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 .
Response to Amendment
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 01/12/2026 has been entered.
Claims 3 and 5 have been canceled. Claims 1, 2, 4 and 6-10 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections – 35 USC § 112(a)
The following is a quotation of the paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4 and 6-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 recites, "the processor is configured to set a first frequency of measurements per time of the plurality of sensors in the first group of functional points based on the first working area." Examiner was unable to find support for this feature. In particular, Examiner was unable to find support for setting a single frequency for multiple sensors in a group of functional points based on a single working area. For example, page 3, lines 19-20 recite that a control unit may set frequencies per time depending on a working area, but does not specifically state that the same frequency can be set for multiple sensors in a working area. If such support exists, Examiner requests that a page and line numbers be provided to indicate the location of the support.
Claims 2, 4 and 6-10 are rejected for failing to cure the deficiencies of their parent claim.
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 of this title, 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, 2, 6 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boone (US 2006/0242127) in view of Archibald (US 2016/0050114).
Regarding claim 1, Boone teaches a sensor box (10) for process-engineering and/or mechanical-engineering systems (Fig. 15, Abstract. [0067], an aggregator is a device that collects sensor data from multiple sensors; as seen in Fig. 15, the aggregator has a box structure), the sensor box comprising:
a control unit comprising a processor (Fig. 4, [0067, 0068], the aggregator includes a processor and memory), and
a plurality of interfaces (11) connected to the control unit ([0073], the aggregator has sensor inputs; [0036], sensors can be connected via wires to an aggregator, so inherently the aggregator must have interfaces to receive the wires),
wherein the plurality of interfaces are configured to be connected to a corresponding number of cables or transmitting and receiving devices in order to establish a communicative connection to corresponding sensors (13) connected to different functional points of a process-engineering and/or mechanical-engineering system (12) ([0036], the aggregator may be connected to sensors via wires or wirelessly i.e., it must use interfaces, wire cables or wireless devices to establish the connection; Fig. 1, [0032, 0048], sensors may be placed at points at monitored devices e.g., tanks, piping systems, processing or fluid/gas systems, etc.),
wherein the system is configured to request corresponding measurements of the
plurality of sensors (13) via the plurality of interfaces (11) ([0008], the aggregator may poll sensors to cause the sensors to transmit data; [0070], aggregator can request data from a sensor),
wherein the system is configured to request measurements from various sensors (13) of the plurality of sensors (13) according to predetermined frequencies of measurements per time ([0039], the system configures each sensor to report sensor data at a particular frequency; see also [0034], sensors may transmit data according to a predetermined schedule, while some sensors may transmit continuously),
wherein the functional points are provided in groups, each group corresponding to
one working area of the one or more working areas (14, 15, 16) of the process-engineering and/or mechanical-engineering system (12),
wherein a first working area (14, 15, 16) of the one or more working areas includes a first group of functional points (Boone Fig. 1, [0032, 0048], sensors may be placed at multiple points at monitored devices e.g., tanks, piping systems, processing or fluid/gas systems, etc.; as seen in Fig. 1, naturally the sensors are attached at points, and those points are inherently grouped by being associated with and being part of a device/working area), and
However, Boone does not expressly disclose that the system is the control unit.
It would be obvious for Boone to incorporate such a feature. Boone [0070] notes that the aggregator commands or requests data from sensors, and thus effectively controls the rate at which sensor data is reported to the aggregator. It would be desirable to modify the aggregator of Boone, as described in Boone [0070], to include the reporting frequency control of Boone [0039], to facilitate collection of data at the aggregator.
However, Boone does not expressly disclose wherein the processor is configured to set a first frequency of measurements per time of the plurality of sensors in the first group of functional points based on the first working area (14, 15, 16) of the one or more working areas.
In the same field of endeavor, Archibald teaches wherein the processor is configured to set a first frequency of measurements per time of the plurality of sensors in the first group of functional points based on the first working area (Abstract, [0030, 0042-0043, 0052, 0084], a system can contain multiple devices, where each device can have multiple sensors; the system polls or queries each device regarding the state of its sensors and application status; in response to data received from the device regarding its state, the system configures the sensors of the device based on for example, the load or usage patterns of the device; the configuration can include configuring update intervals/frequency of reporting; as noted in [0084], in some implementations, the system configures multiple sensors in a device to have the same predetermined data/reporting interval or frequency; put another way, the characteristics and reporting frequencies of a sensor in a device/working area is configured based on the state of that particular device/working area i.e., its application and sensor status).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated wherein the processor is configured to set a first frequency of measurements per time of the plurality of sensors in the first group of functional points based on the first working area as suggested in Archibald into Boone because Boone and Archibald pertain to analogous fields of technology. In both Boone and Archibald, a system configures parameters for multiple devices, which each may have multiple sensors; for example, the reporting frequency or data/update interval of each sensor may be adjusted. In Archibald, the system sends a query to a device, obtains sensor/application status of the device, and then based on the received data configures the sensors of the device. It would be desirable to incorporate this feature into Boone to provide a method of configuring a sensor while taking into account properties of the sensor and the device where the device is situated e.g., see Archibald Abstract, [0030, 0042-0043, 0052, 0084]. Additionally, in some implementations, multiple sensors in a device or across multiple devices may be configured to have the same update interval/reporting frequency, which can optimize performance and provide uniformity across input data e.g., see Archibald [0030].
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Boone and Archibald teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1. The combination of Boone and Archibald also teaches wherein the sensor box (10) forms an enclosure for the control unit and is portable, transportable, detachably fixed, or can be hung up in space (Boone Fig. 15, [0067, 0007], as seen in the figure, the aggregator is hung up or positioned on a pole and has an enclosure for internal components; it is fixed and inherently can be detached; see also [0007], the aggregator may also be handheld i.e., portable).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Boone and Archibald teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1. The combination of Boone and Archibald also teaches a system comprising a process-engineering and/or mechanical-engineering system (12) and a sensor box (10) according to claim 1, wherein
the process-engineering and/or mechanical-engineering system (12) is configured to perform one or more functions that are spatially separate and performed at least one of the different functional points or spatially adjacent to at least one working area (14, 15, 16) of the process-engineering and/or mechanical-engineering system (12) (Boone Fig. 1, [0032, 0048], sensors may be placed at points at monitored devices e.g., tanks, piping systems, processing or fluid/gas systems, etc.),
wherein the functional points are each equipped with or connected to at least one sensor (13) of the plurality of sensors (Boone Fig. 1, [0032, 0048], sensors may be placed at points at monitored devices e.g., tanks, piping systems, processing or fluid/gas systems, etc.), and
wherein the at least one sensor (13) is configured to measure different physical parameters or variables assigned to a function of the corresponding functional point or the corresponding working area (14, 15, 16) upon request by the control unit (Boone Fig. 1, [0032, 0048], sensors may be placed at points at monitored devices e.g., tanks, piping systems, processing or fluid/gas systems, etc.; Boone [0032], sensors may sense temperature, pressure, vibration etc.; Boone [0070] notes that the aggregator commands or requests data from sensors, and thus effectively controls the rate at which sensor data is reported to the aggregator).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Boone and Archibald teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1. The combination of Boone and Archibald also teaches
a method for operating a process-engineering and/or mechanical-engineering system (12), the method comprising:
providing a sensor box (10) according to claim 1 in an operating space next to and/or in connection with the process-engineering, mechanical-engineering, and/or wastewater-engineering system (12) (Boone [0036], the aggregator may be connected to sensors via wires or wirelessly i.e., it must use interfaces, wire cables or wireless devices to establish the connection; Boone Fig. 1, [0032, 0048], sensors may be placed at points at monitored devices e.g., tanks, piping systems, processing or fluid/gas systems, etc.);
connecting at least one sensor (13) connected to the system (12) to the plurality of interfaces (11) leading to the control unit of the sensor box (10) (Boone [0073], the aggregator has sensor inputs; Boone [0036], sensors can be connected via wires to an aggregator, so inherently the aggregator must have interfaces to receive the wires; Boone Fig. 4, [0067, 0068], the aggregator includes a processor and memory);
requesting, by the control unit via the plurality of interfaces (11) to the at least one sensor (13), sensor measurements of the at least one sensor (13) (Boone [0008], the aggregator may poll sensors to cause the sensors to transmit data; Boone [0070], aggregator can request data from a sensor);
obtaining the sensor measurements of the at least one sensor based on the requesting (Boone [0008], the aggregator may poll sensors to cause the sensors to transmit data; Boone [0070], aggregator can request data from a sensor); and
transmitting the sensor measurements of the at least one sensor to an external entity for evaluation and assessment (Boone pertains to an aggregator that transmits gathered sensor data to an external device for further processing and analysis e.g., see Boone [0036-0038]).
Claims 4 and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boone and Archibald, as applied in claim 1, and further in view of Mukkamala (US 2017/0192414).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Boone and Archibald teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1. The combination of Boone and Archibald also teaches wherein
the processor is configured to set the frequencies per time wherein the frequencies of the measurements per time differ from sensor to sensor of the plurality of sensors (13) (Boone [0039], the system configures each sensor to report sensor data at a particular frequency; see also Boone [0034], sensors may transmit data according to a predetermined schedule, while some sensors may transmit continuously; Boone [0070] notes that the aggregator commands or requests data from sensors, and thus effectively controls the rate at which sensor data is reported to the aggregator; it would be obvious that the aggregator of Boone thus controls the reporting/measurement frequency of the sensors).
However, the combination of Boone and Archibald does not expressly disclose the specifying the setting the frequencies is performed by receiving input via a human-machine interface of the control unit externally on or in communication with the sensor box (10).
In the same field of endeavor, Mukkamala teaches the specifying the setting the frequencies is performed by receiving input via a human-machine interface of the control unit externally on or in communication with the sensor box (10) (Figs. 1, 2, [032, 0038-0039], Mukkamala relates to a similar system in which sensor data is gathered from multiple sensors monitoring industrial assets; the sensor data is passed on to an IoT cloud/platform for further analysis; based on the analysis, the system can configure the industrial assets and improve their performance; [0046-0049], for example, information about an industrial asset can be presented at an interface to a user; the system may also present options to optimize/configure the industrial asset; an operator can then select an option e.g., a parameter update, for the industrial asset, which is pushed to the industrial asset; in the context of Boone, it would thus be obvious for an operator to use a similar interface to push a parameter configuration e.g., a setting of a sensor report/measurement frequency, to a sensor).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated the specifying the setting the frequencies is performed by receiving input via a human-machine interface of the control unit externally on or in communication with the sensor box (10) as suggested in Mukkamala into Boone and Archibald because Boone and Mukkamala pertain to analogous fields of technology. Both Boone and Mukkamala pertain to systems that aggregate sensor data from multiple sensors and transfer the data to an external device for further processing e.g., see Boone [0038]. Boone further teaches that the system can configure parameters in devices e.g., sensor data measurement or reporting frequencies e.g., see Boone [0007, 0039]. In Mukkamala, the system can also configure parameters in devices, using an interface utilized by an operator. It would desirable to incorporate this feature into Boone to allow for the use of an interface to configure operational parameters of devices in the Boone system e.g., see Mukkamala Figs. 1, 2, [032, 0038-0039, 0046-0049].
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Boone and Archibald teaches the invention as claimed in claim 6. However, the combination of Boone and Archibald does not expressly disclose wherein the system contains or is in communication with an Internet of Things (loT) platform comprising a database, wherein the measurements obtained from the at least one sensor (13) are transmitted to the loT platform, wherein the database is configured to record the measurements transmitted by the control unit in the form of time series and, based on the time series, to submit an evaluation for the system (12) and the functional points or working areas thereof.
In the same field of endeavor, Mukkamala teaches wherein
the system contains or is in communication with an Internet of Things (loT) platform comprising a database ([0032], sensor data can be sent to the cloud to be analyzed; [0036, 0064], the cloud system can include a database to store data; [0055], sensor data is typically time series data), and
wherein the measurements obtained from the at least one sensor (13) are transmitted to the loT platform by the control unit (Fig. 1, Abstract, [0038, 0040-0041, 0072], a device e.g., gateway or IIoT machine, can be connected to various assets e.g., sensors, and send all their data e.g., sensor data, to the cloud platform),
wherein the database is configured to record the measurements transmitted by the control unit in the form of time series and ([0036, 0064], the cloud system can include a database to store data; [0055], sensor data is typically time series data),
based on the time series, to submit an evaluation for the system (12) and the functional points or working areas thereof (Fig. 1, Abstract, [0046-0049, 0039], the cloud system can gather information about an asset e.g., sensor data, and present it at an interface to an operator; based on the analysis of the data, the cloud system can also present options for optimizing the asset; the operator can then choose such optimizations and have them sent to the asset).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated disclose wherein the system contains or is in communication with an Internet of Things (loT) platform comprising a database, wherein the measurements obtained from the at least one sensor (13) are transmitted to the loT platform, wherein the database is configured to record the measurements transmitted by the control unit in the form of time series and, based on the time series, to submit an evaluation for the system (12) and the functional points or working areas thereof as suggested in Mukkamala into Boone because Boone and Mukkamala pertain to analogous fields of technology. Boone pertains to an aggregator that transmits gathered sensor data to an external device for further processing and analysis e.g., see Boone [0036-0038]. Mukkamala also pertains to a system for aggregating sensor data and transmitting them to an external system for analysis. In Mukkamala, the eternal system is an IIoT platform, which can analyze the sensor data and suggest commands or optimizations. It would be desirable to incorporate these features into Boone so that the sensor operations could also be optimized based on analysis of the sensor data e.g., see Mukkamala Fig. 1, Abstract, [0038-0041, 0072, 0032, 0046-0049].
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Boone, Archibald and Mukkamala teaches the invention as claimed in claim 7. The combination of Boone, Archibald and Mukkamala also teaches wherein
the system includes a display instrument/display which is provided to query the
evaluation and/or the status associated therewith from the loT platform and
to display the evaluation and/or the status associated therewith to a user (Mukkamala Fig. 1, Abstract, [0046-0049, 0039], the cloud system can gather information about an asset e.g., sensor data, and present it at an interface to an operator; based on the analysis of the data, the cloud system can also present options for optimizing the asset; the operator can then choose such optimizations and have them sent to the asset).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Boone, Archibald and Mukkamala teaches the invention as claimed in claim 7. The combination of Boone, Archibald and Mukkamala also teaches wherein
the system further contains one or more common gateways (17) via which the measurements are transmitted from the control unit of the sensor box (10) to the loT platform (Mukkamala [0040, 0043, 0047], it is known, when using a device that needs to communicate with a network or a cloud platform, to perform the transmission via a network gateway.)
Response to Arguments
The Examiner acknowledges the Applicant's amendments to claim 1.
Regarding the prior art rejection of independent claim 1, the Applicant alleges that Boone does not teach the amended limitation of "wherein the functional points are provided in groups, each group corresponding to one working area of the one or more working areas (14, 15, 16) of the process-engineering and/or mechanical-engineering system (12), wherein a first working area (14, 15, 16) of the one or more working areas includes a first group of functional points, and wherein the processor is configured to set a first frequency of measurements per time of the plurality of sensors in the first group of functional points based on the first working area (14, 15, 16) of the one or more working areas." Applicant has therefore rejected claim 1 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boone in view of Archibald. Applicant's remarks are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Applicant's further alleges that claims 2, 4 and 6-10 are allowable in view of their dependency on claim 1. Claims 2, 4 and 6-10 are rejected as being taught by Boone, Archibald and/or Mukkamala.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Alexander (US 2014/0019397) teaches a system for obtaining measurements from sensors at a device e.g., see Alexander Abstract.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC YOON whose telephone number is (408)918-7581. The examiner can normally be reached on 9 am to 5 pm ET Monday through Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Scott Baderman, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-3644. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIC J YOON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2118