`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMIVHSSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313-1450
`wwwusptogov
`
`
`
`
`
`14/670,307
`
`03/26/2015
`
`Hiroshi Kanamaru
`
`731156421
`
`4826
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLPflDanasonic
`701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`REN’ ZHUBING
`
`PAPER NUIVIBER
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2483
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`06/27/2018
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
`US PTOeAction @ SeedIP.com
`
`pairlinkdktg @ seedip.c0m
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`
` 14/670,307 KANAMARU ET AL.
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventorto File)
`Office Action Summary
`
`2483ZHUBING REN $233
`
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
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`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions 0137 CFR 1.136(a).
`after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`
`-
`-
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`Status
`
`1)IXI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 3/29/2018.
`[I A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2b)lX| This action is non-final.
`2a)I:| This action is FINAL.
`3)I:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`
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`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`4)|:I Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under EX parte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`
`5)IXI C|aim(s) 10 11 13-15 18 19 21-23 and28-46is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`6 III Claim s) _ is/are allowed.
`
`10 11 13-15 18 19 21-23 and 28-46is/are rejected.
`
`is/are objected to.
`
`
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`htt
`://www.usoto. ov/ atents/init events"
`h/index.‘s
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`or send an inquiry to PF"I-Ifeedback{<‘buspto.qov.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)I:I The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)|:I The drawing(s) filed on _ is/are: a)I:I accepted or b)I:I objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)I:I Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`b)I:I Some” c)I:I None of the:
`a)I:I All
`1.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.I:I Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`
`
`3) D Interview Summary (PT0_413)
`1) E Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`—
`4) I:I Other'
`2) D Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date .
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20180518
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/670,307
`
`Art Unit: 2483
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`Page 2
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file
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`provisions of the AIA.
`
`DETAILED ACTION
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`Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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`1.
`
`A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR
`
`1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued
`
`examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the
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`finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's
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`submission filed on 3/29/2018 has been entered.
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`Response to argument
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`2.
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`Applicant's arguments with respect to amended claims and originally presented claims have been
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`fully considered but they are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
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`3.
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`During patent examination, the pending claims must be "given their broadest reasonable
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`interpretation consistent with the specification." Phi/lips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, at 1316 (Fed. Cir.
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`2005). See also In re Hyatt, 211 F.3d 1367, 1372, 54 USPQ2d 1664, 1667 (Fed. Cir. 2000).
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`4.
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`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and
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`103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for
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`the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale
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`supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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`5.
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections
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`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.
`
`6.
`
`Claim 10, 11, 18, 19, 30, 32, 34, 36, and 38-45 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being
`
`unpatentable over KIM et al (US 20140218517 A1) in View of MONTMINY et al (US 20070126869 A1)
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/670,307
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`Art Unit: 2483
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`Page 3
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`Regarding claim 10, KIM discloses a monitoring system [e.g. 110] comprising:
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`a monitoring camera [e.g. FIG. 5; 512] including an imager [e.g. camera module] and a
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`communicator [e.g. FIG. 520]; and
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`a master device [e.g. 510] which, in operation [e.g. FIG. 12], performs wireless communication
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`with the monitoring camera according to a communications protocol [e.g. FIG. 3; e.g. wireless
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`communication]:
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`performs wireless communication [e.g. 530], via a wireless router [e.g. FIG. 520], with a
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`smartphone having a display [e.g. 532], in response to an abnormal circumstance [e.g. FIG. 12; 1206],
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`transmits notification information [e.g. identification information] to the smartphone [e.g. 532] to display
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`thereon a warning screen [e.g. FIG. 20; home alarm] indicating the abnormal circumstance, in response
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`to receiving from the smartphone, user selection of a first request [e.g. FIG. 12; 1208 and 1106]
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`displayed as part of the warning screen, transmits first detailed information [e.g. e.g. 1220] about the
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`abnormal circumstance to the smartphone for display, and in response to receiving, from the smartphone,
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`user selection of a second request [e.g. [1222]; e.g. control command to adjust one of the cameras]
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`displayed as part of the first detailed information, transmits second detailed information about the
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`malfunction state to the smartphone for display [e.g. FIG. 12; 1230].
`
`Although KIM discloses a monitoring sequence of a monitoring system with built-in sensors
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`detecting abnormal events of the monitoring camera and communicating with a cell phone user, and the
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`abnormal circumstances may include temperature or heat etc., it is noted that KIM differs to the present
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`invention in that KIM fails to explicitly disclose the abnormal event including a technical malfunction state
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`of the monitoring camera.
`
`However, MONTMINY et al (US 20070126869 A1) teaches the well-known concept of an
`
`abnormality detection including identifying a technical malfunction state of the monitoring camera [e.g.
`
`FIG. 1 and 5; detecting malfunction of a surveillance camera]; and the abnormal signals including
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`suspected reasons for the technical malfunction state of the monitoring camera [e.g. FIG. 4 and 5; e.g.
`
`malfunction information].
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/670,307
`
`Art Unit: 2483
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`Page 4
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`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
`
`the invention to modify the monitoring system disclosed by KIM to exploit the well-known concept of
`
`camera health monitoring technique taught by MONTMINY as above, in order to provide the improved
`
`mothed to detect the malfunction of a camera in a surveillance system [See MONTMINY; [0002]].
`
`Regarding claim 11, this claim is an apparatus that performs the same limitations cited in claim 10,
`
`the rejection of which are incorporated herein. Furthermore, KIM discloses a monitoring system [e.g.
`
`110] comprising: a sensor [e.g. FIG. 5]. Furthermore, MONTMINY teaches the well-known concept of
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`detecting a malfunction state of the camera [e.g. FIG. 5].
`
`Regarding claim 18, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 10
`
`above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 10, the rejection of which are
`
`incorporated herein.
`
`Regarding claim 19, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 11
`
`above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 11, the rejection of which are
`
`incorporated herein.
`
`Regarding claim 30, KIM further discloses the warning screen includes one or more of an ID of
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`the monitoring camera and a location of the monitoring camera [e.g. FIG. 5 and 17; e.g. identification
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`information of a home device equipped with a camera module].
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`Regarding claim 32, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 11 and
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`30 above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 11 and 30, the rejection of
`
`which are incorporated herein
`
`Regarding claim 34, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 30
`
`above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 30, the rejection of which are
`
`incorporated herein.
`
`Regarding claim 36, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 32
`
`above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 32, the rejection of which are
`
`incorporated herein.
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/670,307
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`Art Unit: 2483
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`Page 5
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`Regarding claim 38, KIM further discloses the communications protocol is a DECT (Digital
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`Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) protocol [e.g. FIG. 5; e.g. wireless communication].
`
`Regarding claim 39, this claim is an apparatus that performs the same limitations cited in claim 11
`
`and 38 above, the rejection of which are incorporated herein.
`
`Regarding claim 40, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 38
`
`above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 38, the rejection of which are
`
`incorporated herein.
`
`Regarding claim 41, KIM further teaches wherein the communications protocol is a DECT
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`(Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) protocol [e.g. FIG. 5; e.g. wireless communication].
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`Regarding claim 42, KIM and MONTMINY disclose all limitations in claim 10. Furthermore, KIM
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`discloses the suspected reason is displayed in one or both of an image and text [e.g. Fig. 16-19].
`
`Regarding claim 43, this claim is an apparatus that performs the same limitations cited in claim 11
`
`and 42 above, the rejection of which are incorporated herein.
`
`Regarding claim 44, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 42
`
`above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 42, the rejection of which are
`
`incorporated herein.
`
`Regarding claim 45, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 43
`
`above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 43, the rejection of which are
`
`incorporated herein.
`
`7.
`
`Claim 13 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM et al (US
`
`20140218517 A1) in view of MONTMINY et al (US 20070126869 A1) and Jones et al (US 20090141932
`
`A1).
`
`Regarding claim 13, KIM and MONTMINY disclose all the limitations in claim 10, but KIM fails to
`
`disclose monitoring a temperature.
`
`However, Jones teaches a suspected reason for the technical malfunction state of the monitoring
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`camera is a temperature below a defined threshold [e.g. FIG. 6; [0088]].
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/670,307
`
`Art Unit: 2483
`
`Page 6
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`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
`
`the invention to modify the monitoring system disclosed by KIM to exploit the well-known concept of
`
`camera health monitoring technique taught by MONTMINY and the well-known concept of image quality
`
`measuring technique taught by Jones as above, in order to provide the improved mothed to detect the
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`malfunction of a camera in a surveillance system [See MONTMINY; [0002]] and image quality measures
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`[See Jones; [0029]].
`
`Regarding claim 21, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 13
`
`above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 13, the rejection of which are
`
`incorporated herein.
`
`8.
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`Claim 14, 22, 23, 31, 33, 35 and 37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable
`
`over KIM et al (US 20140218517 A1) in view of MONTMINY et al (US 20070126869 A1) and Lee et al
`
`(US 20110090822 A1).
`
`Regarding claim 14, KIM and MONTMINY disclose all the limitations in claim 10, but KIM fails to
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`disclose detecting a communication link.
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`However, Lee teaches the technical malfunction state of the monitoring camera is a disconnection
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`of a communication link between the master device and the monitoring camera [e.g. FIG. 1 and 2;
`
`[0037]; e.g. detecting a communication link disconnection].
`
`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
`
`the invention to modify the monitoring system disclosed by KIM to exploit the well-known concept of
`
`camera health monitoring technique taught by MONTMINY and detecting communication link connection
`
`technique taught by Lee as above, in order to provide the improved mothed to detect the malfunction of a
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`camera in a surveillance system [See MONTMINY; [0002]] and audio between landline telephones and
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`recording (i.e., taping, storing, preserving, or filing) a media conference when a termination event is
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`detected [See Lee].
`
`Regarding claim 22, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 14
`
`above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 14, the rejection of which are
`
`incorporated herein.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/670,307
`
`Art Unit: 2483
`
`Page 7
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`Regarding claim 23, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 11 and
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`14 above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 11 and 14, the rejection of
`
`which are incorporated herein.
`
`Regarding claim 31, KIM and MONTMINY disclose all the limitations in claim 10, but KIM fails to
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`disclose detecting a communication link.
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`Moreover, Lee teaches the suspect reason for the technical malfunction state is a disconnection
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`of a communication link between the monitoring camera and the master device [e.g. FIG. 1 and 2;
`
`[0037]; e.g. detecting a communication link disconnection].
`
`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
`
`the invention to modify the monitoring system disclosed by KIM to exploit the well-known concept of
`
`camera health monitoring technique taught by MONTMINY and detecting communication link connection
`
`technique taught by Lee as above, in order to provide the improved mothed to detect the malfunction of a
`
`camera in a surveillance system [See MONTMINY; [0002]] and audio between landline telephones and
`
`recording (i.e., taping, storing, preserving, or filing) a media conference when a termination event is
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`detected [See Lee].
`
`Regarding claim 33, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 31
`
`above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 31, the rejection of which are
`
`incorporated herein
`
`Regarding claim 35, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 31
`
`above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 31, the rejection of which are
`
`incorporated herein.
`
`Regarding claim 37, this claim is the method of the apparatus version as applied to claim 33
`
`above, wherein the method performs the same limitations cited in claim 33, the rejection of which are
`
`incorporated herein.
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`9.
`
`Claim 15 and 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM et al (US
`
`20140218517 A1) in view of MONTMINY et al (US 20070126869 A1) and Nakamura et al (US
`
`20060209176 A1 ).
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/670,307
`
`Art Unit: 2483
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`Page 8
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`Regarding claim 15, KIM and MONTMINY disclose all the limitations in claim 11, but KIM fails to
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`disclose detecting a battery level.
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`However, Nakamura teaches the technical malfunction state of the sensor is a remaining battery
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`level of the sensor below a defined threshold [e.g. FIG. 3 and 4; [0104]].
`
`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
`
`the invention to modify the monitoring system disclosed by KIM to exploit the well-known concept of
`
`camera health monitoring technique taught by MONTMINY and detecting battery level technique taught
`
`by Nakamura as above, in order to provide the improved mothed to detect the malfunction of a camera in
`
`a surveillance system [See MONTMINY; [0002]] and efficient transmission power consumption [See
`
`Nakamura; [0026]].
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`Regarding claim 28, Nakamura further teaches the sensor is an infrared sensor [e.g. [0282]; an
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`infrared sensor].
`
`10.
`
`Claim 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM et al (US
`
`20140218517 A1) in view of MONTMINY et al (US 20070126869 A1) and Slavin et al (US 8675071 B1).
`
`Regarding claim 29, KIM and MONTMINY disclose all the limitations in claim 11, but KIM fails to
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`explicitly disclose the details of the sensor.
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`However, Slavin et al (US 8675071 B1) teaches the well-known concept of wherein the sensor is
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`selected from a group [column 7 lines 23-39; e.g. sensors] consisting of a human sensor [e.g. blood
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`sugar sensor], a smoke sensor [e.g. smoke detector], an opening/closing sensor [e.g. door opening
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`detector], a temperature sensor [e.g. temperature sensor].
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`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
`
`the invention to modify the monitoring system disclosed by KIM to exploit the well-known concept of
`
`camera health monitoring technique taught by MONTMINY and motion detection sensor technique taught
`
`by Slavin as above, in order to provide the improved mothed to detect the malfunction of a camera in a
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`surveillance system [See MONTMINY; [0002]] and more accurate alarm verification [See Slavin;
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`column 22lines1-16].
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/670,307
`
`Art Unit: 2483
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`Page 9
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`11.
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`Claim 46 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM et al (US
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`20140218517 A1) in view of MONTMINY et al (US 20070126869 A1) and Hundal (US 20050197061 A1)
`
`Regarding claim 46, KIM and MONTMINY disclose all the limitations in claim 10, but KIM fails to
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`explicitly disclose a cordless handset.
`
`However, Hundal (US 20050197061 A1) teaches the well-known concept of a master device [e.g.
`
`FIGURE 4; 410] performs wireless communication [e.g. [0007]; wireless communication] with one or
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`more cordless handsets [e.g. 411] according to the communications protocol [e.g. FIG. 5; [0023];
`
`protocol], and is connected to a fixed telephone network [e.g. FIGURE 4; [0022 and 0038]; e.g.
`
`cordless/wireless radio link] to communicate with other fixed telephones [e.g. multiple 411].
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`It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
`
`the invention to modify the monitoring system disclosed by KIM to exploit the well-known concept of
`
`camera health monitoring technique taught by MONTMINY and the well-known concept of cordless set
`
`telephone network technique taught by Hundal as above, in order to provide the improved mothed to
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`detect the malfunction of a camera in a surveillance system [See MONTMINY; [0002]] and exchanging
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`data and audio between landline telephones and various electronic devices [See Hundal; [0002]].
`
`Conclusion
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should
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`be directed to ZHUBING REN whose telephone number is (571)272-2788. The examiner can normally
`
`be reached on Monday to Friday 8:00am to 5 pm.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a
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`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,
`
`Joseph Ustaris can be reached on 571-272-7383. The fax phone number for the organization where this
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`application or proceeding is assigned is 571 -273-8300.
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/670,307
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`Art Unit: 2483
`
`Page 10
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application
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`Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from
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`either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through
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`1000.
`
`/ZHUBING REN/
`
`Primary Examiner
`Art Unit 2483
`
`