Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 22, 2026
Application No. 18/989,642

FLOW-GENERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ITS OPERATION

Non-Final OA §102§103§112
Filed
Dec 20, 2024
Priority
Dec 22, 2023 — DE 10 2023 136 494.4
Examiner
KOSSEK, MAGDALENA IZABELLA
Art Unit
2117
Tech Center
2100 — Computer Architecture & Software
Assignee
ebm-papst Mulfingen GmbH & Co. KG
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
71%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 4m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 71% — above average
71%
Career Allowance Rate
12 granted / 17 resolved
+15.6% vs TC avg
Strong +31% interview lift
Without
With
+31.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 2m
Avg Prosecution
22 currently pending
Career history
48
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
13.0%
-27.0% vs TC avg
§103
40.0%
+0.0% vs TC avg
§102
26.5%
-13.5% vs TC avg
§112
16.2%
-23.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 17 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103 §112
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 action is made non-final. Claims 1-18 filed on 12/20/2024 have been reviewed and considered by this office action. Priority Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d) based on Application No. DE10 2023 136 494.4 filed on 12/22/2023. Copies of certified papers required by 37 CFR 1.55 have been received. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements filed on 12/20/2024 and 05/14/2025 have been reviewed and considered by this office action. Drawings The drawings filed on 12/20/2024 have been reviewed and are considered acceptable. Specification Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure. A patent abstract is a concise statement of the technical disclosure of the patent and should include that which is new in the art to which the invention pertains. The abstract should not refer to purported merits or speculative applications of the invention and should not compare the invention with the prior art. If the patent is of a basic nature, the entire technical disclosure may be new in the art, and the abstract should be directed to the entire disclosure. If the patent is in the nature of an improvement in an old apparatus, process, product, or composition, the abstract should include the technical disclosure of the improvement. The abstract should also mention by way of example any preferred modifications or alternatives. Where applicable, the abstract should include the following: (1) if a machine or apparatus, its organization and operation; (2) if an article, its method of making; (3) if a chemical compound, its identity and use; (4) if a mixture, its ingredients; (5) if a process, the steps. Extensive mechanical and design details of an apparatus should not be included in the abstract. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d): (d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph: Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers. Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 16 fails to further limit claim 15, as the limitation “at least one sensor which provides sensor data for one or more flow-generation units of the plurality of flow-generation units” of claim 16 is included in claim 1. Applicant may cancel the claim, amend the claim to place the claim in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim complies with the statutory requirements. 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 1-6, 8-11, and 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Aggarwal et al. (US 2014/0358285 A1). Regarding claim 1, Aggarwal discloses a flow-generation system comprising a plurality of flow-generation units, which are connected for communication by means of a communication network ([0119]: “ HVAC system elements represented by the heat and/or air conditioning (AC) generator 75C and controllable vents 77C… All of these various intelligent system elements in or associated with room C are connected to the room's data communication network 17C”), wherein each flow-generation unit of the plurality of flow-generation units comprises a local controller having a processor ([0122]: “The element 71 is an intelligent device in that the element 71 includes a processor 91 and a memory 93”) and having a process scheduler ([0148]: “The device 1 can prioritize the respondents based on information contained in the responses”; [0150]: “the device 1 creates work packets for the selected respondents”) and a communication interface connected to the local controller for communication and for connection to the communication network ([0124]: “The intelligent utility building control and automation element 71 also includes a communication interface 95”), wherein each flow-generation unit of the plurality of flow-generation units is configured to form a network group together with one or more or all of the other flow-generation units of the plurality of flow-generation units ([0134]: “The lighting device 1 will be in communication with at least some number of other intelligent elements of the building control and automation system 10, referred to in this process flow example as neighbors of the device 1. The neighbor elements may be other lighting fixtures, intelligent utility building control and automation system elements, intelligent UI devices, intelligent sensors or any other type(s) of intelligent elements that are part of or communicating via the building control and automation system 10”), the network group is configured to process a control task in a distributed manner by the processor of each flow-generation unit of the plurality of flow-generation units of the network group ([0154]: “The element receiving the work packet performs its allocated portion of the processing job on the received data, in accordance with the instructions, using resources of the processor and/or memory of the receiving element of the building control and automation system (step S9)”), wherein the process scheduler of one of the plurality of flow-generation units operates as a superordinate scheduler and is configured to define sub-tasks of the control task ([0149]: “the device 1 can now select an appropriate number of the respondents starting at the highest rank and working down through the list to select a sufficient number of the respondents to provide the resources to meet the requirements of the particular data processing task”), to assign the sub-tasks to the processor of each flow-generation unit of the plurality of flow-generation units of the network group ([0150]: “The device 1 essentially allocates portions of the processing job to the selected respondent elements. Hence, at step S8, the device 1 creates work packets for the selected respondents”), and to combine results of the sub-tasks for processing the control task ([0156]: “Sub-task identifiers and/or a combination of the overall task identifier and the neighbor address/identifier may assist the device 1 in combining sub-task results from the various participating neighbor elements into the appropriate overall composite result”), wherein the flow-generation system also comprises at least one sensor which provides sensor data for one or more flow-generation units of the plurality of flow-generation units ([0120]: “The BCAS elements featured in room C may respond in a coordinated fashion to any number of inputs from the UI device 13C and/or sensors 15C”; [0132]: “HVAC tasks or combinations of access control and security tasks may also involve processing and responding to sensor information obtained across all or a substantial portion of the premises and therefore may be amenable to resource sharing type distributed processing”), and wherein the superordinate scheduler is configured to divide the sensor data from the at least one sensor or from at least one of available sensors into data blocks and to allocate each data block of the data blocks to a sub-task ([0150]: “sets of instructions and associated data for the portions of the job that the device 1 allocates to the selected respondents”; [0151]: “respondents offering more processing or memory resources may be sent more of the data to process”; [0152]: “Each work packet sent/delivered to a neighbor will include a portion of the data to be processed for the particular task as well as instructions as to how the data in the work packet is to be processed, essentially to enable each respondent to perform an allocated portion or sub-task of the distributed processing job”). Regarding claim 2, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 1. Aggarwal further discloses wherein each flow-generation unit of the plurality of flow-generation units is configured to control or regulate the generation of an individual fluid flow by means of the local controller independently of other flow-generation units of the plurality of flow-generation units ([0122]: “The drive electronics 99 provide an interface to a controllable mechanism 101 of the particular element 71, to allow the processor 91 to control the mechanism”; [0123]: “the controllable mechanism 101 may be any of a variety of HVAC components (e.g. elements of a thermostat, one or more elements of the heat/cooling system, controllable vents or dampers within the duct work)”; [0130]: “a heat/cooling generator 75C will be able to change back and forth between heating and cooling and turn on and off in response to individual commands to provide the appropriate operations for adjusting air temperature in the premises or in individual rooms or other service areas of the premises”). Regarding claim 3, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 1. Aggarwal further discloses wherein a cloud service for processing the control task is not available to the communication network ([0064]: “The wide area network 51 may take the form of a local area network (LAN) and/or a wide area network (WAN). Hence, the premises may include a LAN or other on-premises network, or the communications may go directly to a particular WAN. Alternatively, there may be a LAN or other network formed within the premises, but without a coupling or connection to a yet wider area network outside the premises, for example, to restrict access and therefore increase security of the building network and the like within the premises”; [0078]: “Instead of providing a general purpose computer as a host or server for the particular CO and controller service application, e.g. as a BCAS server at the premises 12, the CO and controller service functionality is illustrated here as an example of a type of functionality that the system 10 may implement in programming executed by one or more processors and/or using the memories of one or more intelligent elements of the building control and automation system 10”; [0087]: “The central BCAS monitoring and/or control functions, any other BCAS related CO functions and possibly any other CO functions of the system 10 in our examples are implemented in the intelligent system elements, for example, without the need for a hardware platform at the premises for a server”). Regarding claim 4, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 1. Aggarwal further discloses wherein the at least one sensor or at least one of available sensors is an individual sensor of one of the plurality of flow-generation units ([0127]: “As an alternative or in addition to any sensors included in the controllable mechanism 101, an intelligent utility building control and automation element 71 may include one or more sensors 94”). Regarding claim 5, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 4. Aggarwal further discloses wherein the at least one sensor or at least one of available sensors is a system sensor, which is connected to the communication network for communication independently of the plurality of flow-generation units ([0119]: “room C further includes standalone sensors 15C”; [0124]: “the interface 95 connects or otherwise couples to the network media in the service area and supports two-way data communication through the network(s) 17A-17C and/or 51 of the system 10”). Regarding claim 6, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 1. Aggarwal further discloses wherein each sub-task involves ([0154]: “The element receiving the work packet performs its allocated portion of the processing job on the received data, in accordance with the instructions”; [0157]: “The neighbor elements process received digital audio data to recognize one or more words in the audio data segments”). Regarding claim 8, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 1. Aggarwal further discloses wherein at least one sensor is a plurality of sensors and the control task involves assessing sensor data from the plurality of sensors in order to obtain information that goes beyond information content of the sensor data from a single sensor of the plurality of sensors ([0041]: “perform a statistical analysis of sensor input data from all sensors of a particular type on the premises 12 for an identified purpose… or to process data from any number of sensors to obtain a composite result) for system use or to supply to an outside entity”; [0086]: “ all sensors (or all sensors of one type) may be linked together in a logical grouping to allow reporting of one or more detect conditions on an overall basis across the premises or some portion (e.g. one floor) thereof”). Regarding claim 9, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 1. Aggarwal further discloses wherein each local controller of the plurality of flow-generation units is configured to request the formation of a network group ([0040]: “at least some lighting devices and possibly other elements of the exemplary system each utilize programming which configures the processor to control a building control and automation related operation of the intelligent system element and which configures the processor to implement distributed processing functions with regard to that control operation”; [0141]: “the device with the task to distribute can select among elements in some group or sub-group based on performance data about elements in the group or sub-group learned from prior job distribution operations for sending the query in step S2”; [0142]: “The device 1 sends the query message through the network media used in the relevant portion(s) of the system 10 installed at the particular premises 12, to the neighbors chosen initially for purposes of the inquiry about the current task processing”). Regarding claim 10, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 1. Aggarwal further discloses wherein the control task specifies a target parameter ([0167]: “The temperature setting contains a range of allowable temperatures (“tolerance”); and in step S33, the BCAS server checks whether the room temperature detected in step S1′ is within the given tolerance”), and wherein each of the plurality of flow-generation units of the network group are configured to coordinate their respective local controller in order to jointly generate an overall fluid flow with the aim of fulfilling the target parameter ([0169]: “assuming that the temperature is outside the tolerance (no branch at S33), then processing proceeds from step S33 to step S34, where the BCAS server queries the HVAC system elements for their status. This status may include ON/OFF settings to the air conditioning (cooling) or heat generating system, open/close status of air flow controllable dampers (AD), etc.”; [0170]: “If the HVAC is ON and operating in the correct mode, for example, then processing branches from S35 to step S36, where the server queries other temperature sensors in the room and/or nearby rooms or the corridor to see if they are also within tolerance. If the other sensors are generally within tolerance, then processing branches at S37 and proceeds to step S38, to send an 'open' command to nearby air flow damper AD1, to effect a local change in temperature”' [0171]: “Returning to the decision in step S37, if other temperature sensors are similarly outside of tolerance, then processing instead proceeds to step S39. At S39, the BCAS server sends a command to the HVAC system over the data communication network to turn up/down the temperature as required and sends an 'open' command to AD1 in step S38, and processing ends at step S47”). Regarding claim 11, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 1. Aggarwal further discloses wherein each flow-generation unit of the plurality of flow-generation units of the network group is allocated to a joint flow space ([0166]: “The system includes a central HVAC system. For individual control in the rooms and corridor, each of the rooms and corridor has a controllable air-flow damper (AD) shown by way of example as vents… The system elements in the rooms and the corridor have are linked into local logical network(s) which in turn are elements of the overall system/lighting network at the premises”). Regarding claim 13, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 1. Aggarwal further discloses also comprising an operating interface and/or a gateway, which is connected to the communication network for communication and is configured to specify and/or select and/or change the control task ([0064]: “a gateway or the like may also be deployed on the LAN to provide various functions in support of interconnectivity of the LAN to/from the WAN”; [0069]: “communication with a user terminal, for example, may allow a person in one part of the premises 12 to communicate with a system element 71A, 71B in another area of the premises 12, to obtain data therefrom and/or to control system operations in the other area”; [0085]: “an overall controller view may also be helpful in remote access to system functions, for example, to offer a control service in which a user can control the building control and automation system in Room A from Area N's control interface as though that user were in Room A”). Regarding claim 14, Aggarwal discloses a method for operating a flow-generation system comprising a plurality of flow-generation units, which are connected for communication by means of a communication network ([0119]: “ HVAC system elements represented by the heat and/or air conditioning (AC) generator 75C and controllable vents 77C… All of these various intelligent system elements in or associated with room C are connected to the room's data communication network 17C”), and also comprising at least one sensor which provides sensor data for one or more flow-generation units of the plurality of flow-generation units ([0120]: “The BCAS elements featured in room C may respond in a coordinated fashion to any number of inputs from the UI device 13C and/or sensors 15C”; [0132]: “HVAC tasks or combinations of access control and security tasks may also involve processing and responding to sensor information obtained across all or a substantial portion of the premises and therefore may be amenable to resource sharing type distributed processing”), wherein each flow-generation unit of the plurality of flow-generation units comprises a local controller having a processor ([0122]: “The element 71 is an intelligent device in that the element 71 includes a processor 91 and a memory 93”) and having a process scheduler ([0148]: “The device 1 can prioritize the respondents based on information contained in the responses”; [0150]: “the device 1 creates work packets for the selected respondents”) and a communication interface connected to the local controller for communication and for connection to the communication network ([0124]: “The intelligent utility building control and automation element 71 also includes a communication interface 95”), wherein the method comprises: specifying a control task, temporarily forming a network group from a plurality of or all of the plurality of flow-generation units for distributed processing of the control task by means of the processor of the plurality of or all of the plurality of flow-generation units of the network group ([0134]: “The lighting device 1 will be in communication with at least some number of other intelligent elements of the building control and automation system 10, referred to in this process flow example as neighbors of the device 1. The neighbor elements may be other lighting fixtures, intelligent utility building control and automation system elements, intelligent UI devices, intelligent sensors or any other type(s) of intelligent elements that are part of or communicating via the building control and automation system 10”), determining a superordinate scheduler of the process scheduler of each of the plurality of flow-generation units of the network group ([0149]: “the device 1 can now select an appropriate number of the respondents starting at the highest rank and working down through the list to select a sufficient number of the respondents to provide the resources to meet the requirements of the particular data processing task”), defining sub-tasks for processing the control task by means of the superordinate scheduler ([0150]: “sets of instructions and associated data for the portions of the job that the device 1 allocates to the selected respondents”), dividing the sensor data from the at least one sensor or from at least one of available sensors into data blocks and allocating each data block of the data blocks to a sub-task by means of the superordinate scheduler ([0151]: “respondents offering more processing or memory resources may be sent more of the data to process”; [0152]: “Each work packet sent/delivered to a neighbor will include a portion of the data to be processed for the particular task as well as instructions as to how the data in the work packet is to be processed, essentially to enable each respondent to perform an allocated portion or sub-task of the distributed processing job”), allocating each sub-task of the sub-tasks to one processor of the plurality of flow-generation units of the network group ([0150]: “The device 1 essentially allocates portions of the processing job to the selected respondent elements. Hence, at step S8, the device 1 creates work packets for the selected respondents”), processing each sub-task of the sub-tasks and providing a result of each sub-task of the sub-tasks for the superordinate scheduler by means of the one processor of the plurality of flow-generation units ([0154]: “The element receiving the work packet performs its allocated portion of the processing job on the received data, in accordance with the instructions, using resources of the processor and/or memory of the receiving element of the building control and automation system (step S9)”), combining the result of each sub-task of the sub-tasks by means of the superordinate scheduler ([0156]: “Sub-task identifiers and/or a combination of the overall task identifier and the neighbor address/identifier may assist the device 1 in combining sub-task results from the various participating neighbor elements into the appropriate overall composite result”). Regarding claim 15, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 2. Aggarwal further discloses wherein a cloud service for processing the control task is not available to the communication network ([0064]: “The wide area network 51 may take the form of a local area network (LAN) and/or a wide area network (WAN). Hence, the premises may include a LAN or other on-premises network, or the communications may go directly to a particular WAN. Alternatively, there may be a LAN or other network formed within the premises, but without a coupling or connection to a yet wider area network outside the premises, for example, to restrict access and therefore increase security of the building network and the like within the premises”; [0078]: “Instead of providing a general purpose computer as a host or server for the particular CO and controller service application, e.g. as a BCAS server at the premises 12, the CO and controller service functionality is illustrated here as an example of a type of functionality that the system 10 may implement in programming executed by one or more processors and/or using the memories of one or more intelligent elements of the building control and automation system 10”; [0087]: “The central BCAS monitoring and/or control functions, any other BCAS related CO functions and possibly any other CO functions of the system 10 in our examples are implemented in the intelligent system elements, for example, without the need for a hardware platform at the premises for a server”). Regarding claim 16, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 15. Aggarwal further discloses also comprising at least one sensor which provides sensor data for one or more flow-generation units of the plurality of flow-generation units ([0120]: “The BCAS elements featured in room C may respond in a coordinated fashion to any number of inputs from the UI device 13C and/or sensors 15C”; [0132]: “HVAC tasks or combinations of access control and security tasks may also involve processing and responding to sensor information obtained across all or a substantial portion of the premises and therefore may be amenable to resource sharing type distributed processing”). Regarding claim 17, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 16. Aggarwal further discloses wherein the at least one sensor or at least one of available sensors is an individual sensor of one of the plurality of flow-generation units ([0127]: “As an alternative or in addition to any sensors included in the controllable mechanism 101, an intelligent utility building control and automation element 71 may include one or more sensors 94”). Regarding claim 18, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 16. Aggarwal further discloses wherein the at least one sensor or at least one of available sensors is a system sensor, which is connected to the communication network for communication independently of the plurality of flow-generation units ([0119]: “room C further includes standalone sensors 15C”; [0124]: “the interface 95 connects or otherwise couples to the network media in the service area and supports two-way data communication through the network(s) 17A-17C and/or 51 of the system 10”). 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 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aggarwal et al. (US 2014/0358285 A1), in view of Cella et al. (US 2020/0096996 A1). Regarding claim 7, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 1. Aggarwal does not explicitly teach “wherein the control task involves evaluating the sensor data in a frequency range.” Cella further teaches wherein the control task involves evaluating the sensor data in a frequency range ([0067]: “the extracted set of data which is processed with a data processing algorithm that is configured to process data within the frequency range and within the lines of resolution of the first data”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the system of Aggarwal to incorporate the teachings of Cella so as to include the control task involving evaluating the sensor data in a frequency range. Doing so would allow evaluation of sensor data in a frequency range with the aim of detecting anomalous operating conditions or diagnosing operational parameters (Cella, [0036]: “determine measured frequency band data and compare the measured frequency band data to the plurality of diagnostic frequency band ranges, and to diagnose an operational parameter”). Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aggarwal et al. (US 2014/0358285 A1), in view of Allen et al. (US 9,188,355 B1). Regarding claim 12, Aggarwal discloses the flow-generation system according to claim 1. While Aggarwal teaches an element with drive electronics, where the controllable mechanism may be an HVAC component ([0122]: “The drive electronics 99 provide an interface to a controllable mechanism 101 of the particular element 71”; [0123]: “the controllable mechanism 101 may be any of a variety of HVAC components (e.g. elements of a thermostat, one or more elements of the heat/cooling system, controllable vents or dampers within the duct work)”), Aggarwal does not explicitly teach “wherein the local controller of each of the plurality of flow-generation units is a motor controller of an electric motor of a respective one of the plurality of flow-generation units.” Allen further teaches wherein the local controller of each of the plurality of flow-generation units is a motor controller of an electric motor of a respective one of the plurality of flow-generation units (Col. 9, Lines 47-53: “Each fan 111 preferably comprises a motor 240, a housing 231 and fan blades 232. Each smart fan 210 further comprises on-board control logic 112 that preferably further comprises a network interface 262, a central processing unit (CPU) 261, a fan motor control unit 264, a configuration and data storage unit 263 comprising RAM, ROM and/or FLASH memory”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the system of Aggarwal to incorporate the teachings of Allen so as to include the local controller of each of the plurality of flow-generation units being a motor controller of an electric motor of a respective one of the plurality of flow-generation units. Doing so would allow fan control to be applied at a local level with the aim of selectively operating fan motors to meet ventilation demand while improving fan lifetime (Allen, Col. 2, Lines 60-63: “Partially redundant arrays of fans have typically involved the use of control systems for determining the number of fans to be used in parallel, depending upon need, to meet requirements”; Col. 5, Lines 4-7: “a ventilation system comprising conventional fans that enhances the lifetime of the system by deploying the fans in accordance with data maintained onboard the fan array controller”). Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2010/0106333 A1: HVAC data processing and communication network with environmental sensors, subnets, subnet controllers, damper controllers, and zoned operation US 2017/0006521 A1: Coordinating controllers and actuators in a network, including actuators such as fans and air conditioners US 2016/0217014 A1: Peer-to-peer task distribution in which nodes share tasks without centralized server coordination, including temperature monitoring and fan control US 2008/0021987 A1: Breaking coded instructions into tasks and interdependent sub-tasks distributed among available processing resources for parallel execution Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Magdalena Kossek whose telephone number is (571)272-5603. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00 EST. 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, Robert Fennema can be reached at (571)272-2748. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /M.I.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2117 /ROBERT E FENNEMA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2117
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Prosecution Timeline

Dec 20, 2024
Application Filed
Oct 01, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103, §112 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
71%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+31.4%)
3y 2m (~1y 4m remaining)
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