DETAILED ACTION
Double Patenting
Previous rejection is withdrawn in view of the Terminal Disclaimer filed on 11/14/2025 and approved on 11/19/2025.
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 1-3, 8-10 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheim, US Pat No. 10,001,518 (hereinafter Cheim) in view of Itri et al., US-PGPUB 2007/0223165 (hereinafter Itri)
Regarding Claim 1. Cheim discloses a system for detecting faults in a power distribution network (Col. 1, lines 40-54), comprising:
a plurality of nodes, a concentrator device configured to transmit a signal to a plurality of nodes (Fig. 2),
at least one central processing device, to which the plurality of nodes are in communication (Fig. 1), configured to:
monitor the plurality of nodes and to detect that at least one node of the plurality of nodes received the signal, determine, based on the detection that at least one of the plurality of nodes received the signal, a first estimated probability that each node of the plurality of nodes is powered (Col. 8, lines 1-17, 17.99% likely to not be in fault condition, which obviously include the situation where the node is powered on and functioning normally),
generate a distribution map comprising the plurality of nodes and a plurality of transmission lines and which indicates, based on the first probability, whether each of the plurality of nodes is powered by assigning a first visual characteristic to each node of the plurality of nodes on the distribution map to indicate the first estimated probability that the corresponding node is powered (Fig. 1-4, Col. 4, lines 32-56, Good and Bad percentages); and, cause a user interface, comprising a display and at least one user interaction component, to display the distribution map to a human user,
wherein the at least one user interaction component enables the human
user to interact with the at least the power distribution network via the displayed
distribution map (Fig. 1, User Interface 122; Col. 2, lines 29-44).
Cheim does not explicitly disclose detecting each node is powered.
Itri discloses line powering a multi-line remote communication terminal from a primary communication device (Paragraphs [0011]-[0012]; [0047]) with the user interface (Paragraph [0044]), and monitoring for any faults, including open circuit fault where the power is not delivered to the remote device (Paragraph [0040]).
At the time of the invention filed, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use the teaching if Itri in Cheim and detect whether the node is powered, so as to take appropriate action to remedy the fault.
Regarding Claim 2. Cheim discloses monitoring the plurality of nodes to detect that at least one node out of the plurality of nodes received the signal includes using the at least one central processing device to detect a node attribute indicative of a receipt of the transmitted signal in the at least one node out of the plurality of nodes (Col. Col. 2, lines 45-47, receiving of the sensor data is detecting at least one node has received the request signal)
Regarding Claim 3. Cheim discloses monitoring the plurality of nodes to detect that at least one node out of the plurality of nodes received the signal includes using the at least one central processing device to detect a change in at least one node attribute, the change being indicative of a receipt of the transmitted signal in the at least one node out of the plurality of nodes (Col. 8, lines 18-21, receiving of the sensor data is detecting at least one node has received the request signal and changes or updating based on further sensor data)
Regarding Claims 8 and 15. Cheim discloses detecting faults in a power distribution network (Abstract), comprising:
a plurality of nodes, a concentrator device configured to transmit a signal to a plurality of nodes (Fig. 2);
at least one central processing device, to which the plurality of nodes are in communication, configured to: monitor the plurality of nodes and to detect that at least one node of the plurality of nodes received the signal, determine, based on the detection that at least one of the plurality of nodes received the signal, a first estimated probability that each node of the plurality of nodes is powered (Col. 8, lines 1-17, 17.99% likely to not be in fault condition, which obviously include the situation where the node is powered on and functioning normally), determine, based on the detection that at least one of the plurality of nodes received the signal, a second estimated probability that each distribution line of a plurality of distribution lines connecting the plurality of nodes is faulted (Col. 8, lines 1-17, 82.01% likely to be in fault condition); generate a distribution map comprising the plurality of nodes and the plurality of transmission lines and which indicates, based on the first probability and the second probability, whether each of the plurality of nodes is powered and whether each of the plurality of distribution lines is faulted (Fig. 1-4, Col. 4, lines 32-56, Good and Bad percentages); and, cause a user interface, comprising a display and at least one user interaction component, to display the distribution map to a human user, wherein the at least one user interaction component enables the human user to interact with the at least the power distribution network via the displayed distribution map (Fig. 1, User Interface 122; Col. 2, lines 29-44).
Cheim does not explicitly disclose detecting each node is powered.
Itri discloses line powering a multi-line remote communication terminal from a primary communication device (Paragraphs [0011]-[0012]; [0047]) with the user interface (Paragraph [0044]), and monitoring for any faults, including open circuit fault where the power is not delivered to the remote device (Paragraph [0040]).
At the time of the invention filed, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use the teaching if Itri in Cheim and detect whether the node is powered, so as to take appropriate action to remedy the fault.
Regarding Claims 9 and 16. Cheim discloses monitoring the plurality of nodes to detect that at least one node out of the plurality of nodes received the signal includes using the at least one central processing device to detect a node attribute indicative of a receipt of the transmitted signal in the at least one node out of the plurality of nodes (Col. 2, lines 45-47, receiving of the sensor data is detecting at least one node has received the request signal)
Regarding Claims 10 and 17. Cheim discloses monitoring the plurality of nodes to detect that at least one node out of the plurality of nodes received the signal includes using the at least one central processing device to detect a change in at least one node attribute, the change being indicative of a receipt of the transmitted signal in the at least one node out of the plurality of nodes (Col. 8, lines 18-21, receiving of the sensor data is detecting at least one node has received the request signal and changes or updating based on further sensor data)
Claims 4-5, 11-12 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheim, US Pat No. 10,001,518 in view of Itri, US-PGPUB 2007/0223165 as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of Shuey, US-PGPUB 2014/0161114 (hereinafter Shuey)
Regarding Claims 4, 11 and 18. Cheim does not disclose the concentrator device is configured to transmit at least one signal having a unique identifier and wherein monitoring the plurality of nodes to detect that at least one node out of the plurality of nodes received the signal includes using a detector device at the at least one node to detect and decode the signal having the unique identifier and further using the detector device to notify the central processing unit that the detector device received and decoded the signal having the unique identifier.
Shuey discloses transmitting at least one signal having a unique identifier and
wherein monitoring the plurality of nodes to detect that at least one node out of the plurality of nodes received the signal includes using a detector device at the at least one node to detect and decode the signal having the unique identifier and further using the detector device to notify the central processing unit that the detector device received and decoded the signal having the unique identifier (Paragraphs [0027]-[0028]; [0038]-[0041]; [0054]-[0055])
At the time of the invention filed, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use the teaching of Shuey in Cheim and have the concentrator device is configured to transmit at least one signal having a unique identifier and
wherein monitoring the plurality of nodes to detect that at least one node out of the plurality of nodes received the signal includes using a detector device at the at least one node to detect and decode the signal having the unique identifier and further using the detector device to notify the central processing unit that the detector device received and decoded the signal having the unique identifier, so as to have the option to selectively communicate with given nodes depending on the situation and needs.
Regarding Claims 5, 12 and 19. Shuey discloses using the detector device to notify the central processing unit that the detector device received the signal having a unique identifier includes communicating a value, flag, or attribute indicating that the signal having the unique identifier was received by the node (Paragraphs [0027]-[0028]; [0038]-[0041]; [0054]-[0055]).
Claims 6-7, 13-14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheim, US Pat No. 10,001,518 in views of Itri, US-PGPUB 2007/0223165 and Shuey, US-PGPUB 2014/0161114 as applied to Claim 4 above, and further in view of Ko, US-PGPUB 2007/0003146 (hereinafter Ko)
Regarding Claims 6, 13 and 20. The modified Cheim does not disclose the central controller is further configured to determine that the first estimated probability is uncertain; and, instruct a sensing device to collect additional data from the at least one node corresponding to the uncertain first estimated probability.
Ko discloses a sensor node that detects information, and if there is an uncertainty as to the information, then the sensor node not only continues to gather information, but increase the frequency of data gathering (Paragraph [0157]; Abstract).
At the time of the invention filed, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use the teaching of Ko in the modified Cheim and have the central controller is further configured to determine that the first estimated probability is uncertain, and, instruct a sensing device to collect additional data from the at least one node corresponding to the uncertain first estimated probability, so as to verify the fault in the node as well as the proper functioning of the sensors themselves.
Regarding Claims 7 and 14. The modified Cheim does not disclose the central controller is further configured to determine that the first estimated probability is uncertain; and, instruct a sensing device to collect data from at least one neighboring node of the at least one node corresponding to the uncertain first estimated probability.
Ko discloses determining that the first estimated probability is uncertain, and, instruct a sensing device to collect data from at least one neighboring node of the at least one node corresponding to the uncertain first estimated probability (Paragraph [0157], waking up another sensor node; Paragraph [0047]-[0048], after receiving wake up message, activating the camera).
At the time of the invention filed, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use the teaching of Ko in the modified Cheim and have the central controller is further configured to determine that the first estimated probability is uncertain; and, instruct a sensing device to collect data from at least one neighboring node of the at least one node corresponding to the uncertain first estimated probability, so as to verify the fault in the node as well as the proper functioning of the sensors themselves.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/14/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the cited portions of Cheim describe network monitoring and fault detection, but only in terms of binary or deterministic states such as indicating whether a node is powered or not, and that Cheim does not disclose assigning a visual characteristics-such as color, symbol or test- to each node on a distribution map to indicate the estimated probability that the node is powered, and no suggestion that probabilistic information should be visually encoded at the node level or using graphical indicators to convey uncertainty.
In Response, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. Foremost, the claims do not recite any specific characteristics, such as color, symbol, or test. It also does not recite any visual encoding or using graphical indicators. Rather, the claim simply recites a visual characteristic, a broad and generic limitation. As such, the Applicant’s argument is moot. Having said that Cheim discloses assigning a first visual characteristic to each node of the plurality of nodes on the distribution map to indicate the first estimated probability that the corresponding node is powered (Fig. 1-4, Col. 4, lines 32-56) where the visual characteristics are shown as texts Good and Bad and associated with numerical percentages and also with rectangular boxes graphically indicating the amount of percentages. As such, Cheim discloses as claimed and the rejection is maintained.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HYUN D PARK whose telephone number is (571)270-7922. The examiner can normally be reached 11-4.
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/HYUN D PARK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857