DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 21-34 and 39-40 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.
Applicant argues, with respect to claim 35, the prior art of record does not teach or disclose the limitation of “the parameter of disinfection comprising an area of the field of UV emission during use”. Examiner disagrees as Walker discloses the UV sensor is located at the opposite side of the tank 250 from the UV LED 240 (e.g. the area of the field of UV emission is the distance the UV light travels through the tank) to detect the amount of UV light is traveling to determine if more time is required for disinfection (see col. 4, lines 26-34).
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.
Claims 21-28, 30, 32-33, and 38-39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liao et al. (US PGPub 2016/0280562, hereinafter Liao).
Regarding claim 21, Liao discloses a disinfecting system (water providing apparatus having a UV treatment module for reducing pathogens, see abstract) comprising:
a UV device including a UV light source configured to emit UV light for disinfection of a target (device 140 receives the input water (e.g. target for disinfection) including one or more UV LED’s with peak wavelength in the spectral range between 210 – 280 nm (e.g. UV light), see paragraph [0023]),
a sensor configured to acquire disinfection parameter data of the target during disinfection of the target (one or more optical sensors (such as a photodiode, photodetector, spectrometer, or the like) to detect responses to the UV illumination, see paragraph [0023]); and
a controller in communication with the UV device and the sensor, the controller including a processor and memory storing processor-executable instructions that (device 700 includes a processor 710, memory 720, used in remote communication, see paragraph [0048]), when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
operate the UV device, according to a sanitizing protocol, to deliver UV light to the target, wherein the sanitizing protocol includes a desired dosage of UV light to be delivered to the target during disinfection of the target (UV LEDs having different UV frequency peaks may irradiate the input water, the power output of the UV LEDs may depend on the type of biological contaminants, see paragraph [0029]);
analyze the disinfection parameter data received from the sensor during disinfection of the target to determine a real-time dosage of the UV light delivered to the target by the UV device during disinfection of the target (sensor 870 (photodiode or spectrometer) detects intensity of light may be detected to indicate the clarity or turbidity of liquid 920, UV light may be modified (e.g. time increased or decrease, intensity may be modified, UV sanitizing process can be stopped) based on the detected light, see paragraph [0060]; analysis and detection can be done in real-time, see paragraph [0009]);
compare, in real-time, the desired dosage and the real-time dosage to calculate a dosage delta between the real-time dosage and the desired dosage (sensor 870 (photodiode or spectrometer) detects intensity of light may be detected to indicate the clarity or turbidity of liquid 920, UV light may be modified (e.g. time increased or decrease, intensity may be modified, UV sanitizing process can be stopped) based on the detected light, see paragraph [0060]; analysis and detection can be done in real-time, see paragraph [0009]); and
control operation of the UV device based on the calculated dosage delta (UV light may be modified (e.g. time increased or decrease, intensity may be modified, UV sanitizing process can be stopped) based on the detected light, see paragraph [0060]).
Regarding claim 22, Liao discloses the processor is configured to communicate feedback to an operator of the disinfecting system during disinfection of the target based on the determined dosage of the UV light emitted on the target by the UV device as determined by the processor during disinfection (when water exceeds standards, notification may be sent to water supplier, see paragraph [0045]).
Regarding claim 23, Liao discloses a display, wherein the feedback comprises visual feedback communicated on the display (device 700 includes display or other visual indication 740, see paragraph [0048]; notification may be sent to supplier (e.g. email, text, phone call, etc.), see paragraph [0045]).
Regarding claim 24, Liao discloses the operation of the UV device controlled by the processor is power supplied to the UV device (various components may be provided, such as a processor 940, power supply 950, UV LEDs 980, see paragraph [0059]).
Regarding claim 25, Liao discloses the disinfection parameter data comprises an area of the field of UV emission during use (sensor 870 (photodiode or spectrometer) detects intensity of light may be detected to indicate the clarity or turbidity of liquid 920, the area of the field of UV emission during use being the distance between the UV LEDs 980 and sensor 870, see Fig. 5 and paragraph [0060]).
Regarding claim 26, Liao discloses the disinfection parameter data comprises a distance between the UV light source and the target during use (sensor 870 (photodiode or spectrometer) detects intensity of light may be detected to indicate the clarity or turbidity of liquid 920, the area of the field of UV emission during use being the distance between the UV LEDs 980 and sensor 870, see Fig. 5 and paragraph [0060]).
Regarding claim 27, Liao discloses the UV Light source is configured to emit UV light having a wavelength from about 100 nm to about 400 nm (UV LEDs with an emission peak between 210 – 395 nm, see paragraph [0023]).
Regarding claim 28, Liao discloses the UV light is configured to emit UV light having a wavelength from about 240 – 260 nm (UV LEDs with an emission peak between 210 – 395 nm, see paragraph [0023]).
Regarding claim 30, Liao discloses the UV light source comprises a UV LED (UV LEDs with an emission peak between 210 – 395 nm, see paragraph [0023]).
Regarding claim 32, Liao discloses at least one additional sensor in communication with the processor, wherein the at least one additional sensor is configured to detect an operating parameter of the UV device during use, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the operating parameter received from the at least one additional sensor during use of the UV device for further use in determining the dosage of UV light emitted on the target by the UV device during disinfection (one or more optical sensors, see paragraph [0052]; sensors 870 (photodiode or spectrometer) detects intensity of light may be detected to indicate the clarity or turbidity of liquid 920, UV light may be modified (e.g. time increased or decrease, intensity may be modified, UV sanitizing process can be stopped) based on the detected light, see paragraph [0060]).
Regarding claim 33, Liao discloses the UV device is in wireless communication with the processor (each device 140 includes a wireless communication portion 180 for analysis, see paragraph [0021]).
Regarding claim 38, Liao discloses the disinfection parameter data comprises a distance between the UV light source and the target during use (sensor 870 (photodiode or spectrometer) detects intensity of light may be detected to indicate the clarity or turbidity of liquid 920, the area of the field of UV emission during use being the distance between the UV LEDs 980 and sensor 870, see Fig. 5 and paragraph [0060]).
Regarding claim 39, Liao discloses a disinfecting system (water providing apparatus having a UV treatment module for reducing pathogens, see abstract) comprising:
a UV device including a UV light source configured to emit UV light for disinfection of a target (device 140 receives the input water (e.g. target for disinfection) including one or more UV LED’s with peak wavelength in the spectral range between 210 – 280 nm (e.g. UV light), see paragraph [0023]),
a sensor configured to acquire disinfection parameter data of the target during disinfection of the target (one or more optical sensors (such as a photodiode, photodetector, spectrometer, or the like) to detect responses to the UV illumination, see paragraph [0023]); and
a controller in communication with the UV device and the sensor, the controller including a processor and memory storing processor-executable instructions that (device 700 includes a processor 710, memory 720, used in remote communication, see paragraph [0048]), when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
analyze the disinfection parameter data received from the sensor during disinfection of the target to determine a real-time dosage of the UV light delivered to the target by the UV device during disinfection of the target (sensor 870 (photodiode or spectrometer) detects intensity of light may be detected to indicate the clarity or turbidity of liquid 920, UV light may be modified (e.g. time increased or decrease, intensity may be modified, UV sanitizing process can be stopped) based on the detected light, see paragraph [0060]; analysis and detection can be done in real-time, see paragraph [0009]);
communicate feedback to an operator of the disinfecting system during disinfection of the target based on the dosage of UV light applied to the target (device 700 includes display or other visual indication 740, see paragraph [0048]; notification may be sent to supplier (e.g. email, text, phone call, etc.), see paragraph [0045]).
Claims 35-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Walker et al. (US Pat. 8,816,300, hereinafter Walker).
Regarding claim 35, Walker discloses a disinfecting system (water purification device, see abstract) comprising:
a UV device including a UV light source configured to emit UV light for disinfection of a target (UV LED 240 exposed to water 260 in a holding tank 250, see Fig. 2 and col. 4, lines 17-35);
a sensor configured to acquire disinfection parameter data of the target during disinfection of the target, the parameter of disinfection comprises an area of the field of UV emission during use (UV sensor provided on the opposite side of the holding tank 250 to sense how much UV is getting through water 260, see col. 4, lines 26-30); and
a controller in communication with the UV device and the sensor, the controller including a processor and a memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to (control portion 170 controls application to power to UV LEDs 190, see col. 3, lines 44-46; further includes circuit 230 for storing timing of UV light, see col. 4, lines 18-25):
analyze the disinfection parameter data received from the sensor during disinfection of the target to determine a parameter of disinfection by the UV device (if little UV light is transmitted and detected by the UV sensor, the UV exposure time may be increased (e.g. determined dosage of UV light is insufficient for disinfection), see col. 4, lines 26-35), and
communicate feedback to an operator of the disinfecting system during disinfection of the target based on the determined parameter of disinfection (if the detected UV light is not at a sufficient threshold; status lights 130 and 140 used to provide visual indication to a user of the water purification status, see col. 3, lines 3-12).
Regarding claim 36, Walker discloses the feedback communicated to the operator includes an indication as to whether the target is disinfected (status lights 130 and 140 used to provide visual indication to a user of the water purification status, see col. 3, lines 3-12).
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 29 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao in view of Rosenberg et al. (US PGPub 2008/0105625, hereinafter Rosenberg).
Regarding claim 29, Liao fails to disclose an ultrasound transducer configured to emit ultrasonic energy for disinfecting the target, wherein the processor is in communication with the ultrasound transducer.
Rosenberg teaches a disinfection system with an illumination source, such as UV light, to disinfect a liquid within the system (see paragraph [0017]). Rosenberg further teaches the disinfection system includes an ultrasonic system for cleaning by preventing the creation of deposit on the interior surfaces (see paragraphs [0018-0019]; processor in communication is inherent).
Rosenberg modifies Liao by suggesting providing an ultrasonic system to produce ultrasonic wave energy.
Since both inventions are drawn to UV disinfection systems, it would have been obvious to the ordinary artisan before the effective filing date to modify Liao by providing an ultrasonic system to produce ultrasonic wave energy for the purpose of preventing the creation of deposit on the interior surfaces as taught by Rosenberg (see paragraphs [0018-0019]).
Claims 31, 34 and 40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao in view of Lloyd (US PGPub 2017/0246329, hereinafter Lloyd).
Regarding claim 31, Liao fails to disclose the UV light source comprises a laser.
Lloyd discloses a germicidal radiation source could be a laser, LED, or other source (see paragraph [0034]). Lloyd teaches germicidal lasers are well suited for their low diffusion rate and precisely placing the germicidal wavelength at a desired location (see paragraph [0071]).
Lloyd modifies Liao by suggesting the radiation source is a laser.
Since both inventions are drawn to UV disinfection systems, it would have been obvious to the ordinary artisan before the effective filing date to modify Liao by having the radiation source be a laser for the purpose of precisely placing the germicidal wavelength at a desired location with a low diffusion rate as taught by Lloyd (see paragraph [0071]).
Regarding claim 34, Liao fails to disclose the sensor is an imaging sensor.
Lloyd discloses at least one camera that captures an image of the environment to analyze and identify regions to emit the germicidal radiation (see paragraph [0019]).
Lloyd modifies Liao by suggesting a camera to capture an image of the environment.
Since both inventions are drawn to UV disinfection systems, it would have been obvious to the ordinary artisan before the effective filing date to modify Liao by providing a sensor (e.g. camera) for the purpose of identifying regions which require further exposure to increase disinfection efficiency as taught by Lloyd.
Regarding claim 40, Liao fails to disclose the sensor is an imaging sensor.
Lloyd discloses at least one camera that captures an image of the environment to analyze and identify regions to emit the germicidal radiation (see paragraph [0019]).
Lloyd modifies Liao by suggesting a camera to capture an image of the environment.
Since both inventions are drawn to UV disinfection systems, it would have been obvious to the ordinary artisan before the effective filing date to modify Liao by providing a sensor (e.g. camera) for the purpose of identifying regions which require further exposure to increase disinfection efficiency as taught by Lloyd.
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 HANWAY CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5766. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Georgia Epps can be reached at (571) 272-2328. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Hanway Chang
/HC/ Examiner, Art Unit 2878
/GEORGIA Y EPPS/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2878