Obviousness

Obviousness Analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103

This analysis identifies combinations of prior art references that would likely render US patent 11627242 obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) at the time of the invention (June 10, 2015). The motivation to combine these references stems from the clear desire in the prior art to remotely monitor and feed animals, often with integrated cameras and wireless capabilities.

Independent Claim 1: A self-contained bird feeder configured to provide detailed images over a wireless network, comprising:
a. a bird feeder with a built in camera, computer, and internet connection, the bird feeder comprising:
b. a feeder housing;
c. a feeder bottom;
d. a feed port disposed on the feeder bottom;
e. the camera internally mounted to the bird feeder such that the camera is aligned with the feed port to observe feeding birds;
f. the computer located within the feeder housing;
g. an internal power source; and
h. a WiFi adapter located within the feeder housing.

Combination 1: US20160156989A1 (Lovett) in view of general knowledge of smart pet feeders with integrated cameras and WiFi.

• US20160156989A1 (Lovett) (filed November 7, 2012, published June 2, 2016) describes a "Bird photo booth" which is an interactive bird feeder and wireless bird camera combination that lets users remotely watch, photograph, and film birds in real time. It includes a weatherproof enclosure and offers a motion-activated Wi-Fi bird cam. The camera is designed to be placed inside the feeder, aligned to capture birds at the feeding area. The system can capture HD videos and still images and stream live video via a built-in Wi-Fi connection to an app on a mobile device. It can also be powered by a power bank (internal power source) for extended recording time. This reference explicitly teaches elements a, b, c, d, e, and h of claim 1. Specifically, it describes a bird feeder (a, b, c, d), a camera internally mounted and aligned with a feed port (e), and a Wi-Fi bird cam (h) allowing for remote viewing and control (wireless network).
• Motivation to Combine: A PHOSITA would readily understand that the "Bird photo booth" of Lovett, while described with a specialized bird cam or a smartphone, inherently requires a "computer" (element f) to control the camera, process images/video, and manage the Wi-Fi connection and streaming. This is supported by the existence of general smart pet feeders with integrated cameras, computers, and WiFi connectivity for remote monitoring and feeding prior to the priority date of US11627242. For example, the "Smart Feed Automatic Dog and Cat Feeder" (2nd Generation, which existed by 2020 but reflects earlier concepts) connects to Wi-Fi, allows feeding from a smartphone app, and has sensors. Other smart pet feeders also incorporate HD cameras, two-way audio, automated feeding schedules, and remote monitoring via an app, indicating the common integration of cameras, computers, and wireless networking in animal feeders. These systems often include internal power sources (element g), frequently with battery backups. Therefore, equipping the bird feeder of Lovett with a dedicated internal computer and power source to achieve full self-contained operation and Internet connectivity (as broadly defined by "internet connection" in claim 1a) would have been an obvious design choice for a PHOSITA seeking to enhance the functionality and self-sufficiency of a remote bird feeder/camera system. The use of a Raspberry Pi as described in the specification of US11627242 further illustrates the use of a readily available, compact computer for such applications.

Combination 2: US20120233649A1 (Seigler) in view of US9247719B1 (Bennett) and general knowledge of integrating computing and wireless communication into devices.

• US20120233649A1 (Seigler) (filed March 9, 2011, published September 13, 2012) discloses a "Feeder Cam" which is a system for monitoring a feeding station. It includes a camera, a housing, and the ability to capture and transmit images. While the full text is not provided, the title and abstract (from the cited reference section of US11627242) suggest a feeder with an integrated camera for image capture.
• US9247719B1 (Bennett) (filed October 19, 2014, published February 2, 2016) describes a "Flying animal feeder control, monitoring, and reporting system." This patent details a system for monitoring and controlling an animal feeder, implying components for observation and remote interaction. This system would inherently require a computer to manage control, monitoring, and reporting functions.
• Motivation to Combine: Seigler provides the core concept of a "Feeder Cam" with image capture, implying a feeder, camera, and the ability to transmit images. Bennett further emphasizes control, monitoring, and reporting capabilities for an animal feeder. A PHOSITA, observing the trend of integrating computing and wireless capabilities into various devices, including pet feeders (as seen in the numerous smart pet feeder examples from the search results), would be motivated to combine Seigler's feeder with a camera with the control and monitoring aspects of Bennett, by adding a computer (element f) and a WiFi adapter (element h) along with an internal power source (element g) to enable wireless image transmission and remote control. This would create a self-contained bird feeder capable of providing detailed images over a wireless network, thus encompassing all elements of claim 1.

Conclusion on Obviousness:

Based on the analysis, a person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine prior art references such as Lovett (US20160156989A1) with the general knowledge of integrating computing power and internal power sources into smart animal feeders, or Seigler (US20120233649A1) with Bennett (US9247719B1) and the widespread use of integrated computers and wireless communication in consumer devices. These combinations would lead to a self-contained bird feeder with a built-in camera, computer, internal power source, and WiFi adapter, aligned to observe feeding birds and transmit images over a wireless network, rendering claim 1 of US11627242 obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103. The specific components of the computer detailed in dependent claims (e.g., processor, display connector, multimedia interface, audio/video jack, Ethernet socket, micro USB socket, USB port, HDMI port) were standard components of compact computing devices (like the Raspberry Pi explicitly mentioned in the patent) by the priority date, and their inclusion would be a matter of routine engineering choice for a PHOSITA. Therefore, the dependent claims would also likely be found obvious.