DETAILED ACTION
1. This Office Action is sent in response to Applicant’s communication received on 02/06/2025 for application number 19/047,014. The Office herby acknowledges receipt of the following and placed of record in file: Specification, Drawings, Abstract, Oath/Declaration, and claims.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . 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.
Claim Objections
3. Claims 16 objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 16 is missing a period. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. Claim(s) 1-5, 7-14 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lewis [US Pub. No.: 2019/0240559 A1].
Re. Claim 1, Lewis [US Pub. No.: 2019/0240559 A1] discloses:
A flag football system to attach to a flag football belt via a belt loop [flag football equipment set 300 may comprise sideline marker 302, additional sideline markers 304, flag belt set 306, and football 308. In some embodiments, each components of set 300 may contain one or more electronic (e.g., wireless) communication devices such that the components may communicate data by sending and receiving electronic signals to and from one another.| Fig.3], comprising: a belt device [flag belt set 306 |0065], comprising a belt device portion of a flag coupling [flag belt set 306 may comprise one or more flag football belts and associated flags and/or connectors configured to electronically communicate with one or more other components of set 300 |Fig.3 element 306, 0065, 0068];
and an electronic system [remote electronic device |0032], comprising a flag detection system to detect a flag coupling state [the remote electronic device is an electronic flag football connector configured to detect when a flag has been disconnected from a player|0029, 0032];
a notification system to create one or more signals showing the flag coupling state [in response to detecting, by the first sensor, that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item, transmitting a signal from the first wireless communication device; and in response to receiving the signal at the second wireless communication device, outputting an indication that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item.|0032].
Re. Claim 2, Lewis discloses:
The flag football system of claim 1, the belt device portion of the flag coupling selected from the group comprising a suction cup and a portion of a ball and socket coupling [flag belt set 306 may include flags, belts, wearable garments, and/or flag connectors having one or more characteristics in common with known flag football equipment (e.g. flag clips clamps velcro suction ball & socket coupling) to the examiner connectors disclosed by Lewis are equivalent to suction cup and a portion of a ball & socket See also the flag football equipment disclosed in U.S. provisional application No. 62/561,865, filed Sep. 22, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. |0068].
Re. Claim 3, Lewis discloses:
The flag football system of claim 2, further comprising a flag comprising a flag portion of a flag coupling [flag belt set 306 may comprise one or more flag football belts and associated flags and/or connectors|0068].
Re. Claim 4, Lewis discloses:
The flag football system of claim 1, the notification system comprising one or more lights showing the flag coupling state [connectors configured to attach a flag to a belt (and/or another wearable item configured for use in flag football games) may be configured to detect when the flag has been detached from the belt and to generate a signal regarding a location and a time at which the detachment occurred.|0068].
Re. Claim 5, Lewis discloses:
The flag football system of claim 4, the flag coupling state comprising a decoupled state and a coupled state [Connectors configured to show a attached and detached state of a flag |0068];
the notification system comprising a first light and a second light [in response to detecting, by the first sensor, that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item, transmitting a signal from the first wireless communication device… and in response to receiving the signal at the second wireless communication device, outputting an indication that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item … wherein the signal is configured to be a first & second light indication |0032 |0032, 0068, 0086];
the first light being illuminated when the decoupled state is detected, and the second light being illuminated when the coupled state is detected [in response to detecting, by the first sensor, that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item, transmitting a signal from the first wireless communication device; and in response to receiving the signal at the second wireless communication device, outputting an indication that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item |0032].
Re. Claim 7, Lewis discloses:
The flag football system of claim 4, the notification system further comprising a controllable speaker [audible indication using speakers |0019, 0086, 0096, 0101];
the speaker emitting an audible signal controlled by the flag coupling state [an audio indication may comprise emitting a tone or other audible indication (e.g., a recording or rendering of spoken language) from one or more speakers of the marker |0019,0086, 0096, 0101].
Re. Claim 8, Lewis discloses:
The flag football system of claim 4, the notification system further comprising a wireless communications subsystem that communicates a signal disclosing the flag coupling state [transmitting a signal from the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device indicating the determined location; and outputting, by an output device of the marker, an indication of the determined location |0034].
Re. Claim 9, Lewis discloses:
The flag football system of claim 8, further comprising one or more paired devices paired to the belt device by the wireless communications subsystem [FIG. 3 shows flag football equipment set 300, in accordance with some embodiments. As shown in FIG. 3, set 300 may comprise sideline marker 302, additional sideline markers 304, flag belt set 306, and football 308. In some embodiments, each components of set 300 may contain one or more electronic (e.g., wireless) communication devices such that the components may communicate data by sending and receiving electronic signals to and from one another. |0065].
Re. Claim 10, Lewis discloses:
The flag football system of claim 1, the flag detection system comprising a sensor [the remote electronic device is an electronic flag football connector configured to detect when a flag has been disconnected from a player |0029, 0032];
the sensor configured to output a flag coupling state signal [Connectors configured to show a attached and detached state of a flag|0068].
Re. Claim 11, Lewis discloses:
The flag football system of claim 1, further comprising a flag comprising a flag portion of the flag coupling [flag belt set 306 may comprise one or more flag football belts and associated flags and/or connectors configured to electronically communicate with one or more other components of set 300 |Fig.3 element 306, 0065, 0068];
the flag coupling state comprising a decoupled state and a coupled state [the remote electronic device is an electronic flag football connector configured to detect when a flag has been disconnected from a player|0029, 0032];
the flag detection system detecting a coupled state when the flag portion is coupled with the belt portion [Connectors configured to show a attached and detached state of a flag|0068];
and the notification system detecting a decoupled state when the flag portion is decoupled from the belt portion [in response to detecting, by the first sensor, that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item, transmitting a signal from the first wireless communication device; and in response to receiving the signal at the second wireless communication device, outputting an indication that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item.|0032].
Re. Claim 12, Lewis discloses:
The flag football system of claim 11, the notification system comprising at least two signal systems selected from the list composed of a light, a controllable speaker, a vibrator, and a wireless communications subsystem [the indication system may be an audio indication, a visual indication, a haptic indication (e.g., vibration), or any combination thereof|0086].
Re. Claim 13, Lewis discloses:
A method of signaling the state of a flag football flag, comprising: detecting a flag coupling state using a flag detection system of an electronic system on a belt device [flag football equipment set 300 may comprise sideline marker 302, additional sideline markers 304, flag belt set 306, and football 308. In some embodiments, each components of set 300 may contain one or more electronic (e.g., wireless) communication devices such that the components may communicate data by sending and receiving electronic signals to and from one another.| Fig.3];
creating one or more signals showing the flag coupling state using a notification system of the electronic system [in response to detecting, by the first sensor, that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item, transmitting a signal from the first wireless communication device; and in response to receiving the signal at the second wireless communication device, outputting an indication that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item.|0032];
and the belt device comprising a belt device portion of a flag coupling [Fig.3 el 306].
Re. Claim 14, Lewis discloses:
The method of claim 13, the detecting step comprising detecting either a decoupled state or a coupled state [Connectors configured to show a attached and detached state of a flag |0068];
the creating step comprising illuminating a first light when the decoupled state is detected, and illuminating a second light when the coupled state is detected [in response to detecting, by the first sensor, that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item, transmitting a signal from the first wireless communication device… and in response to receiving the signal at the second wireless communication device, outputting an indication that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item … wherein the signal is configured to be a first & second light indication |0032 |0032, 0068, 0086].
Re. Claim 17, Lewis discloses:
The method of claim 13, the creating step comprising communicating a signal disclosing the flag coupling state via a wireless communications subsystem [an electronic flag football connector for connecting a flag to a wearable item, comprising: a first sensor configured to detect when the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item; a second wireless communication device; one or more processors; and memory storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause: in response to detecting, by the first sensor, that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item, transmitting a signal from the first wireless communication device; and in response to receiving the signal at the second wireless communication device, outputting an indication that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item.|0032].
Re. Claim 18, Lewis discloses:
The method of claim 17, further comprising pairing one or more paired devices to the belt device by the wireless communications subsystem [each components of set 300 may contain one or more electronic (e.g., wireless) communication devices such that the components may communicate data by sending and receiving electronic signals to and from one another. |0065, 0068].
Re. Claim 19, Lewis discloses:
The method of claim 13, the detecting step comprising operating a sensor [the remote electronic device is an electronic flag football connector configured to detect when a flag has been disconnected from a player|0029, 0032];
and outputting a flag coupling state signal from the sensor [in response to detecting, by the first sensor, that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item, transmitting a signal from the first wireless communication device; and in response to receiving the signal at the second wireless communication device, outputting an indication that the flag has been disconnected from the wearable item.|0032].
Re. Claim 20, Lewis discloses:
The method of claim 13, further comprising a flag comprising a flag portion of a flag coupling [the remote electronic device is an electronic flag football connector configured to detect when a flag has been disconnected from a player|0029, 0032];
and the detecting step comprising detecting a coupled state of the flag portion coupled to the belt portion [flag belt set 306 may comprise one or more flag football belts and associated flags and/or connectors configured to electronically communicate with one or more other components of set 300 |Fig.3 element 306, 0065, 0068];
and detecting a decoupled state of the flag portion decoupled from the belt portion [Connectors configured to show a attached and detached state of a flag |0068].
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 6 and 15-16 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOWARD D BROWN JR whose telephone number is (571)272-4371. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30AM - 5:00PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sathyanarayanan Perungavoor can be reached at 5712727455. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HOWARD D. BROWN JR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2488
/HOWARD D BROWN JR/Examiner, Art Unit 2488
Prosecution Insights