DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Responsive to the communication dated 8/30/2022.
Claims 1 – 7 are presented for examination.
Priority
ADS dated 8/30/2022 claim international priority CN 202210659488.3 dated 6/13/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
No IDS provided.
Drawings
The drawings dated 8/30/2022 have been reviewed. They are accepted.
Specification
The abstract dated 8/30/2022 has been reviewed. It isa accepted.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1 – 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception without significantly more.
Claim 1.
STEP 1: YES. The claim recites “a method”.
STEP 2A PRONG ONE: YES. The claim recites:
A method for identifying a time delay (i.e., number) in an extraction and separation process of rare earth, comprising: obtaining a time delay sequence and a time base sequence; generating a reference sequence based on component contents of multiple rare earth elements, and generating comparison sequences based on multiple process variables; preprocessing the reference sequence and the comparison sequences to obtain preprocessed data; obtaining a grey correlation according to the preprocessed data; determining a comparison sequence with a highest correlation with the reference sequence based on the grey correlation; forming an original data matrix by taking the comparison sequence with the highest correlation with the reference sequence as a process variable, wherein the original data matrix is A: A=[Ao,A1,...AN]; and in the formula, Ao is a data sequence of an inlet process variable, A, is a data sequence of an outlet process variable of an i-th work unit, and i=1,2,...,N; constructing a time-correlation data matrix based on the time delay sequence, the time base sequence, and the original data matrix; generating a time-correlation analysis matrix based on the time-correlation data matrix; determining H. norms of the time-correlation analysis matrix; and determining a time delay sequence corresponding to a maximum H norm as a to-be-solved multi-time delay” which is a mathematical abstract idea because the claim recites a series of mathematical steps.
STEP 2A PRONG TWO: NO.
While the claim recites a time delay “in an extraction and separation process of rare earth” this merely characterizes the mathematical operation into a technological field of use. Generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use is not indicative of a practical application. See MPEP 2106.05(h).
While the claim recites: “…obtaining a time delay sequence and a time base sequence; generating a reference sequence based on component contents of multiple rare earth elements, and generating comparison sequences based on multiple process variables; preprocessing the reference sequence and the comparison sequences to obtain preprocessed data…” these elements are extra-solution data gathering activities. See MPEP 2106.05(g) which indicates that, for example, performing a test to obtain input for an equation is extra-solution activity. Also, MPEP 2106.05(g) indicates that, for example, testing a system response, the response being used to determine a system malfunction is extra-solution activity. Also, MPEP 2106.05(g) indicates that, for example, that gathering statistics where the statistics are then used to calculate an optimization is extra-solution activity.
The above claim elements merely gather information and process the data to obtain data. The data is then used as input for mathematical calculations (i.e., equations, etc.).
Further, there are no elements in the claim other than the abstract idea which utilize of rely upon the abstract idea in a meaningful way. Therefore, the claim does not have a practical application.
STEP 2B: NO.
The claim as a whole does not recite additional elements that amount to significantly more than the recited judicial exception. The claim merely gathers data and processes the data to obtain data used as input for a series of mathematical operations. The insignificant extra-solution activity are merely steps of observing timing for sequences of events in a chemical process which is the standard scientific practice of observing and documenting a process. Such elements are routine. This is, for example, a time study and analysis of production lead times and are standard practice to measure process timing and identify delays. The use of a reference to create and compare sequences is a common strategy in fields like bioinformatics and also manufacturing. It is common in engineering to compare and plan alternative sequence of events and compare the process delays to a reference process sequence. As an example, Koo_2007 (A formal identification and re-sequencing process for developing sequences alternatives in CPM schedules, Automation in Construction 17 2007 75-89) illustrates that observing and creating alternative sequences is known in the art.
Therefore, the data gathering extra-solution activities are not significantly more than the abstract idea.
Claim 5.
STEP 1: YES. The claim recites “a system”.
STEP 2A PRONG ONE: YES. The claim recites:
A system for identifying a time delay (i.e., number) in an extraction and separation process of rare earth, comprising: obtaining a time delay sequence and a time base sequence; generating a reference sequence based on component contents of multiple rare earth elements, and generating comparison sequences based on multiple process variables; preprocessing the reference sequence and the comparison sequences to obtain preprocessed data; obtaining a grey correlation according to the preprocessed data; determining a comparison sequence with a highest correlation with the reference sequence based on the grey correlation; forming an original data matrix by taking the comparison sequence with the highest correlation with the reference sequence as a process variable, wherein the original data matrix is A: A=[Ao,A1,...AN]; and in the formula, Ao is a data sequence of an inlet process variable, A, is a data sequence of an outlet process variable of an i-th work unit, and i=1,2,...,N; constructing a time-correlation data matrix based on the time delay sequence, the time base sequence, and the original data matrix; generating a time-correlation analysis matrix based on the time-correlation data matrix; determining H. norms of the time-correlation analysis matrix; and determining a time delay sequence corresponding to a maximum H norm as a to-be-solved multi-time delay” which is a mathematical abstract idea because the claim recites a series of mathematical steps.
STEP 2A PRONG TWO: NO.
While the claim recites a time delay “in an extraction and separation process of rare earth” this merely characterizes the mathematical operation into a technological field of use. Generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use is not indicative of a practical application. See MPEP 2106.05(h).
While the claim recites: “…obtaining a time delay sequence and a time base sequence; generating a reference sequence based on component contents of multiple rare earth elements, and generating comparison sequences based on multiple process variables; preprocessing the reference sequence and the comparison sequences to obtain preprocessed data…” these elements are extra-solution data gathering activities. See MPEP 2106.05(g) which indicates that, for example, performing a test to obtain input for an equation is extra-solution activity. Also, MPEP 2106.05(g) indicates that, for example, testing a system response, the response being used to determine a system malfunction is extra-solution activity. Also, MPEP 2106.05(g) indicates that, for example, that gathering statistics where the statistics are then used to calculate an optimization is extra-solution activity.
The above claim elements merely gather information and process the data to obtain data. The data is then used as input for mathematical calculations (i.e., equations, etc.).
Further, there are no elements in the claim other than the abstract idea which utilize of rely upon the abstract idea in a meaningful way. Therefore, the claim does not have a practical application.
STEP 2B: NO.
The claim as a whole does not recite additional elements that amount to significantly more than the recited judicial exception. The claim merely gathers data and processes the data to obtain data used as input for a series of mathematical operations. The insignificant extra-solution activity are merely steps of observing timing for sequences of events in a chemical process which is the standard scientific practice of observing and documenting a process. Such elements are routine. This is, for example, a time study and analysis of production lead times and are standard practice to measure process timing and identify delays. The use of a reference to create and compare sequences is a common strategy in fields like bioinformatics and also manufacturing. It is common in engineering to compare and plan alternative sequence of events and compare the process delays to a reference process sequence. As an example, Koo_2007 (A formal identification and re-sequencing process for developing sequences alternatives in CPM schedules, Automation in Construction 17 2007 75-89) illustrates that observing and creating alternative sequences is known in the art.
Therefore, the data gathering extra-solution activities are not significantly more than the abstract idea.
Claim 2 recites “The method for identifying a time delay in an extraction and separation process of rare earth according to claim 1, wherein a process of obtaining a grey correlation according to the preprocessed data specifically comprises: determining a correlation coefficient between an i-th process variable and a component content of aj-th rare earth element; and determining a correlation between each process variable and a component content of each rare earth element according to the correlation coefficient, and taking the correlation as the grey correlation” which merely recites additional elements of the mathematical abstract idea.These elements are the abstract idea itself. They do not provide a practical application because they are not additional elements that rely upon or use the abstract idea in a meaningful way. These elements simply articulate the mathematical equations and relationships. The claim is also not significantly more because the claim merely recites the abstract idea.
Claim 3 recites: “The method for identifying a time delay in an extraction and separation process of rare earth according to claim 2, wherein a process of constructing a time-correlation data matrix based on the time delay sequence, the time base sequence, and the original data matrix specifically comprises: from a time t, selecting F continuous sampling data from the data sequence of the inlet process variable Ao to obtain a first data time sequence, wherein the first data time sequence is xo:
PNG
media_image1.png
35
338
media_image1.png
Greyscale
determining a time delay between two adjacent data sequences in the original data matrix based on the time delay sequence; based on the time delay between two adjacent data sequences, obtaining a second data time sequence in sequence, wherein the second data time sequence is x,:
PNG
media_image2.png
38
577
media_image2.png
Greyscale
constructing the time-correlation data matrix based on the first data time sequence and the second data time sequence, wherein the time-correlation data matrix is X:
PNG
media_image3.png
244
660
media_image3.png
Greyscale
” which merely recites additional elements of the mathematical abstract idea.These elements are the abstract idea itself. They do not provide a practical application because they are not additional elements that rely upon or use the abstract idea in a meaningful way. These elements simply articulate the mathematical equations and relationships. The claim is also not significantly more because the claim merely recites the abstract idea.
Claim 4 recites “The method for identifying a time delay in an extraction and separation process of rare earth according to claim 3, wherein a process of generating a time-correlation analysis matrix based on the time-correlation data matrix specifically comprises: obtaining a covariance matrix and a standard deviation of the time-correlation data matrix; and
PNG
media_image4.png
71
660
media_image4.png
Greyscale
the covariance matrix of the time-correlation data matrix, and is a standard deviation of an i-th column in the time-correlation data matrix” which merely recites additional elements of the mathematical abstract idea. These elements are the abstract idea itself. They do not provide a practical application because they are not additional elements that rely upon or use the abstract idea in a meaningful way. These elements simply articulate the mathematical equations and relationships. The claim is also not significantly more because the claim merely recites the abstract idea.
Claim 6 recites: “The system for identifying a time delay in an extraction and separation process of rare earth according to claim 5, wherein the correlation determination module comprises: a correlation coefficient determination unit configured to determine a correlation coefficient between an i-th process variable and a component content of aj-th rare earth element; and a correlation determination unit configured to determine a correlation between each process variable and a component content of each rare earth element according to the correlation coefficient, and take the correlation as the grey correlation” which merely recites additional elements of the mathematical abstract idea. These elements are the abstract idea itself. They do not provide a practical application because they are not additional elements that rely upon or use the abstract idea in a meaningful way. These elements simply articulate the mathematical equations and relationships. The claim is also not significantly more because the claim merely recites the abstract idea.
Claim 7 recites “The system for identifying a time delay in an extraction and separation process of rare earth according to claim 6, wherein the third matrix construction module comprises: an obtaining unit configured to obtain a covariance matrix and a standard deviation of the time-correlation data matrix; and a second matrix construction unit configured to generate the time-correlation analysis
PNG
media_image5.png
74
660
media_image5.png
Greyscale
data matrix, and (7 is a standard deviation of an i-th column in the time-correlation data matrix” which merely recites additional elements of the mathematical abstract idea. These elements are the abstract idea itself. They do not provide a practical application because they are not additional elements that rely upon or use the abstract idea in a meaningful way. These elements simply articulate the mathematical equations and relationships. The claim is also not significantly more because the claim merely recites the abstract idea.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “module” in claim 5.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1 – 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feng_2017 (Multi-delays identification for alumina evaporation process based on time-correlation analysis, CIESC Journal 992 March 2017 vol. 68 No. 3) in view of Uda_2000 (Technique for Enhanced Rare Earth Separation, SCIENCE 29 September 2000 VOL 289) in view of Ye_2021 (A novel time-delay multivariate grey model for impact analysis of CO2 emissions from China’s transportation sectors, Applied Mathematical Modeling 91 2021 493-507).
Claim 1. Feng_2017 makes obvious “A method for identifying a time delay in an [chemical] process comprising: obtaining a time delay sequence and a time base sequence; generating a reference sequence based on component contents of and generating comparison sequences based on multiple process variables; preprocessing the reference sequence and the comparison sequences to obtain preprocessed data; forming an original data matrix by taking the comparison sequence with the highest correlation with the reference sequence as a process variable, wherein the original data matrix is A: A=[Ao,A1,...AN]; and in the formula, Ao is a data sequence of an inlet process variable, A, is a data sequence of an outlet process variable of an i-th work unit, and i=1,2,...,N; constructing a time-correlation data matrix based on the time delay sequence, the time base sequence, and the original data matrix; generating a time-correlation analysis matrix based on the time-correlation data matrix; determining H. norms of the time-correlation analysis matrix; and determining a time delay sequence corresponding to a maximum H norm as a to-be-solved multi-time delay” (abstract: “The multi-delays of the whole equipment unit in the process industry are indicated in the form of a sequence of integers. A restructured data matrix is generated based on the sequence and the original data. The time-correlation analysis is defined to describe the correlation between the columns in the data matrix and H∞ norm is used to quantify the correlation of the matrix so that the multi-delays identification problem can be converted to calculating the biggest H∞ norm. At last, the discrete state transition algorithm is adopted to quickly search the biggest H∞ norm and the multi-delays are identified. The proposed method is used for multi-delays identification of alumina evaporation process and the result of multi-delays identification is applied to the data preprocessing of a prediction model. The accuracy of the prediction model is improved by 34.4% and the proposed identification method is effective.” Page 8: “…This paper proposes a time-correlation analysis method based on industrial on-site data. It selects variables that can represent the interrelationships between various units of the production process, takes the stable operation data of the variables during a certain period as the object, defines time correlation analysis, uses the matrix H∞ norm to quantify the correlation degree of the data sequence, and transforms the multi-delay identification problem into the problem of finding the maximum H∞ norm. The discrete state transition algorithm (22) is used to quickly solve unconstrained integer variable optimization problems (23), and this algorithm is selected to solve the above problem. The method proposed in this paper is used for the multi-delay identification of the alumina evaporation process to identify the multi-delays of multiple units of the process. The identification results are used to re-match the variable data of the evaporation process, and the matched data is used to model and predict the concentration at the outlet…”; page 9: “… let the original data matrix formed by M times of sampling of the inlet variable and N process variables… method for taking the data time series…”; page 10: “… a new data matrix is constructed based on the time-delay sequence… this matrix is defined as the time-correlation matrix…”)
Feng_2017 does not explicitly teach “extraction and separation process of rare earth” nor “multiple rare earth elements” nor “obtaining a grey correlation according to the preprocessed data; determining a comparison sequence with a highest correlation with the reference sequence based on the grey correlation”
Uda_2000, however, makes obvious “extraction and separation process of rare earth” and “multiple rare earth elements” (page 2326: Rare earth elements and compounds find application in many advanced materials of current interest such as high-performance magnets, fluorescent materials, chemical sensors, high-temperature superconductors, magnetooptical disks, and nickel–metal hydride batteries. Powerful rare earth permanent magnets such as Nd2Fe14B and SmCo5/Sm2Co17 have revolutionized technology, allowing miniaturization of devices such as the hard disk drive and compact disc player. However, the production cost of rare earth permanent magnets is very high, because of the high cost of extracting pure Sm or Nd metal used in their manufacture. The separation of individual rare earth elements is a difficult process involving solvent extraction or ion exchange (1–3). Because the chemical properties of rare earth ions in aqueous solution exhibit only incremental variation with atomic number, solvent extraction must be repeated many times. The ion exchange process is not suitable for industrial production because of the very long periods (greater than 10 days) required to accomplish significant separation.)
Feng_2017 and Uda_2000 are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor called chemical processes. Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine Feng_2017 and Uda_2000. The rationale for doing so would have been that Feng_2017 teaches a method for multi-delays identification for chemical processes that allows for the prediction of multi-delays in chemical processes. Feng_2017 teaches that complex industrial processes can benefit from such a method because it is difficult to accurately obtain the residence time of materials in each element unit and that a multi-delays identification method can help identify timing in such complex systems. Uda_2000 teaches that separation of rare earth elements has many applications of interest but extraction of rare earth elements is complex and can take long periods of time. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine the multi-delay identification and modeling method of Feng_2017 with rare earth extraction taught by Uda_2000 for the benefit of identifying delay times in the extraction sequences to help optimize the rare earth extraction process and reduce the amount of time required for the extraction so that the extraction methods can have more industrial applicability to obtain the invention as specified in the claims.
Feng_2017 and Uda_2000 do not explicitly teach “obtaining a grey correlation according to the preprocessed data; determining a comparison sequence with a highest correlation with the reference sequence based on the grey correlation.”
Ye_2021, however, makes obvious “obtaining a grey correlation according to the preprocessed data; determining a comparison sequence with a highest correlation with the reference sequence based on the grey correlation” (abstract: “… a novel time-delay multivariate grey model to measure the CO2 emissions’ accumulation… the grey incidence model is used to identify time lags between the input and output variables, and also analyze the structure type of time-delay weights… and accumulative time-delay multivariate grey prediction model…”; Fig. 2).
Feng_2017 and Uda_2000 and Ye_2021 are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor called chemical processes. Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine Feng_2017 and Uda_2000 and Ye_2021.
The rationale for doing so would have been that Feng_2017 teaches “In complex industrial production processes, it is difficult to accurately obtain the residence time of materials in each equipment unit because they cannot be marked and tracked. Control points are set in each unit, and because the distance from the control point to the process outlet is different, the control variables have different delays to the outlet, so the delays are multiple. The existence of multi-delays not only increases the difficulty of stable control of process indicators” (introduction) which indicates that the multi-variate processes taught by Feng_2017 are processes/systems that are difficult to capture and have uncertain data. Ye_2021 teaches to use Grey Analysis which is beneficial for analyzing systems with limited or uncertain data because such analysis is particularly useful for identifying complex, time-delayed relationships between system variables that are difficult to capture. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine the correlation analysis taught by Feng_2017 with Grey Analysis taught by Ye_2021 for the benefit of pre-processing complex, time-delayed data to provide an improved dataset to the correlation analysis taught by Feng_2017 to obtain the invention as specified in the claims.
Claim 5. The limitations of claim 5 are substantially the same as those of claim 1 and are rejected due to the same reasons as outlined above for claim 1.
Claim 2. Feng_2017 makes obvious “wherein a process of obtaining a grey correlation according to the preprocessed data specifically comprises: determining a correlation coefficient between an i-th process variable and a component content of aj-th rare earth element; and determining a correlation between each process variable and a component content of each rare earth element according to the correlation coefficient, and taking the correlation as the grey correlation” (page 11: “… time-based sequence corresponding to the time-correlation analysis matrix…” page 19: “… correlation between the time series in the data matrix, and the corresponding time-delay sequence…”; page 25: “… generate the data matrix corresponding to the time-base sequence, perform correlation analysis…”).
Claim 3. Feng_2017 makes obvious “The method for identifying a time delay in an extraction and separation process of rare earth according to claim 2, wherein a process of constructing a time-correlation data matrix based on the time delay sequence, the time base sequence, and the original data matrix specifically comprises: from a time t, selecting F continuous sampling data from the data sequence of the inlet process variable Ao to obtain a first data time sequence, wherein the first data time sequence is xo:
PNG
media_image1.png
35
338
media_image1.png
Greyscale
determining a time delay between two adjacent data sequences in the original data matrix based on the time delay sequence; based on the time delay between two adjacent data sequences, obtaining a second data time sequence in sequence, wherein the second data time sequence is x,:
PNG
media_image2.png
38
577
media_image2.png
Greyscale
constructing the time-correlation data matrix based on the first data time sequence and the second data time sequence, wherein the time-correlation data matrix is X:
PNG
media_image3.png
244
660
media_image3.png
Greyscale
(
PNG
media_image6.png
1143
858
media_image6.png
Greyscale
)
Claim 4. Feng_2017 makes obvious “The method for identifying a time delay in an extraction and separation process of rare earth according to claim 3, wherein a process of generating a time-correlation analysis matrix based on the time-correlation data matrix specifically comprises: obtaining a covariance matrix and a standard deviation of the time-correlation data matrix; and
PNG
media_image4.png
71
660
media_image4.png
Greyscale
the covariance matrix of the time-correlation data matrix, and is a standard deviation of an i-th column in the time-correlation data matrix.” (page 3:
PNG
media_image7.png
628
681
media_image7.png
Greyscale
Claim 6. Feng_2017 makes obvious “The system wherein the correlation determination module comprises: a correlation coefficient determination unit configured to determine a correlation coefficient between an i-th process variable and a component content of aj-th rare earth element; and a correlation determination unit configured to determine a correlation between each process variable and a component content of each rare earth element according to the correlation coefficient, and take the correlation as the grey correlation” (page 11: “… time-based sequence corresponding to the time-correlation analysis matrix…” page 19: “… correlation between the time series in the data matrix, and the corresponding time-delay sequence…”; page 25: “… generate the data matrix corresponding to the time-base sequence, perform correlation analysis…”).
Claim 4, 7. Feng_2017 makes obvious “The system identifying a time delay in an extraction and separation process of rare earth according to claim 6, wherein the third matrix construction module comprises: an obtaining unit configured to obtain a covariance matrix and a standard deviation of the time-correlation data matrix; and a second matrix construction unit configured to generate the time-correlation analysis
PNG
media_image5.png
74
660
media_image5.png
Greyscale
data matrix, and (7 is a standard deviation of an i-th column in the time-correlation data matrix” (page 3:
PNG
media_image7.png
628
681
media_image7.png
Greyscale
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN S COOK whose telephone number is (571)272-4276. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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, Emerson Puente can be reached at 571-272-3652. The fax phone number for the organization where this 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 to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/BRIAN S COOK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2187
Prosecution Insights