DETAILED ACTION
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 Status
Claims 1-7 have been amended.
Claims 1-10 are pending and examined as follows:
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the 1st and 2nd voltage sensors being integrated into their respective welding type power source must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1,2,4,5 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hsu et al (US2018/0264578).
With regards to claim 1, Hsu et al discloses a welding-type system (welding type power supply 100, Fig. 1), comprising: first sensors configured to measure a plurality of voltages and currents applied to a welding-type process (current sensor 138 and voltage sensor 140 applied to a welding type power supply 100, Fig. 1) by a first welding-type power source (power supply 100 has two separate power supplies having a primary power supply 108 and power convertor 110, Fig. 1); second sensors configured to measure a plurality of voltages and currents applied to the welding-type process (current sensor 138 and voltage sensor 140 applied to a welding type power supply 100, Fig. 1 )by a second welding-type power source (power supply 100 has two separate power supplies having a primary power supply 108 and power convertor 110, Fig. 1); a processor (processor 120, Fig. 1); and memory comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed (memory devices 124, Fig. 1), cause the processor to: collect a plurality of average instantaneous power measurements, via the first and the second sensors, of power output by a the first and second welding-type power sources associated with the welding-type process (to calculate average instantaneous power values for a time period, the controller 112 calculates individual instantaneous power values from corresponding voltage measurements and current measurements from current sensor 138 and voltage sensor 140 applied to the welding type power supply 100,paragraph 0023, lines 1-2); and sum the average instantaneous power measurements for from the first sensors and the second sensors to determine a total power input to the welding-type process (the controller 112 calculates a total average instantaneous power input (or heat input) to the weld by summing the average instantaneous power input values for the discrete time periods for the duration of the weld, paragraph 0024, lines 1-2).
With regards to claim 2, Hsu et al discloses the first welding-type power source comprising a first power conversion circuitry configured to output welding-type power (power converter 110 outputs a welding power through weld cable 118 and 126, Fig. 1), the processor configured to collect at least one of the average instantaneous power measurements from the welding-type power to the welding-type process (the controller 112 calculates a total average instantaneous power to a weld and the duration of the weld and outputs both the total average instantaneous power and the duration of the welding operation, paragraph 0021, lines 1-2) via the first sensors (to calculate average instantaneous power values for a time period, the controller 112 calculates individual instantaneous power values from corresponding voltage measurements and current measurements from current sensor 138 and voltage sensor 140 applied to the welding type power supply 100,paragraph 0023, lines 1-2).
With regards to claim 4, Hsu et al discloses wherein the first sensors comprise: a first voltage sensor configured to measure a first voltage output by the first welding-type power source(voltage sensor 140 configured to measure voltage on the weld cable 126, Fig. 1); and a first current sensor configured to measure a first current output by the first welding-type power sources (current sensor 138 configured to measure current between weld cable 118 and 126, Fig. 1), wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to determine a first portion of the plurality of average instantaneous power measurements from the first voltage output and the first current output (the controller 112 calculates a total average instantaneous power input (or heat input) to the weld by summing the average instantaneous power input values for the discrete time periods for the duration of the weld, paragraph 0024, lines 1-2).
With regards to claim 5, Hsu et al discloses wherein the first voltage sensor is integrated in the first welding-type power source (voltage sensor 140 is integrated into power supply 100, Fig. 1).
With regards to claim 8, Hsu et al discloses wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to determine the total power input as a total average instantaneous power (the total average instantaneous power and the duration of the welding operation may be used, for example, to determine a total heat input or total power input to a weld and/or to determine compliance with a specified total heat input (e.g., as specified in a weld procedure specification or procedure qualification record), paragraph 0021, lines 2-5).
With regards to claim 9, Hsu et al discloses wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to display the determined total power via a display (the controller 112 may display the total average instantaneous power input and the duration of the weld via one or more of the display device(s) 116, paragraph 0024, lines 4-5).
With regards to claim 10, Hsu et al discloses wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to transmit the determined total power via communications circuitry (the transmitter circuit 136 transmits average instantaneous weld power values, total average instantaneous weld power values, weld durations, and/or any other data to a weld data repository via a network, paragraph 0030, lines 4-6).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 3,6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu et al as applied to claim 1, in further view of Uecker et al (US 2018/2097141).
With regards to claim 3, Hsu et al does not disclose the second welding-type power source, the second welding-type power source comprising a second power conversion circuitry configured to output preheating power to the welding-type process via an electrode preheating circuit, the processor configured to collect at least one of the average instantaneous power measurements of the preheating power via second sensors.
Uecker et al teaches the second welding-type power source, the second welding-type power source comprising a second power conversion circuitry configured to output preheating power to the welding-type process via an electrode preheating circuit (power source and associated converter circuitry, paragraph 0064, lines 4-6), the processor configured to collect at least one of the average instantaneous power measurements of the preheating power via second sensors (circuit 324 measures the preheat voltage and determines an average voltage, paragraph 0120, lines 2-5 and arc voltage feedback circuit 334 samples the weld voltage, paragraph 0135, lines 1-2).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Hsu et al and Uecker et al before him or her, to modify the power convertor of Hsu et al to include the converter circuitry of Uecker et al because the combination allows for reducing damage to welding system to preserve the integrity of the welding process.
With regards to claim 6, Uecker et al teaches wherein the second sensors comprise: a second voltage sensor configured to measure a second voltage output by the second welding-type power source (first power supply 302a has a first voltage or first current sensor 1127 and second power supply 302b has a second voltage or second current sensor 1127, Fig. 11); and a second current sensor configured to measure a second current output by the second welding-type power source (first power supply 302a has a first voltage or first current sensor 1127 and second power supply 302b has a second voltage or second current sensor 1127, Fig. 11), wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to determine a second portion of the plurality of average instantaneous power measurements from the second voltage output and the second current output (the controller 112 calculates a total average instantaneous power input (or heat input) to the weld by summing the average instantaneous power input values for the discrete time periods for the duration of the weld, paragraph 0024, lines 1-2,Hsu et al).
With regards to claim 7, Uecker et al teaches wherein the second voltage sensor is integrated in the second welding-type power source (voltage or current sensor 1127 is integrated into each of power supply 302a and 302b, Fig. 11).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 9/29/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicants arguments: Applicant argues the prior art does not disclose or teach all the amended features of claim 1.
Examiners response: Applicant argues the prior art does not disclose or teach “first sensors configured to measure a plurality of voltages and currents applied to a welding-type process by a first welding- type power source; second sensors configured to measure a plurality of voltages and currents applied to the welding-type process by a second welding-type power source; a processor; and memory comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to: collect a plurality of average instantaneous power measurements, via the first sensors and the second sensors, of power output by the first and second welding-type power sources associated with the welding-type process; and sum the average instantaneous power measurements from the first sensors and the second sensors to determine a total power input to the welding-type process”. Hsu et al discloses a welding-type system (welding type power supply 100, Fig. 1), comprising: first sensors configured to measure a plurality of voltages and currents applied to a welding-type process (current sensor 138 and voltage sensor 140 applied to a welding type power supply 100, Fig. 1) by a first welding-type power source (power supply 100 has two separate power supplies having a primary power supply 108 and power convertor 110, Fig. 1); second sensors configured to measure a plurality of voltages and currents applied to the welding-type process (current sensor 138 and voltage sensor 140 applied to a welding type power supply 100, Fig. 1 )by a second welding-type power source (power supply 100 has two separate power supplies having a primary power supply 108 and power convertor 110, Fig. 1); a processor (processor 120, Fig. 1); and memory comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed (memory devices 124, Fig. 1), cause the processor to: collect a plurality of average instantaneous power measurements, via the first and the second sensors, of power output by a the first and second welding-type power sources associated with the welding-type process (to calculate average instantaneous power values for a time period, the controller 112 calculates individual instantaneous power values from corresponding voltage measurements and current measurements from current sensor 138 and voltage sensor 140 applied to the welding type power supply 100,paragraph 0023, lines 1-2); and sum the average instantaneous power measurements for from the first sensors and the second sensors to determine a total power input to the welding-type process (the controller 112 calculates a total average instantaneous power input (or heat input) to the weld by summing the average instantaneous power input values for the discrete time periods for the duration of the weld, paragraph 0024, lines 1-2). Hsu et al makes it known to have two separate power supplies "welding power output and a separate auxiliary converter for auxiliary power output" (paragraph 0013,0014). Further Hsu et al indicates it is known to put voltage and current sensors on power supplies (paragraph 0029).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/THOMAS J WARD/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
/EDWARD F LANDRUM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3761