DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to communication filed on July 1, 2026.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant’s submission filed on July 1, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Amendments filed on July 1, 2026 have been entered.
Claims 1 and 16 have been amended.
Claims 3 and 6-8 remain canceled.
Claim 10 has been canceled.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 9 and 11-17 have been examined.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks (p. 7-10), filed on 07/01/2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-2, 4-5, 9 and 11-17 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered. In view of the amendments to the claims, the rejections have been withdrawn.
Applicant argues (p. 8) that In Schumacher, an integrated sensor (12) is located within a field device, and a In Schumacher, an integrated sensor (12) is located within a field device, and a temperature sensor (13) is also located within the field device (see Fig. 6A from Schumacher). However, according to claim 1, the at least one second input signal processes data from external signal generators. Therefore, the feature of “carrying out a temperature compensation of the at least one first input signal by means of the at least one second input signal during the generation of the output signal” does not appear to be disclosed by Schumacher. Further, it should be considered that in Kirkpatrick, sensors are external to a field device, in Russell, sensors are located in external, pluggable components, and in Nixon, a field device features a sensor, albeit not located in or on its housing. In Schumacher, the sensors are internal to the device. It therefore appears that individual features from a wide array of different devices need to be combined in order to obtain the claimed subject matter. Claim 1, as amended with the features from claim 10, is therefore non-obvious.
These arguments are persuasive.
Claim Objections
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim language “wherein the at least one second input signal from an external signal generator …” should read “wherein the at least one second input signal from the signal generator …” in order to provide appropriate antecedence basis (i.e., the claim already recites “a signal generator external to the field device” in the second limitation).
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 11-12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 11 recites “wherein the at least one first input signal represents at least one dimension of an observed object, or the at least one dimension of the observed object can be derived from the at least one first input signal”, while independent claim 1 recites the “wherein the at least one second input signal from an external signal generator represents a temperature measurement value”, which is unclear as to how the at least one first input signal being a dimension of an observed object is temperature compensated (e.g., how is height, width or depth compensated using temperature measurements).
The original disclosure provides examples of temperature compensation when the first input signal is density (see specification at [0037]-[0038], [0043], [0046], [0048]-[0050]) while also describing the use of object dimensions with flow velocity or transport velocity of a material to obtain a mass of mass flow of the material as output signal (see specification at [0039]-[0040], [0044], [0046]).
For examination purposes, claim language is interpreted as an alternative, in light of the specification details.
Claim 12 recites “the at least one second input signal represents a flow velocity or transport velocity of a material”, however, independent claim 1 recites “wherein the at least one second input signal from an external signal generator represents a temperature measurement value”, therefore, it’s unclear as to what the at least one second input signal represents (e.g., temperature or flow velocity of a material).
The original disclosure provides examples of the second input signal being temperature (see specification at [0037]-[0038], [0043], [0046], [0048]-[0050]) while also describing the use flow velocity or transport velocity of a material as the second input signal in other examples (see specification at [0040]-[0041], [0044], [0046], [0051]).
For examination purposes, claim language is interpreted as an alternative, in light of the specification details.
Claim 15 recites that “the signal generator is a flow sensor or a control device of a transport device of a transport system”, however, independent claim 1 recites “wherein the at least one second input signal from an external signal generator represents a temperature measurement value”, therefore, it’s unclear as to how the signal generator being a flow sensor can provide a temperature measurement value.
The original disclosure provides examples of the second input signal being temperature obtained from an RTD sensor (see specification at [0038], [0043], [0046], [0048]-[0050]) while also describing the use of a flow sensor or a control device as the signal generator in other examples (see specification at [0044], [0051]-[0052]).
For examination purposes, claim language is interpreted as an alternative, in light of the specification details.
Examiner’s Note
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 9 and 11-17 were evaluated for patent eligibility under 35 U.S.C. 101 using the SUBJECT MATTER ELIGIBILITY TEST FOR PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES described in the 2024 Guidance Update on Patent Subject Matter Eligibility, Including on Artificial Intelligence (see also 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance) to determine patent eligibility under 35 U.S.C. 101.
Regarding claim 1, the examiner submits that under Step 1 of the 2024 Guidance Update on Patent Subject Matter Eligibility, Including on Artificial Intelligence for evaluating claims for eligibility under 35 U.S.C. 101, the claim is to a machine, which is one of the statutory categories of invention.
Continuing with the analysis, under Step 2A - Prong One of the test (see bold text):
the limitation “generating an output signal on the basis of the at least one first input signal and the at least one second input signal, wherein more than one computing method is stored in the field device, which can be carried out for generating the output signal” is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the specification, covers performance of the limitation using mental processes and/or mathematical concepts to obtain additional information (e.g., using a computing method to manipulate the at least one first input signal and the at least one second input signal to obtain an output signal, see specification at [0034]). Except for the recitation of the generic computer implementation (e.g., storing computing method in the field device), the limitation in the context of this claim mainly refers to applying mental processes and/or mathematical concepts to manipulate data and obtain additional information.
Therefore, the claim recites a judicial exception under Step 2A - Prong One of the test.
Furthermore, under Step 2A - Prong Two of the test, the claim recites:
“A field device with a two-wire supply interface, which is suitable for receiving energy via a two-wire system and for signal transmission via the two-wire system, with an integrated sensor, the integrated sensor being disposed in or on a housing of the field device, with at least one additional interface, which is suitable for signal reception, and with a functional unit or functional group for data and/or signal processing, which is coupled to the two-wire supply interface, the at least one additional interface and the integrated sensor, wherein the at least one additional interface is a two-wire interface, wherein the at least one additional interface has exactly one pair of terminals” which, when considering the claim as a whole, integrates the judicial exception into a practical application by applying the judicial exception with, or by use of, a particular machine (e.g., a particular machine configuration, see MPEP 2106.05(b)); and
“wherein the functional unit or functional group is configured for carrying out the following steps:
- receiving at least one first input signal from the integrated sensor,
- receiving at least one second input signal from the at least one additional interface,
wherein more than one computing method is stored in the field device,
wherein different computing methods are provided for external signal generators of different types connected to the at least one additional interface,
wherein the field device is configured for tapping the at least one second input signal from the one pair of terminals and
wherein the at least one second input signal from an external signal generator represents a temperature measurement value,
wherein the functional unit or functional group is configured for carrying out a temperature compensation of the at least one first input signal by means of the at least one second input signal during the generation of the output signal” which adds the words “apply it” (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception, or mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer (e.g., storing computing methods), or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea (i.e., functional unit or functional group, external signal generators, see [0029] and [0034]) (see MPEP 2106.05(f)), while also appending extra-solution activities (e.g., mere data gathering, source/type of data to be manipulated) (see MPEP 2106.05(g)).
Therefore, these additional elements, when considered individually and in combination, integrate the judicial exception into a practical application. The claim, when considered as a whole, is eligible at Prong Two of the Revised Step 2A (see 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance – Revised Step 2A, see also MPEP 2106.04(d)).
Similarly, independent claim 16 is directed to patent eligible subject matter as explained above with regards to claim 1.
Regarding the dependent claims 2, 4-5, 9, 11-15 and 17, they were found to be patent eligible under 35 U.S.C. 101 by incorporating the eligible subject matter of their corresponding independent claims.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 9, 13-14 and 16-17 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 1.
Kirkpatrick (US 6574515 B1) discloses:
A field device (Figs. 1 and 2, item 16 – “two-wire field mountable process device”) with a two-wire supply interface (Fig. 2, items 36 and 38 – “loop communicator” and “power module”), which is suitable for receiving energy via a two-wire system (Fig. 1, item 14 – “two-wire process loop”) and for signal transmission via the two-wire system (col. 3, lines 26-39, 58, 63-65; col. 4, lines 54-58: a two-wire field mountable process device is provided including input/output channels, with power management and communication being performed through a two-wire process loop (see also col. 2, line 59 – col. 3, line 9; col. 4, lines 2-4, 19-21)), with a sensor (Fig. 1, items 20-30; col. 4, lines 33-41: sensors are coupled to the two-wire field mountable process device via sensor terminals (see Fig. 2, items “sensor 1” … “sensor n”) arranged in different channels (see col. 5, line 66 – col. 6, line 7)), with at least one additional interface (Fig. 2, items “sensor 1” … “sensor n”), which is suitable for signal reception (col. 5, line 66 – col. 6, line 7: multiple sensor terminals (at least one additional interface) are provided in different channels in the two-wire field mountable process device for providing additional connections (see also col. 6, line 52 - col. 7, line 10 regarding additional interfaces (Fig. 2, items “input 1” … “input n” in channel 46, and Fig. 2, items “actuator 1” … “actuator n” in channel 48)), and with a functional unit or functional group (Fig. 2, item 40 – ‘controller’) for data and/or signal processing (col. 5, lines 18-19, 27-29: controller executes program instructions to determine outputs), which is coupled to the two-wire supply interface, the at least one additional interface and the sensor (Fig. 2; col. 4, lines 53-58: two-wire field mountable device includes coupled components including controller, loop communicator, power module, sensors and input/output channels including the sensor terminals), wherein the functional unit or functional group is configured for carrying out the following steps:
- receiving at least one first input signal from the sensor (Fig. 3, item 82; col. 6, lines 4-12, 19-20; col. 7, lines 16-19: controller receives measured characteristic of a first sensor through a first sensor terminal),
- receiving at least one second input signal from the at least one additional interface (Fig. 3, item 84; col. 4 lines 33-41, 49-52; col. 7, lines 19-22: controller receives measured characteristic of a second sensor through a second sensor terminal, which is a two-wire terminal (see Fig. 1)), wherein the at least one additional interface is a two-wire interface (Fig. 1; col. 6, lines 18-19, 23-25: sensors terminals are two-wire interfaces since sensors are connected to sensor terminals through two wires), and
- generating an output signal on the basis of the at least one first input signal and the at least one second input signal (Fig. 3, item 86; col. 7, lines 24-26: a process variable is computed based on both sensor signals), and
wherein the at least one additional interface has exactly one pair of terminals, wherein the field device is configured for tapping the at least one second input signal from the one pair of terminals (Fig. 1; col. 4, lines 33-37: sensors are connected through the sensor terminals to the two-wire field mountable process device in order to provide measurements).
Regarding “the sensor is an integrated sensor, the integrated sensor being disposed in or on a housing of the field device”, Nixon (US 20220078238 A1) teaches:
“Referring now to FIG. 1, a highly versatile (HV) field device 10 is generally illustrated in block diagram form. In particular, the highly versatile field device 10 includes field device hardware 12 which may be, for example, one or more sensors, an actuator, a valve seat and valve stem, or any other typical or desired control hardware associated with the operation of the field device. The control hardware 12 may be any combination of hardware typically associated with any type of control device, such as a sensor (e.g., temperature sensor, flow meter, level sensor, pressure sensor, etc.), a valve or other flow gas or liquid flow control structure, ignitors, fans, motors, actuators, pumps, etc.” ([0048]: a (HV) field device includes field device hardware such as sensors (analogous to integrated sensor disposed in a housing of the field device) (see also [0059] regarding two-wire communication being supported)).
Regarding “wherein more than one computing method is stored in the field device, which can be carried out for generating the output signal, wherein different computing methods are provided for external signal generators of different types connected to the at least one additional interface”, Russell (US 20180024534 A1) teaches:
“One or more software modules 30 are accessible to the computer processor 20. The software modules 30 may be located directly within the handheld base 14, such as within memory carried by the handheld base 14 … Each software module 30 is configured to perform a different functional task. Three such software modules 30a, 30b, and 30c are illustrated in FIG. 2 for exemplary purposes only ... The software 30 and/or the computer processor 20 is preferably configured to automatically detect which functional module or modules 16 are operatively attached to the handheld base 14 and then decide which software applications 30 are to enabled for use to the user” ([0048]-[0049]: memory in the handheld base (analogous to field device) includes software modules (computing methods) that are carried out depending on the functional module (external signal generators of different type, see also [0023]) attached to the handheld base through the electrical connectors (analogous to the at least one additional interface) (see also [0058]-[059]; see also Kirkpatrick at col. 4, lines 13-21 regarding a control algorithm including logic statements relating specific inputs to outputs)).
Regarding “wherein the at least one second input signal represents a temperature measurement value, wherein the functional unit or functional group is configured for carrying out a temperature compensation of the at least one first input signal by means of the at least one second input signal during the generation of the output signal”, Schumacher (US 20090030634 A1) teaches:
“In operation of transmitter 10, primary sensor 12 and Tavg sensor 13 provide analog signals to A/D 15A. Microprocessor 16 clocks the A/Ds, which digitize the analog signals, converting them to digital signals. Microprocessor 16 compensates the digital sensor signal as a function of the digital compensation signal, generating a compensated sensor output for I/F 17” ([0035]: a transmitter (field device, see [0025]) includes a primary sensor, a temperature-averaging sensor and a microprocessor, which during operation of the transmitter receives the signals from the sensors and generates a compensated sensor output (see also [0010], [0027]-[0028], [0032])).
The closest prior art of record, taken individually or in combination, fail to teach or suggest (see italic font):
“wherein the at least one second input signal from an external signal generator represents a temperature measurement value”
in combination with all other limitations within the claim, as claimed and defined by the applicant (the examiner submits that the prior art of record discloses either field devices with integrated sensors or external sensors connected to a field device, but the prior art of record does not disclose, teach or suggest using temperature measurements from an external signal generator to compensate a signal from an integrated sensor of a field device).
Regarding claim 16.
Kirkpatrick (US 6574515 B1) discloses:
A method (Fig. 3) for providing an output signal (col. 7, lines 11-13: a method for providing a process variable using a two-wire field mounted process device is presented) comprising the steps:
- generating at least one first input signal by a sensor (Fig. 1, items 20-30; col. 4, lines 33-41: sensors are coupled to the two-wire field mountable process device via sensor terminals (see Fig. 2, items “sensor 1” … “sensor n”) arranged in different channels (see col. 5, line 66 – col. 6, line 7)) of a field device (Figs. 1 and 2, item 16 – “two-wire field mountable process device”; Fig. 3, item 82; col. 6, lines 4-12, 19-20; col. 7, lines 16-19: controller of two-wire field mountable process device receives measured characteristic of a first sensor through a first sensor terminal),
- receiving, via at least one additional interface of the field device, at least one second input signal by the field device from a signal generator (Fig. 1, items 20-30) external to the field device (Fig. 3, item 84; col. 4 lines 33-41, 49-52; col. 7, lines 19-22: controller receives measured characteristic of a second sensor (signal generator) through a second sensor terminal (at least one additional interface); sensors are connected through sensor terminals to the two-wire field mountable process device in order to provide measurements (see Fig. 1; col. 5, line 66 – col. 6, line 7)), wherein the at least one additional interface of the field device is a two-wire interface (Fig. 1; col. 6, lines 18-19, 23-25: sensors terminals are two-wire interfaces since sensors are connected to sensor terminals through two wires),
- generating the output signal by the field device on the basis of the at least one first input signal and the at least one second input signal (Fig. 3, item 86; col. 7, lines 24-26: a process variable is computed based on both sensor signals), and
- causing a transmission of the output signal via a two-wire system (Fig. 1, item 14 – “two-wire process loop”) by means of a two-wire supply interface (Fig. 2, items 36 and 38 – “loop communicator” and “power module”) of the field device (Fig. 3, item 88; col. 7, lines 32-34: process variable is output through loop communicator to two-wire process control loop (see col. 4, lines 56-58; see also col. 7, lines 51-55)),
wherein the at least one additional interface has exactly one pair of terminals, wherein the field device taps the at least one second input signal from the one pair of terminals (Fig. 1; col. 4, lines 33-37: sensors are connected through pair of wires to the two-wire field mountable process device in order to provide measurements; each pair of wires in Fig. 1 is interpreted to be connected to each sensor terminal in Fig. 2).
Regarding “the sensor is an integrated sensor, the integrated sensor being disposed in or on a housing of the field device”, Nixon (US 20220078238 A1) teaches:
“Referring now to FIG. 1, a highly versatile (HV) field device 10 is generally illustrated in block diagram form. In particular, the highly versatile field device 10 includes field device hardware 12 which may be, for example, one or more sensors, an actuator, a valve seat and valve stem, or any other typical or desired control hardware associated with the operation of the field device. The control hardware 12 may be any combination of hardware typically associated with any type of control device, such as a sensor (e.g., temperature sensor, flow meter, level sensor, pressure sensor, etc.), a valve or other flow gas or liquid flow control structure, ignitors, fans, motors, actuators, pumps, etc.” ([0048]: a (HV) field device includes field device hardware such as sensors (analogous to integrated sensor disposed in a housing of the field device) (see also [0059] regarding two-wire communication being supported)).
Regarding “wherein different computing methods stored in the field device are used for generating the output signal, depending on a type of the external signal generator connected to the at least one additional interface”, Russell (US 20180024534 A1) teaches:
“One or more software modules 30 are accessible to the computer processor 20. The software modules 30 may be located directly within the handheld base 14, such as within memory carried by the handheld base 14 … Each software module 30 is configured to perform a different functional task. Three such software modules 30a, 30b, and 30c are illustrated in FIG. 2 for exemplary purposes only ... The software 30 and/or the computer processor 20 is preferably configured to automatically detect which functional module or modules 16 are operatively attached to the handheld base 14 and then decide which software applications 30 are to enabled for use to the user” ([0048]-[0049]: memory in the handheld base (analogous to field device) includes software modules (computing methods) that are carried out depending on the functional module (external signal generators of different type, see also [0023]) attached to the handheld base through the electrical connectors (analogous to the at least one additional interface) (see also [0058]-[059]; see also Kirkpatrick at col. 4, lines 13-21 regarding a control algorithm including logic statements relating specific inputs to outputs)).
Regarding “wherein the at least one second input signal represents a temperature measurement value, wherein the functional unit or functional group is configured for carrying out a temperature compensation of the at least one first input signal by means of the at least one second input signal during the generation of the output signal”, Schumacher (US 20090030634 A1) teaches:
“In operation of transmitter 10, primary sensor 12 and Tavg sensor 13 provide analog signals to A/D 15A. Microprocessor 16 clocks the A/Ds, which digitize the analog signals, converting them to digital signals. Microprocessor 16 compensates the digital sensor signal as a function of the digital compensation signal, generating a compensated sensor output for I/F 17” ([0035]: a transmitter (field device, see [0025]) includes a primary sensor, a temperature-averaging sensor and a microprocessor, which during operation of the transmitter receives the signals from the sensors and generates a compensated sensor output (see also [0010], [0027]-[0028], [0032])).
The closest prior art of record, taken individually or in combination, fail to teach or suggest (see italic font):
“wherein the at least one second input signal from an external signal generator represents a temperature measurement value”
in combination with all other limitations within the claim, as claimed and defined by the applicant (the examiner submits that the prior art of record discloses either field devices with integrated sensors or external sensors connected to a field device, but the prior art of record does not disclose, teach or suggest using temperature measurements from an external signal generator to compensate a signal of an integrated sensor of a field device).
Regarding claims 2, 4-5, 9, 13-14 and 17.
They are also allowed due to incorporation of the allowable subject matter recited in their corresponding independent claim.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Subject Matter Not Rejected Over Prior Art
Claims 11-12 and 15 are distinguished over the prior art of record due to their dependency (see Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 section).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Schumacher, Mark S. et al., US 20040177703 A1, Flow instrument with multisensors
Reference discloses an instrument used to control fluid flow, the instrument comprising multiple sensors measuring pressure and temperature at the inlet and outlet, and calculating a temperature corrected mass flow based on the sensor measurements.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LINA CORDERO whose telephone number is (571)272-9969. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 am - 6:00 pm.
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/LINA CORDERO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
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