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 .
Response to Arguments
1. Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument, O'Neill et al. (US 20110050437 A1) in view of Haverlag et al. (US 20230328653 A1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
2. Claims 13, 15-21, and 23-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over O'Neill et al. (US 20110050437 A1) in view of Haverlag et al. (US 20230328653 A1).
Claim 13 O’Neill teaches a communication method for communicating data regarding a change in state of a refrigeration and air conditioning-related unit between a plurality of communication nodes, wherein
a first communication node (FIG. 3B, ¶0057, at each sensor 166) generates a message including information regarding a timing (FIG. 3B, ¶0057, setting debouncing and hysteresis parameter) at which, when a second communication node detects a change in state, the second communication node transmits data to a communication node to which the data is to be transmitted, (FIG. 3B, ¶0043, wherein a debouncing and hysteresis parameter comprise a delay before transmitting a state change) and
the second communication node (FIG. 3B, sensor processing module 310) delays, when detecting the change in state, transmission of the data, based on the information regarding the timing included in the message received. (FIG. 3B, ¶0057, if hysteresis is to be implemented, delays before the general sensor module is notified of a change of state)
However, O’Neill does not explicitly teach transmitting a message including information regarding a timing to a second communication node.
From a related technology, Haverlag teaches transmitting a message including information regarding a timing to a second communication node. (¶0018, transmitting the beacon signal)
It would be obvious of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim embodiment to incorporate the teachings of Haverlag within the teachings of O’Neill in order to utilize broadcasting technology to share interval information for device operations.
Claim 15 O’Neill in view of Haverlag teaches Claim 13, and further teaches wherein the timing is determined as an earliest timing after the change in state is detected among a plurality of timings uniquely determined for the second communication node. (Haverlag, ¶0054, wherein the interval is the earliest uniquely determined timing for the interval transmission)
Claim 16 O’Neill in view of Haverlag teaches Claim 13, and further teaches wherein the timing is defined based on an elapsed time from when the change in state is detected. (Haverlag, ¶0054, wherein the interval after the change is detected)
Claim 17 O’Neill in view of Haverlag teaches Claim 13, and further teaches wherein the timing is defined based on an elapsed time from a reference time synchronized between second communication nodes. (Haverlag, ¶0054, wherein the interval after the change is detected)
Claim 18 O’Neill in view of Haverlag teaches Claim 13, and further teaches wherein the timing is defined based on the number and order of communication nodes which are to transmit data. (Haverlag, ¶0054, wherein the interval is based on the communication nodes wherein the beacons are being broadcast)
Claim 19 O’Neill in view of Haverlag teaches Claim 13, and further teaches wherein the first communication node is an outdoor unit (Haverlag, ¶0005, wherein the sensor is an outdoor device) and the second communication node is an indoor unit. (Haverlag, ¶0004, wherein the manage device, i.e. the second node, comprises the indoor unit)
Claim 20 O’Neill in view of Haverlag teaches Claim 19, and further teaches wherein the first communication node further includes a centralized control device. (Haverlag, ¶0004, wherein the manage device, i.e. the first node, comprises the indoor unit)
Claim 21 O’Neill in view of Haverlag teaches Claim 19, and further teaches wherein the first communication node further includes a service checker. (Haverlag, ¶0004, wherein the manage device, i.e. the first node, comprises the indoor unit)
Claim 23 is taught by O’Neill in view of Haverlag as described for Claim 1.
Claim 24 is taught by O’Neill in view of Haverlag as described for Claim 1.
3. Claims 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over O'Neill et al. (US 20110050437 A1) in view of Haverlag et al. (US 20230328653 A1) and in further view of Morita et al. (US 20230135375 A1).
Claim 22 O’Neill in view of Haverlag teaches Claim 13, but does not explicitly teach wherein the message has a format defined by Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP), and the information regarding the timing is described in a payload in the message.
From a related technology, Morita teaches a message format defined by Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP), and the information described in a payload in the message. (¶0041, CoAP message with information in the payload)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of O’Neill in view of Haverlag to incorporate the teachings of Morita in order to effective utilize known communication protocols to effective communication information.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER PALACA CADORNA whose telephone number is (571)270-0584. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00-7:00.
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, John Follansbee can be reached at (571) 272-3964. 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.
/CHRISTOPHER P CADORNA/ Examiner, Art Unit 2444
/JOHN A FOLLANSBEE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2444
Prosecution Insights