response to the identification of the user.
Regarding claim 14, the output device in Segal is capable of alerting a user (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 46) of the sanitation system if the time between the activation event and the ending event is less than a predetermined amount of time.
Regarding claims 15 and 20, the predetermined amount of time in the Segal device is capable of being determined, at least in part, based on a user’s medical condition gleaned from the user’s received medical condition (col.7, lines 52-67 through col.8, lines 41).
Regarding claim 18, the system of Segal is capable of making the ending event (col.7, lines 52-67 through col.8, lines 41) to occur from the activation of the dryer.
Regarding claims 22-23, the sanitation module (col.7, lines 52-67 through col.8, lines 41) of Segal system is capable of being operable to identify the user as a particular person from a user database; and is also capable of adjusting the operation of at least one of the sinks, the dispenser, or the dryer in response to the identification of the particular person (col.7, lines 52-67 through col.8, lines 41).
Regarding claim 30, Segal further discloses: identifying a user of the sanitation procedure (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 1-46) from user data access by the electronic multifunction device from a user database, the user database including electronic medical records;
and adjusting (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 1-46) the predetermined length of time based on the medical records.
Regarding claim 31, Segal further discloses providing a dryer operable to either produce heated air or dispense drying material (col.5, lines 39-51), the electronic multifunction device further operable to monitor activation of the dryer (col.12, lines 43-67 through col. 13, lines 1-46) , and wherein the ending event is defined by activation of the dryer.
Regarding claim 32, Segal discloses that the output (Fig.1:68, 42, and 38) includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a display and a speaker.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MONZER R CHORBAJI whose telephone number is (571)272-1271. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 5:30-12:00 and 6:00-9:00.
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/MONZER R CHORBAJI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1799
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