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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 1-11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) A computer-implemented method [[for]] for an in-situ pasteurization of electronics cooling liquid, the computer-implemented method comprising:
activating a cooling liquid pasteurization system configured to pasteurize the electronics cooling liquid of a computer system;
detecting a temperature of the electronics cooling liquid,
wherein heat generated by computer electronics of the computer system is transferred to the electronics cooling liquid;
determining that the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid is within a target range that neutralizes bacteria;
maintaining the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid for a target time using the heat generated by the computer electronics of the computer system,
wherein the target time corresponds to a pasteurization time frame for neutralizing bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid; and
deactivating the cooling liquid pasteurization system when the target time has been reached.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 2 and 3 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein activating the cooling liquid pasteurization system further comprises:
monitoring the electronics cooling liquid for [[the]] a presence (a lack of an antecedent basis) of bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein monitoring the electronics cooling liquid for the presence of bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid comprises:
sending the electronics cooling liquid through a light scattering detector;
analyzing data generated by the light scattering detector to determine a presence of bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid; and
identifying, based on [[the]] analyzing the data generated by the light scattering detector, the presence of bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid being below the target range, decreasing [[flow]] a flow rate of a heat exchanger of the computer system to a predetermined flow rate to increase the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid,
wherein the heat exchanger is at least one of an air-to-liquid heat exchanger or a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger;
monitoring the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid as the temperature increases; and
in response to the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid being within the target range, adjusting the flow rate of the heat exchanger of the computer system to maintain the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid within the target range for the target time.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid being above the target range, increasing [[flow]] a flow rate of a heat exchanger of the computer system to a predetermined flow rate to reduce the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid,
wherein the heat exchanger is at least one of an air-to-liquid heat exchanger or a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger;
monitoring the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid as the temperature decreases; and
in response to the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid being within the target range, adjusting the flow rate of the heat exchanger of the computer system to maintain the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid within the target range for the target time.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid being below the target range, activating a heating source to increase the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid;
monitoring the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid as [[it]] the electronics cooling liquid is being heated; and
in response to the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid being within the target range, deactivating the heating source.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining the target time .
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 8 and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein determining the target time comprises:
analyzing, by the machine learning model, historical pasteurization data,
wherein the historical pasteurization data comprises a plurality of pasteurization time data and a plurality of bacteria sample data;
correlating, by the machine learning model, the plurality of pasteurization time data and the plurality of bacteria sample data to determine an optimal pasteurization time frame for neutralizing bacteria in a given electronics cooling liquid; and
identifying, by the machine learning model, the target time based on the optimal pasteurization time frame.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:
receiving a set of new pasteurization data;
retraining the machine learning model using the set of new pasteurization data; and
adjusting, by the machine learning model and based on the retraining, the target time.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 10 and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining the target range .
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein determining the target range comprises:
analyzing, by the machine learning model, historical pasteurization data,
wherein the historical pasteurization data comprises a plurality of pasteurization temperature data and a plurality of bacteria sample data;
correlating, by the machine learning model, the plurality of pasteurization temperature data and the plurality of bacteria sample data to determine an optimal pasteurization temperature range (see identifying step) for neutralizing bacteria in a given electronics cooling liquid; and
identifying, by the machine learning model, the target range based on the optimal pasteurization temperature range.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 12-16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) A system [[for]] for an in-situ pasteurization of electronics cooling liquid comprising:
a processor; and
a computer-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor and storing program instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
activating a cooling liquid pasteurization system configured to pasteurize the electronics cooling liquid of a computer system;
detecting a temperature of the electronics cooling liquid, wherein heat generated by computer electronics of the computer system is transferred to the electronics cooling liquid;
determining that the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid is within a target range that neutralizes bacteria;
maintaining the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid for a target time using the heat generated by the computer electronics of the computer system,
wherein the target time corresponds to a pasteurization time frame for neutralizing bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid; and
deactivating the cooling liquid pasteurization system when the target time has been reached.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 13 and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The system of claim 12, wherein activating the cooling liquid pasteurization system further comprises:
monitoring the electronics cooling liquid for [[the]] a presence (a lack of an antecedent basis) of bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The system of claim 13, wherein monitoring the electronics cooling liquid for the presence of bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid comprises:
sending the electronics cooling liquid through a light scattering detector;
analyzing data generated by the light scattering detector to determine a presence of bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid; and
identifying, based on [[the]] analyzing the data generated by the light scattering detector, the presence of bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The system of claim 12, further comprising:
in response to the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid being below the target range, decreasing [[flow]] a flow rate of a heat exchanger of the computer system to a predetermined flow rate to increase the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid,
wherein the heat exchanger is at least one of an air-to-liquid heat exchanger or a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger;
monitoring the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid as the temperature increases; and
in response to the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid being within the target range, adjusting the flow rate of the heat exchanger of the computer system to maintain the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid within the target range for the target time.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The system of claim 12, further comprising:
in response to the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid being above the target range, increasing [[flow]] a flow rate of a heat exchanger of the computer system to a predetermined flow rate to reduce the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid;
monitoring the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid as the temperature decreases; and
in response to the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid being within the target range, adjusting the flow rate of the heat exchanger of the computer system to maintain the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid within the target range for the target time.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 17-20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method [[for]] for an in-situ pasteurization of electronics cooling liquid, the method comprising:
activating a cooling liquid pasteurization system configured to pasteurize the electronics cooling liquid of a computer system;
detecting a temperature of the electronics cooling liquid,
wherein heat generated by computer electronics of the computer system is transferred to the electronics cooling liquid; determining that the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid is within a target range that neutralizes bacteria;
maintaining the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid for a target time using the heat generated by the computer electronics of the computer system,
wherein the target time corresponds to a pasteurization time frame for neutralizing bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid; and
deactivating the cooling liquid pasteurization system when the target time has been reached.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 18 and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer program product of claim 17, wherein activating the cooling liquid pasteurization system further comprises:
monitoring the electronics cooling liquid for [[the]] a presence (a lack of an antecedent basis) of bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer program product of claim 18, wherein monitoring the electronics cooling liquid for the presence of bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid comprises:
sending the electronics cooling liquid through a light scattering detector;
analyzing data generated by the light scattering detector to determine a presence of bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid; and
identifying, based on [[the]] analyzing the data generated by the light scattering detector, the presence of bacteria in the electronics cooling liquid.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 20 is objected to because of the following informalities:
(Proposed Amendments) The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:
in response to the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid being below the target range, decreasing [[flow]] a flow rate of a heat exchanger of the computer system to a predetermined flow rate to increase the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid,
wherein the heat exchanger is at least one of an air-to-liquid heat exchanger or a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger;
monitoring the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid as the temperature increases; and
in response to the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid being within the target range, adjusting the flow rate of the heat exchanger of the computer system to maintain the temperature of the electronics cooling liquid within the target range for the target time.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claims do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because products that do not have a physical or tangible form, such as information (often referred to as "data per se") or a computer program per se (often referred to as "software per se") when claimed as a product without any structural recitations. See MPEP § 2106.03.I for more information.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With respect to claims 1-11, the prior art failed to disclose or fairly suggested a computer-implemented method for an in-situ pasteurization of electronics cooling liquid as claimed.
With respect to claims 12-16, the prior art failed to disclose or fairly suggested a system for an in-situ pasteurization of electronics cooling liquid as claimed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Subrahmanyam (U. S. Patent No. 12,464,678 B2) disclosed self-heating, target temperature load balancing, and related technologies for heat exchanger networks.
Heydari (U. S. Patent No. 12,174,602 B2) disclosed intelligent server-level testing of datacenter cooling systems.
David et al. (U. S. Patent No. 9,876,926 B2) disclosed controlled cooling of an electronic system for a reduced energy consumption.
Arimilli et al. (U. S. Patent No. 9,811,097 B2) disclosed an environment control of liquid-cooled electronics.
David et al. (U. S. Patent No. 9,110,476 B2) disclosed controlled cooling of an electronic system based on projected conditions.
Patel et al. (U. S. Patent No. 6,886,353 B2) disclosed a cooling system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Allen C. Ho, whose telephone number is (571) 272-2491. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10AM - 6PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David J. Makiya, can be reached at (571) 272-2273. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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Allen C. Ho, Ph.D.
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2884
/Allen C. Ho/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884 Allen.Ho@uspto.gov
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