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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
`
`16/636,562
`
`02/04/2020
`
`Masakazu HOASHI
`
`20296.0134USWO
`
`2251
`
`HAY
`
`M
`
`TLER!
`
`HAMRE, SCHUMANN, MUELLER & LARSON P.C.
`45 South Seventh Street
`Suite 2700
`MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-1683
`
`LAL DANIEL
`
`2645
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`03/16/2021
`
`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*
`1-11 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`5a) Of the above claim(s) ___ is/are withdrawn from consideration.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) 1-11 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){¥} The drawing(s)filed on 04 February 2020 is/are: a) 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) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`_—_c)L) None ofthe:
`b)L) Some**
`a)¥) All
`1.4) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.2) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.2.) 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)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`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 20210311
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`16/636,562
`HOASHI etal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF) StatusExaminer
`DANIEL LAI
`2645
`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 04 February 2020.
`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: 16/636,562
`Art Unit: 2645
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`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 AJA.
`
`Specification
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`Thetitle of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly
`
`indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which formsthe basis for all obviousness
`
`rejectionsset forth in this Office action:
`
`A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed inventionis 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 obviousbefore the effective
`filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinaryskill in the art to which the claimed
`invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the mannerin 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:
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`1. Determining the scope and contents of the priorart.
`
`2. Ascertaining the differences betweenthe prior art and the claimsat issue.
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`3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
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`4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or
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`nonobviousness.
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`This application currently namesjoint inventors. In considering patentability of the
`
`claims the examiner presumesthat the subject matter of the various claims was commonly
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/636,562
`Art Unit: 2645
`
`Page 3
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`ownedasofthe effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidenceto the
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`contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and
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`effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly ownedasofthe effective filing date
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`of the later invention in order for the examinerto consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C.
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`102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
`
`Claims 1, 3-6 and 8-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`“Connect your refrigerator — to the future” by Home Connect, dated 03 June 2016 (hereinafter
`
`Home Connect) in view of Suzuki et al. (US 2018/0242378 Al, hereinafter Suzuki).
`
`Please note that claims 1-5 are directed to control method for a general “communication
`
`device”, and claims 6-11 are directed control method for a refrigerator. Since claims 1-5 and 6-
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`10 recite substantially identical claimed limitations (and refrigerator with communication
`
`capability is a communication device), rejections for claims 6-10 apply to claims 1-5,
`
`respectively.
`
`Regarding claims 1 and 6, Home Connect discloses a control method (p. 8-11, Step 2.2,
`
`method for connect a refrigerator to a home network) that is achieved byarefrigerator
`
`application installed in a portable terminal (p. 10, method with instructions in a “Home Connect”
`
`app), the control method comprising the steps of:
`
`instructing an operating system (OS) of the portable terminal to connectto a refrigerator
`
`in operation in a software access point mode(p. 9, step F, “Connect your smartphoneortablet
`
`to the ,,HomeConnect“ Wi-Fi network (SSID)”; p. 8, in “Tip” box, “During manual connection,
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/636,562
`Art Unit: 2645
`
`Page 4
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`your refrigerator sets up its own Wi-Fi network (soft access point [SAP]) which you can log
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`into using your smartphoneor tablet’, see also p. 4, step A, where the app is for ANDROID or
`
`APPLEdevice, such that the app controls connection via ANDROIDorIOS operating system),
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`and
`
`wherein an SSID ofthe refrigerator that operates in the software access point mode(p. 8,
`
`“Tip” box, refrigerator operates as software access point).
`
`Home Connectfurther discloses obtaining a service set identifier (SSID) of an access
`
`point and a password for connecting to the access point (p. 9, step H), but does not explicitly
`
`disclose sending the service set identifier (SSID) of an access point and the password for
`
`connecting to the access point to the refrigerator, and a password for connecting to the
`
`refrigerator that operates in the software access point mode are incorporated in the refrigerator
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`application in advance.
`
`In an analogous art, Suzuki discloses a method of connecting a printer operating in
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`Software Access Point (SoftAP) mode (Abstract and Fig. 1), wherein a setting application
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`provided by a vendorofthe printer is stored in memory of a portable terminal, wherein the
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`setting application describes SoftAP information SI (SSID and password for the SoftAP) in
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`advance (paragraphs 26-27 and 33), the portable terminal and the printer established a network
`
`(SoftAPNW)based on the SoftAP information (paragraphs 21 and 32-36), and the portable
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`terminal transmits normal AP information (SSID and password of an access point) to the printer
`
`using the SoftAPNW (paragraphs 37-38) to allow the printer to connect to the AP based on the
`
`AP information (paragraphs 39). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the
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`art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to describe SSID and password for
`
`the soft access point of Home Connect in advance in the app as suggested by Suzuki and to
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/636,562
`Art Unit: 2645
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`Page 5
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`utilize the refrigerator operating as soft access point as disclosed by Home Connectto establish a
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`SoftAPNWto allow the obtained SSID and password to be transmitted from the portable
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`terminalto the refrigerator for the refrigerator to connect to an access point associated with the
`
`received SSID as disclosed by Suzuki in order to reduce burden for user to discoveror enter the
`
`SSID and passwordinformation for the soft access point and to provide normal AP information
`
`to the refrigerator and thereby allow the refrigerator to connect to normal AP directly to receive
`
`network services.
`
`Regarding claims 3 and 8, Home Connect in view of Suzuki further discloses based on
`
`reception of a specified operation from the user, the step of instructing is executed (see Home
`
`Connect, p. 8, steps A to C).
`
`Regarding claims 4 and 9, Home Connect in view of Suzuki further discloses displaying
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`a screen that urges the user to operate the refrigerator in the software access point mode (see
`
`Home Connect, p. 8, steps A to C, where instructions on a display panel indicates manual
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`connection is to be performed), wherein the specified operation is an input operation in response
`
`to the screen and indicates proceeding to a next process (see Home Connect, p. 8, step C, i.e.,
`
`whenuserpress a “>” button).
`
`Regarding claims 5 and 10, Home Connect in view of Suzuki further discloses the screen
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`is a screen that urges the user to press a specific button of the refrigerator to operate the
`
`refrigerator in the software access point mode (see Home Connect, p. 8, steps A to C, display
`
`panel with indications indicating which button to press).
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/636,562
`Art Unit: 2645
`
`Page 6
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`Regarding claim 11, Home Connect in view of Suzuki discloses the limitations of claim
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`10 as applied above. Home Connectin view of Suzuki further discloses the specific button is
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`provided on the refrigerator (see Home Connect, p. 8, step A, 1.¢., “The temperature display
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`panelof the refrigerator compartment’.
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`Home Connect and Suzuki do not expressly disclose the specific button is provided
`
`inside the refrigerator.
`
`It would have been obvious to one having ordinaryskill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to place the display panel of Home Connectin view of
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`Suzuki inside of the refrigerator, since it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential
`
`working parts of a device involvesonly routine skill in the art. In re Einstein, 8 USPQ 167.
`
`Claims 2 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Home
`
`Connect in view of Suzuki as applied to claims 1 and 6 above, and further in view of Asai (US
`
`2014/0176980 A1).
`
`Regarding claims 2 and 7, Home Connect in view of Suzuki discloses the limitations of
`
`claims 1 and 6 as applied above. Home Connectin view of Suzuki further discloses receiving an
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`input of the password for connecting to the access point from a user (see Home Connect, p. 9,
`
`step H, wherein a user is prompted for password).
`
`Home Connect in view of Suzuki further discloses acquiring the SSID and password for
`
`connecting to the access point (see Home Connect, p. 9, step H), but does not expressly disclose
`
`acquiring the SSID of the access point that is connected to the portable terminal from the OS,
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/636,562
`Art Unit: 2645
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`Page 7
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`wherein in the step of sending, the SSID acquired in the step of acquiring and the password
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`received in the step of receiving are sent to the refrigerator.
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`Suzuki discloses normal AP information (SSID and password)is transmitted from the
`
`portable terminal to a printer to enable the printer to connect to the AP associated with the SSID
`
`(paragraphs 21 and 36-38). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art
`
`before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to transmit acquired SSID and password
`
`associated with an APfor the refrigerator to be connected to as disclosed by Home Connect for
`
`the refrigerator to connect to an access point associated with the received SSID as suggested by
`
`Suzuki in order to provide normal AP informationto the refrigerator and thereby allow the
`
`refrigerator to connect to normal AP directly to receive network services.
`
`Home Connect and Suzuki do not expressly disclose acquiring the SSID ofthe access
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`point that is connected to the portable terminal from the OS.
`
`In an analogous art, Asai discloses an information processing apparatus (Abstract)
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`comprises a print & scan application and an operating system (OS) (paragraph 27), wherein the
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`application acquires, from the OS, SSID of a currently connected network of the information
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`processing apparatus and send the acquired SSID and password to a communication device
`
`(paragraphs 49-50). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the
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`effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method for transmitting acquired
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`SSID and password of an AP to a refrigerator as disclosed by Home Connect in view of Suzuki
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`with the feature of acquiring SSID from operating system as disclosed by Asai to allow the
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`refrigerator app from smartphone of Home Connectin view of Suzuki to acquire SSID of an
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`access point that the smartphone is connected to in order to reduce burden of user to enter SSID
`
`information manually as well as to avoid error during entrance of SSID byuser.
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/636,562
`Art Unit: 2645
`
`Page 8
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`Conclusion
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`The prior art made of record and notrelied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
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`disclosure.
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`Shibata (US 2014/0362841 A1) discloses SSID of a soft AP is preset in a connection
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`application of a portable terminal for the portable terminal to send probe request including the
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`SSID (paragraph 36).
`
`Hosoda (US 2018/0042056 A1) discloses a method for performing networking setting for
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`electronic appliances including refrigerator (paragraph 29), wherein an information processing
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`apparatus is configured to acquire SSID and passwordof an access point and provide the SSID
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`and password to a communication device (paragraphs 101-108, Fig. 6A, 6B and Fig. 8).
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to DANIEL LAI whose telephone numberis (571)270-1208. The
`
`examiner can normally be reached on Monday- Thursday, 10:00am - 4:30pm.
`
`Examinerinterviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using
`
`a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicantis
`
`encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR)at
`
`http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`If attempts to reach the examinerby telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, Anthony Addycan be reached on (571)272-7795. The fax phone numberfor the
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`organization wherethis application or proceedingis assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/636,562
`Art Unit: 2645
`
`Page 9
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`
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`1000.
`
`/DANIEL LAI/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
`
`