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 .
Claims 1-15 are pending.
Claims 1-15 are rejected below.
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, 3-9, and 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Casey (U.S. PG Pub. 2019/0264428) in view of Caverno (U.S. PG Pub. 2023/0127059).
As to claims 1 and 9, Casey teaches an electronic device comprising: a communication interface configured to perform communication with an 14 has been moved to an “on” or operational condition, a user can have access to a user menu, such as for example, by holding the temperature + or − buttons 16, 18 down together. Access to the user menu could be protected by requiring input of a user's pin or unique code if required.]; a water discharge part configured to discharge water[0057 - tap]; an input part configured to receive an input of a water discharge command [0075]; and at least one processor configured to perform processing to: receive water discharge limit information from the terminal through the communication interface[0047 in one embodiment the tap or valve assembly requires user recognition by the fingerprint or biometric recognition means prior to the user being allowed to actuate the hot water, to dispense water above a pre-set or predetermined threshold temperature, to allow the temperature of the water being dispensed to be changed and/or to actuate a boiling water function of the tap or valve assembly.], based on receiving an input of a water discharge command through the input part, determine whether the water discharge command corresponds to a command limiting water discharge on a basis of the water discharge limit information[0047], based on the water discharge command corresponding to the command limiting water discharge, perform user authentication[0062 In one embodiment the tap 2 can be arranged to only dispense water below a pre-determined temperature, such as for example below 38° C., when the handle 6 is in the “on” condition unless a fingerprint recognition process is positively or successfully undertaken by a user. If a positive or successful fingerprint recognition process is undertaken, for example a user's fingerprint detected by sensor 20 matches identically a pre-stored user's fingerprint, then the user is able to change, increase, or decrease the temperature of the water being dispensed from tap 2.], and based on the user authentication succeeding, control the water discharge part to perform a water discharge operation in response to the water discharge command [0070 Once a user has been registered as being an “authorised user” for the tap, in order to adjust a temperature of the tap in use, the user places their authorised finger on the fingerprint sensor 20 (when the display portion was in a power “on” operational condition) and await recognition of their fingerprint by the micro-processing means. On recognition of the fingerprint as belonging to an authorised registered user, the user is then able to increase or decrease the temperature of the water being dispensed from the tap using the buttons 16, 18. If the micro-processing means does not recognise the user as being an authorised registered user, the user is not able to adjust the temperature of the water being dispensed from the tap.].
Casey teaches most of the claimed invention, but fails to teach all of the claimed invention, however this obvious variation and is taught by Caverno as follows:
As to claims 1 and 9, Caverno shows a communication interface for to perform communications with and external device [0046 In another example, the controller may establish a connection with a local remote device (e.g., via external communication network 190 or wireless connection module 174) upon receiving the input to initiate the liquid dispensing operation. In detail, in response to receiving the input, the controller may instruct the wireless connection module to search for a connectable device. As described above, the connectable device may be a mobile device (e.g., smart phone), a wearable device (e.g., a smart watch), or the like. The wireless communication module may then establish a connection with the connectable device that is determined to be closest to the dispenser assembly. Upon establishing the connection, the controller may determine that the connectable device is associated with a particular user (e.g., the first user)].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to include the teachings of Caverno into the system and methods of Casey. The motivation to combine is modify Casey with Caverno since the substitution of one known element for another would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention. See KSR v. Teleflex, 127 S.Ct. 1727 (2007). Specifically, the user interface being on an external device such as a smart phone rather than faucet itself. This would reduce the amount of electronics in the faucet while still having a similar functionality.
As to claims 3 and 11, Casey teaches wherein the water discharge limit information includes: information on a water discharge mode for which a water discharge limit was set by a user among a plurality of water discharge modes[0045, 0071], and the plurality of water discharge modes include: at least two of a purified water discharge mode, a cold water discharge mode, a hot water discharge mode, or an ice water discharge mode[0045, 0071], and the at least one processor is configured to perform processing to: determine whether the water discharge command corresponds to the command limiting water discharge by determining whether the water discharge mode selected by the water discharge command corresponds to the water discharge mode for which the water discharge limit was set [0045, 0071].
As to claims 4 and 12, Casey teaches wherein the water discharge limit information includes: information on a temperature of water of which discharge is limited, which was set by a user, and the at least one processor is configured to perform processing to: determine whether the water discharge command corresponds to the command limiting water discharge by comparing a temperature of water selected by the water discharge command and the temperature of the water of which discharge is limited, which was set by the user [0047].
As to claims 5 and 13, Casey teaches wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform processing to: control the communication interface to transmit a signal requesting user authentication to the terminal, and based on the user authentication being performed in the terminal in response to the signal, receive information on a result of the user authentication from the terminal through the communication interface[0044].
As to claims 6 and 14, Casey teaches wherein the electronic device comprises: at least one of a fingerprint authentication part and a password authentication part, and the at least one processor is configured to perform processing to: perform the user authentication through at least one of the fingerprint authentication part and the password authentication part included in the electronic device[0044].
As to claims 7 and 15, Casey teaches wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform processing to: based on the user authentication failing, ignore the water discharge command and not perform a water discharge operation[0042].
As to claim 8, Casey teaches wherein the input part includes:2 a plurality of keys corresponding to the plurality of water discharge modes[0045, 0075].
Claim(s) 2 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Casey (U.S. PG Pub. 2019/0264428) in view of Caverno (U.S. PG Pub. 2023/0127059) in view of Han (U.S. PG Pub. 2017/0156539).
Casey and Caverno teach most of the claimed invention, but fail to teach all the limitations of claim 2 and 10, however, this is an obvious variation and is taught by Han as follows:
As to claims 2 and 10, Han teaches wherein the water discharge limit information includes: information on a water discharge limit time, and the at least one processor is configured to perform processing to: determine whether the water discharge command corresponds to the command limiting water discharge by determining whether a time when the water discharge command was input corresponds to the water discharge limit time[0047].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to include the teachings of Han into the system and methods of Casey modified by Caverno. The motivation to combine is that Han teaches that a user (such as an authorized user from the combination) can modify the timing based on their needs [0068].
A reference to specific paragraphs, columns, pages, or figures in a cited prior artreference is not limited to preferred embodiments or any specific examples. It iswell settled that a prior art reference, in its entirety, must be considered for allthat it expressly teaches and fairly suggests to one having ordinary skill in theart. Stated differently, a prior art disclosure reading on a limitation of Applicant'sclaim cannot be ignored on the ground that other embodiments disclosed wereinstead cited. Therefore, the Examiner's citation to a specific portion of a singleprior art reference is not intended to exclusively dictate, but rather, todemonstrate an exemplary disclosure commensurate with the specificlimitations being addressed. In re Heck, 699 F.2d 1331, 1332-33,216 USPQ 1038,1039 (Fed. Cir. 1983) (quoting In re Lemelson, 397 F.2d 1006,1009, 158 USPQ 275,277 (CCPA 1968)). In re: Upsher-Smith Labs. v. Pamlab, LLC, 412 F.3d 1319,1323, 75 USPQ2d 1213, 1215 (Fed. Cir. 2005); In re Fritch, 972 F.2d 1260, 1264, 23USPQ2d 1780, 1782 (Fed. Cir. 1992); Merck& Co. v. BiocraftLabs., Inc., 874 F.2d804, 807, 10 USPQ2d 1843, 1846 (Fed. Cir. 1989); In re Fracalossi, 681 F.2d792,794 n.1,215 USPQ 569, 570 n.1 (CCPA 1982); In re Lamberti, 545 F.2d 747,750, 192 USPQ 278, 280 (CCPA 1976); In re Bozek, 416 F.2d 1385, 1390, 163USPQ 545, 549 (CCPA 1969).
Other Art of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Walker (U.S. PG Pub. 2012/0239211) teaches dispensing water in a budget friendly manner.
Doyle (U.S. Pat. 6,315,208) teaches a water dispensing apparatus with biometric identification.
Kliecpera (U.S. PG Pub. 2012/0234409) teaches a water dispenser with activation and deactivation means.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN L LAUGHLIN whose telephone number is (571)270-1042. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM.
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/NATHAN L LAUGHLIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2119
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