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 .
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-15 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)(2) as being anticipated by Fadell US 20150156031.
Regarding claim 1, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
A system, comprising: a doorbell configurable to send a notification to an appliance located within a building associated with the doorbell, wherein the appliance is selected from the group consisting of a refrigerator, a range, a microwave, a dishwasher, a laundry machine, a dryer, and a vacuum (i.e. doorbell communicates to a user communicative component of a smart environment which could be an appliance. Refrigerator 113 shown in fig. 1 is discussed as being a smart device in the house and smart devices are discussed as being capable of receiving notifications from the doorbell regarding visitors.) [57,141,246,254,327; fig. 1,8a-c].
Regarding claim 2, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
The system of Claim 1, wherein the doorbell is further configurable to enable an entity to send the notification (i.e. doorbell communicates to a user communicative component of a smart environment which could be an appliance. The entity could be a visitor pressing the doorbell button) [57,71,141,246,254,327; fig. 8a-c].
Regarding claim 3, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
The system of Claim 1, wherein the notification is a first notification, and wherein the doorbell is further configurable to enable an entity to send a second notification to i) a chime, ii) a remote computing device, or iii) both (i.e. doorbell communicates to a user communicative component of a smart environment which could be a remote computing device. Further, other smart devices in the home could act as a chime and produce a sound with a speaker) [57,71,141,246,254,327; fig. 8a-c].
Regarding claim 4, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
The system of Claim 1, further comprising a speaker coupled to the doorbell, wherein the doorbell is further configurable to emit a sound from the speaker in response to i) a selected event, ii) a predetermined condition, or iii) both (i.e. doorbell has audio speaker 436 which can emit sounds in response to events or conditions) [57,71,141,246-247,327; fig. 8a-c].
Regarding claim 5, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
The system of Claim 1, wherein the notification comprises i) an audible notification, ii) a visual notification, or iii) both second notification to i) a chime, ii) a remote computing device, or iii) both (i.e. doorbell communicates a notification (a push notification could be visual and audible) to a user communicative component of a smart environment which could be a remote computing device) [57,71,141,219,246,327; fig. 8a-c].
Regarding claim 6, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
The system of Claim 1, wherein the notification relates to i) an entity present at the doorbell, ii) the entity has left a message via the doorbell, or iii) both (i.e. visitor approach is notified to a device in the smart environment) [204,243].
Regarding claim 7, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
The system of Claim 1, further comprising a communication hub communicatively coupled to each of the appliance and the doorbell, wherein the doorbell is further configurable to enable two-way communication between the appliance and the doorbell via the communication hub (i.e. hubbed network 212 can establish communication between devices. These smart devices could be a doorbell and an appliance of the system and two way communication can be performed.) [103,136,138, 348; fig. 2].
Regarding claim 8, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
The system of Claim 1, further comprising a microphone coupled to the doorbell, wherein the appliance comprises a speaker, and wherein the notification comprises a noise detected by the microphone (i.e. a two-way audio communication would play audio recorded by the microphone of the doorbell. Further, package ID information may be spoken by a deliverer and communicated to a recipient) [138,348].
Regarding claim 9, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
The system of Claim 1, further comprising a motion detector coupled to the doorbell, wherein the notification comprises information pertaining to motion detected by the motion detector (i.e. motion detected and alert may be sent indicating motion) [82,121,168].
Regarding claim 10, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
The system of Claim 1, further comprising a camera coupled to the doorbell, wherein the appliance comprises a display (i.e. head unit of smart device can include a display) [201,204].
Regarding claim 11, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
The system of Claim 10, wherein the notification comprises i) a still image, ii) a video, or iii) both (i.e. an identified user can be announced or projected on a device in the smart home) [254].
Regarding claim 12, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
The system of Claim 10, further comprising a processor configured to use facial recognition software to match facial data of an entity, wherein the notification comprises information related to the facial data of the entity (i.e. doorbell may use facial recognition to identify a person and announce the presence) [250,254,471,499,502].
Regarding claim 13, Fadell meets the claim limitations, as follows:
The system of Claim 1, wherein the notification is a first notification, and wherein the doorbell is further configurable to receive a second notification from the appliance (i.e. doorbell would receive notification from other smart devices in the home. These could be appliances. This would be done during a two-way communication. A custom message can be displayed on a doorbell from another smart device in the home.) [62,219,229].
Claim 14 is rejected using similar rationale as claim 1 and 13.
Claim 15 is rejected using similar rationale as claim 3.
Claim 18 is rejected using similar rationale as claim 8.
Claim 19 is rejected using similar rationale as claim 5.
Claim 20 is rejected using similar rationale as claim 7.
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 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 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.
Claim(s) 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fadell in view of Siminoff US 20150022620.
Regarding claim 16, Fadell do/does not explicitly disclose(s) the following claim limitations:
wherein the doorbell is further configurable to change a component of the doorbell from a sleep mode to an alert mode in response to receiving the notification, wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a camera, a microphone, a speaker, a motion detector, and combinations thereof.
However, in the same field of endeavor Siminoff discloses the deficient claim limitations, as follows:
wherein the doorbell is further configurable to change a component of the doorbell from a sleep mode to an alert mode in response to receiving the notification, wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a camera, a microphone, a speaker, a motion detector, and combinations thereof.
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the teachings of Fadell with Siminoff to have the doorbell is further configurable to change a component of the doorbell from a sleep mode to an alert mode in response to receiving the notification, wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a camera, a microphone, a speaker, a motion detector, and combinations thereof.
It would be advantageous because “Home safety is a concern for many homeowners and renters. Those seeking to protect or monitor their homes often wish to have video and audio communications with visitors, for example, those visiting an external door or entryway. Existing wireless intercom systems require installation and configuration of multiple devices placed throughout the home that must operate together. Wireless intercom systems that use Wi-Fi communication require hard wiring to a power source and are thereby limited in placement. Therefore, it may be desirable to have a door monitor that may operate independently and consumes reduced energy.” [2].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art at the time of filing, to modify the teachings of Fadell with Siminoff to obtain the invention as specified in claim 16.
Claim 17 is rejected using similar rationale as claim 3. The smart home is capable of displaying information captured.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Marutani US 20150260450 discusses: A refrigerator includes an outside environment information obtaining unit including at least one of a sound obtaining unit configured to obtain outside environment information and an imaging unit configured to image an outside environment, the outside environment information obtaining unit being configured to obtain outside environment information which is capable of grasping an outside situation and a communication unit configured to communicate with an external device connected thereto via a network, thereby rendering the outside environment information obtained by the outside environment information obtaining unit referable at the external device side.
Child US 20140267716 discusses: A system is described herein including a control panel configured to communicate with at least one mobile wireless device, including sending image data to the at least one mobile wireless device using electronic messaging protocols. The system also includes at least one automation component wirelessly connected to the control panel through short range wireless communication protocols. The at least one automation component includes at least one sensor configured to detect a presence of a person at an entry to the physical structure, at least one camera inconspicuously integrated within an entry component at the entry, and at least one short range wireless transceiver coupled to the at least one sensor and the at least one camera and configured to communicate image and sensor data to the control panel and to receive control information from the control panel.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JARED T WALKER whose telephone number is (571)272-1839. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8:00 - 4:30 Mountain.
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, Nasser Goodarzi can be reached on 571-272-4195. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Jared Walker/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2426
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