FINAL REJECTION
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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-8 and 18 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alemohammad et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2018/0364073 in view of Nosrati U.S. Patent Application Publication 2019/0154521.
With respect to claim 1, Alemohammad teaches an integrated sensor for providing continual feedback (figure 19), the integrated sensors comprising: a plurality of first fiber optic cables (interpreted as the fiber optic cables that are couple to the sensors, paragraph 98, figures 2 and 19); a plurality of fiber optic sensors (the fibre optic sensors that is connected to each of the fiber optic cables, paragraphs 98 and 101), wherein the plurality of fiber optic sensors is configured to monitor refrigeration properties (interpreted as the sensors being configured to measure environmental/physical parameters such as temperature, liquid and gas pressure, vibration, mechanical strain, liquid level, liquid flow rate, and deformation in an environment about the sensor, paragraph 5), wherein each of the plurality of fiber optic sensors is connected to a respective one of the plurality of first fiber optic cables (each fiber optic sensor is connected to a fiber optic cable, paragraph 98, figures 2 and 19); an aggregation point (optical coupler 1912) configured to aggregate first fiber optic cables corresponding to the plurality of fiber optic sensors (optical coupler 1912 is coupled to each of a light source 1906 to receive light actuated from by the processing unit for delivery to fiber optic cable coupled to the sensors, paragraph 98); an aggregated fiber optic cable comprising the first fiber optic cables (fiber optical cable from the optical coupler 1912 to the optical detector 1910, figure 19, paragraph 98); and a connector (optical detector 1910 coupled to the processing unit 1902) coupled to the fiber optic cable configured to provide sensor data from the plurality of fiber optic sensors (paragraph 98, figures 2 and 19).
Alemohammad fails to teach wherein an aggregation point configured to aggregate the plurality of first fiber optic cables corresponding to the plurality of fiber optic sensors; an aggregated fiber optic cable combining the plurality of first fiber optic cables in a single enclosed cable; and a connector coupled to the single enclosed cable configured to provide sensor data from the plurality of fiber optic sensors.
Nosrati teaches a multi fiber optic sensing system having a fiber optic sensing system 30 that includes a control box 32, a plurality of optical probes 34, and a plurality of fiber optic cables 36 connecting the plurality of optical probes 34 to the control box 32 (paragraph 26). The control box 32 includes a light source 40, a main optic cable 42 (interpreted as a single enclosed cable), a primary light splitter 44 (interpreted as an aggregator), a plurality of secondary light splitters 46, a plurality of optical filters 48, a plurality of optical detectors 50, and a plurality of secondary optic cables 52. The primary light splitter 44 is directly connected to the light source 40 by the main optic cable 42. The plurality of secondary light splitters 46 are disposed between the primary light splitter 44 and the plurality of optical filters 48 and are connected to the primary light splitter 44 and the plurality of optical filters 48 by the plurality of secondary optic cables 52. The plurality of optical filters 48 are connected to the plurality of optical probes 34 (also known as sensors) by the plurality of optic cables 36. The plurality of optical detectors 50 are disposed adjacent to the plurality of light filters 48 and the temperature of a targets is determined by using re-emitted light from the optical probes 34 through the light filters 48 to the optical detectors 50 (paragraph 27, figure 2).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the fiber optic system of Alemohammad and provide a connection to a processing unit from an aggregated single optical fiber that is connected to a plurality of fiber optic cables and probes/sensors as taught by Nosrati to in order to provide a simpler configuration for a fiber optic cable sensing system that takes up less space (paragraph 4, Nosrati).
With respect to claims 2, Alemohammad teaches a single light source (light source 1906), wherein the plurality of fiber optic sensors utilizes a single light source (figure 19, paragraph 98).
With respect to claims 3-6, Alemohammad teaches wherein each of the plurality of fiber optic sensors is configured to measure pressure and temperature (paragraph 39), wherein the measured pressure is based on a strain measurement (paragraph 39), and wherein the measured pressure and temperature is based on the strain measurement and a light reflection measurement (paragraph 39).
With respect to claims 7, Alemohammad teaches a controller (processing unit 1902) configured to receive the sensor data from the connector to perform measurements for pressure and temperature (paragraph 98).
Claim(s) 8 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alemohammad et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2018/0364073 in view of Nosrati U.S. Patent Application Publication 2019/0154521 and further in view of Zoetemeijer et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016/0238288.
With respect to claims 8 and 18, Alemohammad teaches wherein each of the plurality of fiber optic sensors is configured to measure pressure and temperature (paragraph 39), but Alemohammad as modified by Nosrati fails to teach wherein the plurality of fiber optic sensors is configured to continuously monitor one or more conditions, including pressure and temperature, of a refrigeration system, and wherein at least one of the plurality of fiber optic sensors is configured to measure temperature or pressure by detecting light reflected from a surface of a refrigerant.
Zoetemeijer teaches an air operated heat exchanger has a plurality of process tubes for process fluid, a plurality of rotating fans to move ambient air along an air stream path past the plurality of process tubes, and at least one optical fibre is configured within the one or more air stream paths (abstract). A plurality of rotating fans 5 are provided above and over a plurality of process tubes 25, to draw air upward along one or more air paths (16a to 16i) from below the heat exchanger past the process tubes, optical fibre 15a, 15b, are placed between the plurality of rotating fans 5 and plurality of process tubes 25 and also gravitationally below and under the plurality of process tubes 25 (paragraph 94, figure 1), where each process tube 25 is connected to a process fluid inlet header 28 at a first end from which each process tube is supplied with process fluid, such as a refrigerant, for instance a mixed hydrocarbon refrigerant (the fibers face the surface of the tubes that have the refrigerant, paragraph 95).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the optical fiber system of Alemohammad as modified by Nosrati and provide the optical fiber measuring system in a refrigeration system as taught by Zoetemeijer in order to provide reliable and efficient optical fiber measurement system for a refrigeration system.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FREDDIE KIRKLAND III whose telephone number is (571)272-2232. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
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FREDDIE KIRKLAND III
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2855
/Freddie Kirkland III/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855 10/7/2025