DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to 03/09/2026.
Claims 1-4 are pending.
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 § 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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amin et al. (US Pub. 2020/0183925), hereinafter Amin, in view of Duvert et al. (WO2021/024682 same as JP2020026609W, using attached machine translation), hereinafter Duvert.
Regarding claim 1, Amin discloses a system for identifying and generating a scent (a system 200-see fig. 2 and [0058]), the system comprising: a sensor (detection component 120 (see fig. 1 and [0049]) includes a sensory array (see [0028] and [0049])); circuitry (see fig. 2); and a user interface (system 100 can include a mobile device (110, 600), the mobile device includes a display (e.g., 610), the display 610 can be a touch screen and can receive user input (see figs. 1-2 with description in [0045] and [0061], and fig. 6 with description in [0113]-[0115])), wherein the sensor is configured to detect a volatile organic compound (the detection component can detect presence and amount of chemicals in the headspace (see [0028]), such as volatile compounds (see [0042]), various odors, airborne gas, or chemical compounds (see [0058] and [0115])), wherein the circuitry is configured to: transmit chemical component data obtained by detecting the volatile organic compound to an AI system on a cloud (detection component 120 converts the reactions of the sensory array into a digital signal representing a chemical composition of the headspace. In one implementation, the detection component uses at least one of a hash table, fuzzy logic, artificial neural network (ANN) etc. to determine an identity of a source associated with the headspace. The model can be stored locally or remotely (e.g., cloud based)-see [0055]-[0057]); and generate the scent based on a profile of the scent analyzed by the AI system (see [0056]), and wherein the user interface is configured to receive an input from a user (see, for example, [0061]-[0063]-input component (e.g., 226) can receive input 224 that can comprise extrinsic data, such as audio, visual, text, location data, and/or other user input).
Amin does not appear to expressly disclose wherein the user interface is configured to receive an input from a user for controlling selection and generation timing of the scent by the user.
Duvert teaches a device for controlling scent to be output on the basis of various types of information acquired by an information acquisition unit (see abstract), wherein the scent output unit selects various types of scents, such as lavender, lemon, jasmine etc., wherein, the scent output control device enables control of the scent output timing and output interval based on utterance content of a user, such as a driver or an occupant, or acquisition from other sources (e.g., internet or broadcast-see pg. 2 of machine translation, last four paragraphs, and figs. 12-13 with description in pg. 12 of machine translation).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Duvert with the invention of Amin to include scent output generation timing and output interval based on external input, such as user input, as taught by Duvert, in order to output various scents according to a situation in a vehicle such as an automobile (see pg. 2, first paragraph).
Regarding claim 2, Amin discloses wherein the sensor is configured to convert the chemical component data obtained by detecting a chemical substance in air in real time into a digital signal (detection component 120 converts the reactions of the sensory array into a digital signal representing a chemical composition of the headspace-see [0055]), and wherein the circuitry is configured to transmit the digital signal to the AI system on the cloud via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (see [0046]).
Regarding claim 3, Duvert is further relied upon to teach further comprising: a cartridge containing a plurality of scent components, wherein the circuitry is configured to: instruct which component is to be mixed in what ratio based on the profile from the AI system; and generate the scent in accordance with the instruction, and wherein the user interface is configured to receive the input from the user for controlling the selection of the scent, the generation timing of the scent, and adjustment of scent intensity via a smartphone application (see, for example, pg. 3, last three paragraphs, which further teaches that the scent output unit stores various different scent components in individual cartridges, and the control unit of the scent output control device controls to select one cartridge and output (spout) the scent component in the cartridge outside. The scent output control unit performs selection processing of the type of output scent, and further executes start/stop processing of scent output. A scent selection unit 132 also displays the scent selection unit control icons 134 … the user selects and touches one scent from a plurality of scent output candidates displayed on the scent selection unit 132, and the user selection is input into to a scent output mode determination unit 212 via a UI control unit 122 (see pg. 8). Furthermore, selection includes blend formulation and concentration amounts etc., for example, in Kagawa prefecture, Udon scent (D) using a blend of cartridges B, F, and Q is used (see pg. 10), when approaching a soccer stadium, scent output from a blend of cartridges P, K, and M is used (see pg. 11), and when at home, scent output = relaxing scent (C) using scent cartridges P, Q, and R is used (see pg. 13)).
Regarding claim 4, Amin discloses a method for identifying and generating a scent using a system for identifying and generating a scent (a system 200-see fig. 2 and [0058]), the system comprising: a sensor (detection component 120 (see fig. 1 and [0049]) includes a sensory array (see [0028] and [0049])); circuitry (see fig. 2); and a user interface (system 100 can include a mobile device (110, 600), the mobile device includes a display (e.g., 610), the display 610 can be a touch screen and can receive user input (see figs. 1-2 with description in [0045] and [0061], and fig. 6 with description in [0113]-[0115])), the method comprising: detecting a volatile organic compound by the sensor (the detection component can detect presence and amount of chemicals in the headspace (see [0028]), such as volatile compounds (see [0042]), various odors, airborne gas, or chemical compounds (see [0058] and [0115])); transmitting chemical component data obtained by the detecting the volatile organic compound to an AI system on a cloud (detection component 120 converts the reactions of the sensory array into a digital signal representing a chemical composition of the headspace. In one implementation, the detection component uses at least one of a hash table, fuzzy logic, artificial neural network (ANN) etc. to determine an identity of a source associated with the headspace. The model can be stored locally or remotely (e.g., cloud based)-see [0055]-[0057]); generating the scent based on a profile of the scent analyzed by the AI system (see [0056]).
Amin does not appear to expressly disclose and receiving an input from a user for controlling selection and generation timing of the scent by the user via the user interface.
Duvert teaches a device for controlling scent to be output on the basis of various types of information acquired by an information acquisition unit (see abstract), wherein the scent output unit selects various types of scents, such as lavender, lemon, jasmine etc., wherein, the scent output control device enables control of the scent output timing and output interval based on utterance content of a user, such as a driver or an occupant, or acquisition from other sources (e.g., internet or broadcast-see pg. 2 of machine translation, last four paragraphs, and figs. 12-13 with description in pg. 12 of machine translation).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Duvert with the invention of Amin to include scent output generation timing and output interval based on external input, such as user input, as taught by Duvert, in order to output various scents according to a situation in a vehicle such as an automobile (see pg. 2, first paragraph).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SARDIS F AZONGHA whose telephone number is (571)270-7706. The examiner can normally be reached 10AM-7:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ke Xiao can be reached at (571)272-7776. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SARDIS F AZONGHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627
