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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and TrademarkOffice
`Address; COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`16/735,238
`
`01/06/2020
`
`Masakazu HOASHI
`
`20296.0133USW1
`
`1278
`
`HAY
`
`M
`
`TLERS
`
`HAMRE, SCHUMANN, MUELLER & LARSON P.C.
`45 South Seventh Street
`Suite 2700
`MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-1683
`
`HAILE, BENYAM
`
`2688
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`05/16/2022
`
`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):
`PTOMail @hsml.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1,3 and 6 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) ___ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`C} Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1,3and6 is/are rejected.
`S)
`) © Claim(s)____is/are objected to.
`Cj) Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`S)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) )
`
`Application Papers
`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)0) The drawing(s) filedon__ is/are: a)(J accepted or b)() 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)1) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`c)Z None ofthe:
`b)() Some**
`a)C All
`1.2 Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.1.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin 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)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2) (J Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) (J Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`4)
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20220511
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`16/735,238
`HOASHI etal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF) StatusExaminer
`BENYAM HAILE
`2688
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEofthis communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom 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) MONTHSfrom 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, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 03/28/2022.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)L) This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3)02 An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4\0) 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 Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/735,238
`Art Unit: 2688
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`1.
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
`
`is being examined underthe
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`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`2.
`
`Claims 1, 3, 6 are pending.
`
`Status of Claims
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`3.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which formsthe basis for all obviousness
`
`rejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`A patent fora 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 theclaimed invention as a whole would have been obviousbefore the effective
`filing date of the claimed invention toa 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.
`
`4,
`
`The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35
`
`U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
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`1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
`
`2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims atissue.
`
`3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill
`
`in the pertinent art.
`
`4, Considering objective evidence presentin the application indicating obviousness or
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`nonobviousness.
`
`5.
`
`Claims 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vahid [US
`
`20130275313]
`
`in view of Kuwanoet al. [Kuwano, US 8706303].
`
`Asto claim 1. Vahid discloses A methodfor dis playing a procedure of maintenance
`
`workfor a refrigerator ona display comprising:
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/735,238
`Art Unit: 2688
`
`Page 3
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`identifying an error that occurred in the refrigerator, [0031] the device is a
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`refrigeration unit, based on an instruction,[fig. 3 steps s32, s33, 0046, 0047] user selects
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`possible issue from a list, input by a maintenance worker for the refrigerator, [0050] the user
`
`is amaintenance technician,_whois at the location of the refrigerator, [0052] the technician is
`
`at the location of the maintained device;
`
`causing the display to display a plurality of countermeasures which corres pond to
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`the erroridentified in the identifying, [fig. 3 step s34, 0047];
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`when one ofthe plurality of countermeasures is selected, [0047] user selects one of
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`the remedy provided, causing the display to display the procedure whichindicates a
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`plurality of processes corresponding to the selected countermeasure, [fig. 3 step s35, 0047] a
`
`step-through of how to repair the device is displayed, each of the plurality of processes being
`
`provided in advance with a work movie, [0047] the step-through is provided in a video format;
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`wherein [0038, 0039] a remote server storing video guide for the specific device in a database on
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`how to repair the device and send the guide when requested; and
`
`when an instruction to play a specific work movie, from among the work movies
`
`provided for the plurality of processes, [fig. 3, 0047, 0067] selected guide video is played,
`
`corresponding to a specific process included in the plurality of processes is received, [fig. 3
`
`step s35, 0047] a step-through of how to repair the device is displayed, causing the display to
`
`play the specific work movie on the display, [0047, 066, 0067] the video content is a remedy
`
`for the selected issue, by obtaining data for playing the specific work movie on the dis play
`
`from a serverwhichis configured to communicate, directly or indirectly, covers all the
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`available scope, with the display, [0034], when the input of the instruction to play the
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/735,238
`Art Unit: 2688
`
`Page 4
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`specific work movie is received via the display, [0034, 0047, 0066, 0067] the video shows the
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`instruction on how to fix the selected issue,
`
`wherein the specific work movie is played on the display using the data received in
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`the obtaining, [0034, 0047, 0066, 0067],
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`the specific work movie includes only work explanation information of the specific
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`process of the countermeasuresthat needs to be checked, [0047, 0066] “the video offers the
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`user the ability to see a particular removal/replacement of the entire device or individual
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`part/component while taking into account proper posture, position, and timing ofa live action
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`example of said step/process”, and
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`wherein when the specific process is selected, both (i) an explanation of the specific
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`process, [0047], and (ii) an object for receiving the input of the instructions to play the
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`specific work movie corresponding to the specific process are displayed, basic functionality
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`of a video player, on the dis play, [0044, 0066, 0067].
`
`Vahid fails to explicitly disclose that the explanation of the specific process and the
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`object for playing the movie are both displayed ona samescreen on the display; and when the
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`selected countermeasure for the procedure has a plurality of sub-processes, a sub-process
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`list screen showingalist of the plurality of sub-processes that corres pond to the selected
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`countermeasure of work procedure is shown onthe display, a display area for a sub-
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`process corresponding to the selected countermeasure of work procedureis enlarged, and
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`an explanatory text and a video area of the work procedure of the sub-process are
`
`dis played.
`
`Kuwanoteaches an apparatus for displaying instructions in a manualthat contains a
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`video [fig. 8A]; wherein the instruction manual displays instructions for a countermeasure for an
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/735,238
`Art Unit: 2688
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`Page 5
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`error wherein the same screen shows an object for playing a video for the same instruction
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`manual, [fig. 8A, col. 7, lines 54-64]; wherein, [col 7, lines 37-53] when selecting a specific
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`countermeasure, a more detailed explanation of the method which includes a video alongside an
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`explanation text steps is displayed,
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`[fig. 8A]; wherein the video includes an object for receiving
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`input of the instructions to play the movie, A21d and the detailed explanation of the remedy
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`provided in the video display region A21b.
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`It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art at the time ofthe filing of
`
`the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Vahid with that of Kuwanosothat the user
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`can have the option of viewing the instructional video at the same time as reading the main steps
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`in a text format alongside the video to allow the userillustrative instructions in the video ina
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`greater detail and major steps of the instruction in the text format for easy following of the
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`detailed steps provided in the video.
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`6.
`
`Claims 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vahid in view
`
`of Kuwano as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Mapes et al. [Mapes, US 5946921].
`
`Asto claim 3. Vahid fails to disclose The method according to claim 1, wherein the
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`error includes an abnormality of an ice mechanism ofthe refrigerator, and the plurality of
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`countermeasures include a removal of foreign substance stuck in the ice mechanism and a
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`replacementof the ice mechanism.
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`Mapes teaches a method for repairing a refrigerant system wherein the repair includes
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`removing a blockage and replacing the mechanism thatis part of the ice making mechanism,
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`[col. 7, lines 7-53].
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/735,238
`Art Unit: 2688
`
`Page 6
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`It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill
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`in the art at the time of the filing of
`
`the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Vahid with that of Mapes for the method of
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`Vahid to include commonrefrigerator problem diagnosis and repair instructions so as the method
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`can be used for commonrefrigerator diagnostic steps.
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`7.
`
`Claim 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vahid in view of
`
`Kuwanoasapplied to claim 1 above, further in view of Gillette et al. [US 20180031256a].
`
`Asto claim 6. Vahid discloses The method according to claim 1, wherein the error
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`that occurred in the productis identified based on an error code, [0056] guide on how tofix
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`the specific error is downloaded based on the error message.
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`Vahid fails to disclose that the error code is input by the maintenance worker
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`Gillette teaches a system and method for interactive maintenance interface comprising a
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`remote maintenance service 210 [fig. 2A, 0026] including a troubleshooting and maintenance
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`guide; wherein [0058] the technician canenter a maintenance identification number and obtain
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`information from the maintenance service.
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`It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art at the time of the filing of
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`the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Vahid and Kuwano with
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`that of Gillette so that the technician can directly identify the error instead of gong through
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`selection steps.
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/735,238
`Art Unit: 2688
`
`Page 7
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`Response to Arguments
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`8.
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`Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3, 6 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.
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`Conclusion
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to BENYAM HAILEwhosetelephone numberis (571)272-2080.
`
`The examiner cannormally be reached 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM Mon.- Thur..
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using
`
`a 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, Steven Lim can be reached on (571)270-1210. The fax phone number for the
`
`organization wherethis application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be
`
`obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available
`
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/735,238
`Art Unit: 2688
`
`Page 8
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`at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO CustomerService
`
`Representative, call 800-786-9199 (INUSA OR CANADA)or 571-272-1000.
`
`/Benyam Haile/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688
`
`