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 .
Priority
Acknowledgement is made of Applicant’s claim for priority to provisional application no. 63/654,638 filed 31 May 2024.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Line 1, “comprising” should read --comprises--
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7 recites the limitation “the motor load of the motor load profile” in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 7 recites the limitation “a selected operating parameters” in line 3. It is unclear if this limitation is referring to the “selected one or more operating parameters” recited previously in claim 1 or to another, separate set of operating parameters.
Claim 8 recites the limitation “a selected operating parameters” in lines 2-3. It is unclear if this limitation is referring to the “selected one or more operating parameters” recited previously in claim 1 or to another, separate set of operating parameters.
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 (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 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.
Claims 1-17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liao et al. (US 2023/0347228, hereinafter Liao).
Regarding claim 1, Liao teaches a method for operating an exercise equipment, comprising:
obtaining a motor load of the exercise equipment with selected one or more operating parameters;
detecting a change in the motor load; and
slowing down the exercise equipment in response to detecting the change in the motor load (Para. [0028]: “In operation, the current signal is transmitted from the current sensor 30 to the controller 40. Consequently, the controller 40 can continue to monitor a state of the motor current. If a user gets on the endless belt 21 during operation of the motor 22, the motor 22 will draw more current since the endless belt 21 undertakes the user footfall and needs more driving power from the motor 22 to keep regular operating. Therefore, the current sensor 30 will detect a current change of the motor current that is caused by the user footfall. Thereafter, the current sensor 30 transmits the current signal proportional to the motor current to the controller 40, so that the controller 40 can determine, via the current signal, whether the user is engaging the endless belt 21. In other situation, if rotation of the endless belt 21 is interfered by objects or children during operation of the motor 22, the current sensor 30 will also detect a current change of the motor current that is caused by interference of the objects or children other than the user of the motorized treadmill 10. Therefore, the controller 40 can determine, via the current signal, whether an object or a child gets caught in the endless belt 21 namely being pulled by the endless 21 under the motorized treadmill 10. If the controller 40 determines that an object or a child gets caught in the endless belt 21, the controller 40 is operable to stop rotation of the endless belt 21 immediately, e.g. power off the motorized treadmill 10 to slow or stop rotation of the endless belt 21.” The current sensor obtains the motor current which is indicative of a motor load during operation. When the sensor detects a change in the motor current indicative of an object or a child getting caught in the treadmill belt, the treadmill slows down or stops.).
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Regarding claim 2, Liao teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the exercise equipment is a treadmill (treadmill 10) (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, Liao teaches the method of claim 2, wherein the motor load is one or more of amount of energy, amount of power, amount of amperage, or amount of current used to drive a tread belt of the treadmill (Para. [0028]: Liao teaches a current sensor for sensing the amount of motor current which is indicative of a motor load.).
Regarding claim 4, Liao teaches the method of claim 3, wherein obtaining the motor load comprises obtaining a current, an amperage, a resistance, a time, a power, or a combination thereof needed to drive the tread belt of the treadmill (Para. [0028]: Liao teaches a current sensor for obtaining a current needed to drive the endless belt 21 of the treadmill 10.).
Regarding claim 5, Liao teaches the method of claim 4, further comprising storing a motor load profile (Para. [0027]: “The hardware assembly of the controller 40 can include a processor that is in communication with a computer readable storage medium. The computer readable storage medium can be any suitable data storage device that can store data that can be thereafter accessed and read by the controller (or components thereof) or a separate computing system.” The controller 40 comprises a data storage device that can store data including a motor load profile.).
Regarding claim 6, Liao teaches the method of claim 5, wherein the motor load profile comprises one or more of an average motor load, a motor load pattern over a period of time, a maximum motor load, or a minimum motor load (Figs. 3-4 show a motor load profile including a motor load pattern indicated by current changes over time.).
Regarding claim 7, Liao teaches the method of claim 6, wherein the motor load of the motor load profile is an estimated motor load pattern over a period of time used to drive the exercise equipment with a selected operating parameters (Figs. 3-4 show the motor load profile being an estimate of the current changes over a period of time as a user runs or walks on the treadmill. Para. [0030]: “For example, when a user is using the motorized treadmill 10 to perform exercises of walking, jogging or running on the endless belt 21, the motor current detected by the current sensor 30 may be changed periodically due to periodic foot impacts on the endless belt 21. If the current sensor 30 detects a current change associated with other than the user of the motorized treadmill 10, the controller 40 can determine that the endless belt 21 may be interrupted by objects or children. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 illustrate plots 31, 32 of current versus time for showing changes of the motor current during operation of the motor 22. As shown in FIG. 3, the plot 31 illustrates that the user is walking, jogging or running on the endless belt 21 initially and an unexpected current increase 311 of the motor current occurs while the endless belt 21 is still running. When the current sensor 30 detects the unexpected current increase 311, the controller 40 determines that the rotation of the endless belt 21 may be interfered by objects or children, and then stop rotation of the endless belt 21 immediately.”).
Regarding claim 8, Liao teaches the method of claim 6, wherein the motor load of the motor load profile is an estimated current used to drive the exercise equipment with a selected operating parameters (Para. [0030]; Figs. 3-4. The motor load profile is an estimated current. When the controller detects a change in the current from what is expected or estimated, the controller determines whether an emergency stop is required.).
Regarding claim 9, Liao teaches a method for operating an exercise equipment, comprising:
operating the exercise equipment (treadmill 10) with a first configuration (Fig. 1);
obtaining an obtained motor load of the exercise equipment at the first configuration;
comparing the obtained motor load to an estimated motor load associated with the first configuration; and
performing a safety action when the obtained motor load is different than the estimated motor load (Para. [0028]: The current sensor obtains the motor current which is indicative of a motor load during operation in a first configuration. When the sensor detects a change in the motor current indicative of a disruption, the treadmill slows down or stops. Para. [0040]: “At step 103, the controller 40 is programed to determine whether a current change of the motor current is caused by a user who is using the motorized treadmill 10. For example, the controller 40 can compare the received data from the current sensor 30 to a known (or default or standard) data parameter that is indicative of a user using the motorized treadmill 10. The known data parameter can be preprogramed into the controller 40, or recognized during operational use. For example, the controller 40 can determine that the current change is caused by objects or children when the current sensor 30 detects an abnormal current increase in the motor current continuing for a predetermined period of time rather than current pulses caused by the user's footfalls. If the analysis result in the step 103 is “yes”, the motor 22 continues to operate, and the process returns to step 101 and repeats. If the analysis result in the step 103 is “no”, the motor 22 does not continue to operate, as step 104. At step 104, the controller 40 determines that the endless belt 21 is interfered by objects or children other than the user and is operable to cut off the power to the motor 22 to slow or stop rotation of the endless belt 21.”).
Regarding claim 10, Liao teaches the method of claim 9, wherein performing the safety action comprises adjusting operation of the exercise equipment to a neutral configuration, wherein the neutral configuration comprises stopping a tread belt (endless belt 21) (Para. [0040]: “the controller 40 determines that the endless belt 21 is interfered by objects or children other than the user and is operable to cut off the power to the motor 22 to slow or stop rotation of the endless belt 21.”).
Regarding claim 11, Liao teaches the method of claim 10, wherein stopping the tread belt comprises initiating an emergency stop (Para. [0040]: “the controller 40 determines that the endless belt 21 is interfered by objects or children other than the user and is operable to cut off the power to the motor 22 to slow or stop rotation of the endless belt 21.” Cutting off power to the motor triggers an emergency stop.).
Regarding claim 12, Liao teaches the method of claim 10, wherein stopping the tread belt comprises initiating a slow down to stop the tread belt over a period of time (Para. [0040]: “the controller 40 determines that the endless belt 21 is interfered by objects or children other than the user and is operable to cut off the power to the motor 22 to slow or stop rotation of the endless belt 21.” Cutting power to the motor would slow the belt down over a short period of time.).
Regarding claim 13, Liao teaches the method of claim 9, wherein obtaining the obtained motor load comprises obtaining an obtained current used to operate the exercise equipment with the first configuration (Para. [0028]: Liao teaches a current sensor for sensing the amount of motor current which is indicative of a motor load.).
Regarding claim 14, Liao teaches the method of claim 13, further comprising storing a motor load profile, wherein the motor load profile comprises the estimated motor load associated with the first configuration (Para. [0027]: “The hardware assembly of the controller 40 can include a processor that is in communication with a computer readable storage medium. The computer readable storage medium can be any suitable data storage device that can store data that can be thereafter accessed and read by the controller (or components thereof) or a separate computing system.” The controller 40 comprises a data storage device that can store data including a motor load profile. Figs. 3-4 show the motor load profile being an estimate of the current changes over a period of time as a user runs or walks on the treadmill.).
Regarding claim 15, Liao teaches the method of claim 14, wherein the estimated motor load associated with the first configuration comprises an estimated current used to operate the exercise equipment with the first configuration (Para. [0030]; Figs. 3-4. The motor load profile is an estimated current. When the controller detects a change in the current from what is expected or estimated, the controller determines whether an emergency stop is required.).
Regarding claim 16, Liao teaches the method of claim 15, wherein comparing the obtained motor load to the estimated motor load associated with the first configuration further comprises comparing the obtained current to the estimated current (Para. [0040]: “the controller 40 can compare the received data from the current sensor 30 to a known (or default or standard) data parameter that is indicative of a user using the motorized treadmill 10. The known data parameter can be preprogramed into the controller 40, or recognized during operational use.”).
Regarding claim 17, Liao teaches a treadmill (treadmill 10) configured to prevent injuries, comprising:
a motor (motor 22) configured to drive a tread belt (endless belt 21) of the treadmill (Fig. 2);
a sensor (current sensor 30) configured to measure a detected motor load (Fig. 2); and
one or more processors and one or more memories (Para. [0027]: “The hardware assembly of the controller 40 can include a processor that is in communication with a computer readable storage medium.”), the one or more memories storing instructions that cause the one or more processors to:
operate the treadmill with a first configuration;
receive the detected motor load of the treadmill from the sensor;
compare the detected motor load to an estimated motor load associated with the first configuration; and
perform a safety action when the detected motor load is different than the estimated motor load (Para. [0028]: The current sensor obtains the motor current which is indicative of a motor load during operation in a first configuration. When the sensor detects a change in the motor current indicative of a disruption, the treadmill slows down or stops. Para. [0040]: “the controller 40 can compare the received data from the current sensor 30 to a known (or default or standard) data parameter that is indicative of a user using the motorized treadmill 10.”).
Regarding claim 20, Liao teaches the treadmill of claim 17, wherein the sensor is a power consumption sensor, an amperage meter, a current meter (current sensor 30), a weight sensor, a position sensor, or a combination thereof (Fig. 2).
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claims 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao (US 2023/0347228) as applied to claim 17 above, and further in view of Hoggarth et al. (US 2025/0295949, hereinafter Hoggarth).
Regarding claim 18, Liao teaches the treadmill of claim 17.
Liao does not teach wherein the safety action comprises providing a warning.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Hoggarth teaches a treadmill (exercise device/treadmill 202) configured to perform a safety action when a detected input exceeds a safety threshold (Para. [0058]: “The automatic stop system may automatically stop or return operation of the exercise system 200 to a neutral operation. The automatic stop system may be based on an input applied to the input device 220. For example, the input device 220 may include an input sensor that may detect a magnitude of an input applied to the input device 220. The input sensor may detect whether the magnitude of the applied input exceeds a safety threshold. If the magnitude of the applied input exceeds the safety threshold, then the automatic stop system may return the exercise system 200 to a neutral operation.”), wherein the safety action comprises providing a warning (Para. [0059]: “the exercise system 200 may present an audio and/or visual warning or notification of the triggering of the auto stop… the exercise system 200 may present through speakers on the exercise system 200 an auditory notice that the auto stop has been triggered.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the treadmill of Liao by including the audible safety warning of Hoggarth. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to “help the user identify the triggering of the auto stop,” as suggested by Hoggarth (Para. [0059]: “the exercise system 200 may present an audio and/or visual warning or notification of the triggering of the auto stop. For example, the exercise system 200 may present on the display 226 a visual notice that the auto stop has been triggered. In some examples, the exercise system 200 may present through speakers on the exercise system 200 an auditory notice that the auto stop has been triggered. This may help the user to identify the triggering of the auto stop.”)
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Liao and Hoggarth as discussed above with regards to claim 18 teaches the treadmill of claim 18, wherein providing the warning further comprising a speaker configured to provide an audible alert sound (Hoggarth: Para. [0059]: “the exercise system 200 may present through speakers on the exercise system 200 an auditory notice that the auto stop has been triggered.”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Catrina Letterman whose telephone number is (303)297-4297. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday - Friday, 8am - 5pm MT.
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/C.A.L./Examiner, Art Unit 3784
/Megan Anderson/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3784
