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
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 13, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a as being anticipated by U.S. PGPUB 2006/0138068 A1 to Tsai et al. (“Tsai”).
As to claim 1, Tsai teaches a pressure signaling system comprising: a container (bottle 10); and a signaling device (cap 20) disposed on the container and configured to provide a first demonstrable feedback when an internal pressure of the container is greater than or less than an environmental pressure (Tsai Fig. 3C shows the indicator 39 shows when the interior of the bottle is in a vacuum status), and the signaling device being further configured to provide a second demonstrable feedback (release tab 50) when a difference between the internal pressure of the container and the environmental pressure is reduced (Tsai, pg. 2, ¶ 0019).
As to claim 2, Tsai teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 1, wherein the signaling device comprises a demonstrable portion with a resilient feature or a moving feature (indicator 39), and the first demonstrable feedback is a change in shape or position of the demonstrable portion, deriving from deformation of the resilient feature or displacement of the moving feature (Tsai, pg. 1-2, ¶ 0017).
As to claim 13, Tsai teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 1, wherein the container is a soft bag or a hard box (Tsai Fig. 3C shows the bottle in a vacuum status with no deformation of the bottle 10).
As to claim 14, Tsai teaches a pressure signaling system comprising: a container comprising: a container portion (bottle 10); and a lid portion (cap 20); and a signaling device comprising a sensing element (connection member 30) configured to sense an internal condition of the container (Tsai, pg. 1-2, ¶ 0017).
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.
Claim(s) 3-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai in view of U.S. Patent No. 7,131,550 B2 to Vilalta et al. (“Vilalta”).
As to claim 3, Tsai teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 1, but does not teach wherein the signaling device comprises a mechanical sound generator, and the second demonstrable feedback is a controlled sound generated by the mechanical sound generator.
Vilalta teaches wherein the signaling device comprises a mechanical sound generator, and the second demonstrable feedback is a controlled sound (Vilalta, col. 19, lines 47-63) generated by the mechanical sound generator.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the sound when atmospheric air enters the interior volume of Vilalta with the system as taught by Tsai to reduce the pressure difference to allow the cover to be easily removed from the container (Vilalta, col. 2, lines 56-61).
As to claim 4, Tsai modified by Vilalta discloses the claimed invention except for wherein a frequency of the controlled sound is in a range of 1,000 to 10,000 Hz. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make the sound with a frequency in a range of 1,000 to 10,000 Hz, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. MPEP 2144.05 I.
As to claim 5, Tsai modified by Vilalta discloses the claimed invention except for wherein the frequency of the controlled sound is in a range of 2,000 to 4,000 Hz. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make the sound with a frequency in a range of 2,000 to 4,000 Hz, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. MPEP 2144.05 I.
As to claim 6, Tsai modified by Vilalta discloses the claimed invention except for wherein a sound pressure level of the controlled sound is in a range of 10 to 60 dB in 1 meter away from the mechanical sound generator. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make the sound pressure level of the controlled sound in a range of 10 to 60 dB, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. MPEP 2144.05 I.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai in view of U.S. Patent No. 6,830,081 B1 to Chen (“Chen”).
As to claim 7, Tsai teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 1, but does not teach wherein the signaling device comprises a light emitting element, and the first demonstrable feedback or the second demonstrable feedback is a blinking light emitted from the light emitting element.
Chen teaches wherein the signaling device comprises a light emitting element (LEDs 56), and the first demonstrable feedback or the second demonstrable feedback is a blinking light emitted from the light emitting element (Chen, col. 4, lines 26-32).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the LEDs of Chen with the system as taught by Tsai to light up when the container is in normal pressure (Chen, col. 4, lines 29-30).
Claim(s) 8-10 and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai in view of U.S. PGPUB 2017/0352249 A1 to Clip (“Clip”).
As to claim 8, Tsai teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 1, but does not teach wherein the signaling device comprises a digital sound generator, and the second demonstrable feedback is a digital sound generated by the digital sound generator.
Clip teaches wherein the signaling device comprises a digital sound generator (control circuit 206), and the second demonstrable feedback is a digital sound generated by the digital sound generator (Clip, pg. 9, ¶ 0063).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the control circuit of Clip with the system as taught by Tsai to alert the user by means of a signaling device (Clip, pg. 9, ¶ 0063).
As to claim 9, Tsai teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 1, but does not teach wherein the signaling device comprises a signal transmission element, and the first demonstrable feedback or the second demonstrable feedback is a signal transmitted from the signal transmission element to a mobile device to actuate the mobile device to generate an audio or visual output corresponding to the signal.
Clip teaches wherein the signaling device comprises a signal transmission element (control circuit 206), and the first demonstrable feedback or the second demonstrable feedback is a signal transmitted from the signal transmission element to a mobile device to actuate the mobile device to generate an audio or visual output corresponding to the signal (Clip, pg. 9, ¶ 0063).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the control circuit of Clip with the system as taught by Tsai to alert the user by means of a signaling device (Clip, pg. 9, ¶ 0063).
As to claim 10, Tsai teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 1, but does not teach wherein the signaling device comprises a signal transmission element configured to provide an identification information to a mobile device to actuate the mobile device to generate an audio or visual output corresponding to the identification information.
Clip teaches wherein the signaling device comprises a signal transmission element (control circuit 206) configured to provide an identification information to a mobile device to actuate the mobile device to generate an audio or visual output corresponding to the identification information (Clip, pg. 9, ¶ 0063).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the control circuit of Clip with the system as taught by Tsai to alert the user by means of a signaling device (Clip, pg. 9, ¶ 0063).
As to claim 15, Tsai teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 14, but does not teach wherein the signaling device further comprises a signal transmission element configured to provide a signal to a mobile device according to a sensing result of the sensing element via a wire connection or a wireless connection, so as to actuate the mobile device to generate an audio or visual output corresponding to the signal.
Clip teaches wherein the signaling device further comprises a signal transmission element (control circuit 206) configured to provide a signal to a mobile device according to a sensing result of the sensing element via a wire connection or a wireless connection, so as to actuate the mobile device to generate an audio or visual output corresponding to the signal (Clip, pg. 9, ¶ 0063).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the control circuit of Clip with the system as taught by Tsai to alert the user by means of a signaling device (Clip, pg. 9, ¶ 0063).
As to claim 16, Tsai teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 14, but does not teach wherein the signaling device further comprises a resilient feature, and the sensing element is configured to sense deformation of the resilient feature, deriving from a change of an internal pressure of the container.
Clip teaches wherein the signaling device further comprises a resilient feature (second sensor 205), and the sensing element is configured to sense deformation of the resilient feature (Clip, pg. 8, ¶ 0053), deriving from a change of an internal pressure of the container. Clip teaches a pressure sensor that detects increased pressure (Clip, pg. 8, ¶ 0053).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the second sensor of Clip with the system as taught by Tsai to detect an increased pressure (Clip, pg. 8, ¶ 0053).
As to claim 17, Tsai modified by Clip teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 16, wherein the sensing element is a piezoelectric element (Clip, pg. 8, ¶ 0053).
As to claim 18, Tsai teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 14, but does not teach wherein the sensing element comprises an exposed electrical contact configured to electrically connect to a measuring device.
Clip teaches wherein the sensing element (sensor 205) comprises an exposed electrical contact configured to electrically connect to a measuring device (Clip, pg. 7, ¶ 0049).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the sensor of Clip with the system as taught by Tsai to alert the user by means of a signaling device (Clip, pg. 9, ¶ 0063).
As to claim 19, Tsai teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 14, but does not teach wherein the signaling device further comprises a magnet to align a measuring device with the sensing element.
Clip teaches wherein the signaling device further comprises a magnet to align a measuring device with the sensing element (Clip, pg. 7, ¶ 0049). Clip uses a magnetometer to determine a change in direction of the at least one motion sensor (Clip, pg. 7, ¶ 0049).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the control circuit of Clip with the system as taught by Tsai to alert the user by means of a signaling device (Clip, pg. 9, ¶ 0063).
As to claim 20, Tsai teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 14, but does not teach wherein the signaling device is configured to communicate with a measuring device via a wired connection or a wireless connection.
Clip teaches wherein the signaling device is configured to communicate with a measuring device via a wired connection or a wireless connection (Clip, pg. 2-3, ¶ 0025-0026).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the wireless communication of Clip with the system as taught by Tsai to allow data to be transferred between devices (Clip, pg. 2-3, ¶ 0025-0026).
Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai in view of Clip further in view of U.S. PGPUB 2012/0316414 A1 to Greene (“Greene”).
As to claim 11, Tsai modified by Clip teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 10, but does not teach wherein the signaling device is configured to be powered by inductive energy captured by the mobile device.
Greene teaches wherein the signaling device (transceiver 130) is configured to be powered by inductive energy captured by the mobile device (Greene, pg. 2, ¶ 0015).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to wireless receive power to power the transceiver of Greene with the system as taught by Tsai modified by Clip to convert the received power into a current and use that current to power the transceiver during operation (Greene, pg. 2, ¶ 0015).
As to claim 12, Tsai modified by Clip and Greene teaches the pressure signaling system of claim 11, wherein the signaling device is configured to communicate with the mobile device by radio-frequency identification technology (Greene, pg. 5, ¶ 0039).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent No. 10,565,411 B2 to Forster discloses a seal status detection component on a lid comprising a deflectable component with two frequency responses.
U.S. PGPUB 2012/0211386 A1 to Haimi discloses a device for indicating the current pressure state within a closed container.
U.S. PGPUB 2004/0041709 A1 to Forster discloses a wireless communication device for transmitting information regarding the container.
Applicant is duly reminded that a complete response must satisfy the requirements of 37 C.F. R. 1.111, including: “The reply must present arguments pointing out the specific distinctions believed to render the claims, including any newly presented claims, patentable over any applied references. A general allegation that the claims “define a patentable invention” without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references does not comply with the requirements of this section. Moreover, “The prompt development of a clear Issue requires that the replies of the applicant meet the objections to and rejections of the claims.” Applicant should also specifically point out the support for any amendments made to the disclosure. See MPEP 2163.06 and MPEP 714.02. The ''disclosure'' includes the claims, the specification and the drawings.
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/M.L.P/Examiner, Art Unit 3733
/NATHAN J JENNESS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3733 18 June 2026
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