DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 are pending in the present application.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/4/2024 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wei Yangsheng et al. (WO 2014/129966 A1, hereinafter Wei).
Regarding claim 7, Wei teaches a field unit (see Fig. 1 and 5, field unit considered to include base station 22, adapter 24, sensor platform 28, and sensor network 30), comprising: a first sensor of a first type (see Fig. 1, [0019], and [0050], sensor network 30 includes multiple sensors to take readings, e.g. pressure, temperature, sound, one of which may be considered the first type of sensor); a second sensor of a second type different from the first type (see Fig. 1, [0019], and [0050], sensor network 30 includes multiple sensors to take readings, e.g. pressure, temperature, sound, one of which may be considered the second type of sensor); a transmitter to transmit data based on readings from the first sensor and the second sensor to a remote device or an application (see Fig. 1 and 5, transmitter (communications manager) in base station 22 communicates data readings from the sensors to remote cloud platform 26); and a controller to selectively modulate sampling by the first sensor and the second sensor based on a priority protocol and a power budget (see Fig. 5 and [0026], [0031], and [0045], base station includes power manager (controller) that sets sampling rates of each sensor based on a priority protocol and power budget as described).
Regarding claim 8, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claim 7.
Furthermore, Wei teaches that the first type is configured to take readings at a first sampling interval and a first sampling rate and the second type is configured to take readings at a second sampling interval and a second sampling rate (see Fig. 5 and [0026], [0031], and [0045], base station includes power manager (controller) that sets sampling rates of each sensor based on a priority protocol and power budget as described; see also [0078], each sensor may be set to be collected at different intervals).
Regarding claim 9, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claims 7 and 8.
Furthermore, Wei teaches that the first type comprises a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor(see [0065], use of MESIC mems sensors) and the second type comprises one of an ultrasonic sensor and a piezoelectric sensor (see page 16, lines 20-31, use of piezometers).
Regarding claim 10, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claim 7.
Furthermore, Wei teaches that the power budget is based on at least one of remaining battery life of the field unit (see Fig. 5 and [0031], power budget based on remaining battery level).
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 1-4, 11, and 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei Yangsheng et al. (WO 2014/129966 A1, hereinafter Wei).
Regarding claim 1, Wei teaches a field unit (see Fig. 1 and 5, field unit considered to include base station 22, adapter 24, sensor platform 28, and sensor network 30), comprising: a plurality of sensors to take readings from one or more components of a location (see Fig. 1, [0019], and [0050], sensor network 30 includes multiple sensors to take readings, e.g. pressure, temperature, sound, of a location); a transmitter to selectively transmit data based on readings from the plurality of sensors to a remote device or an application (see Fig. 1 and 5, transmitter (communications manager) in base station 22 communicates data readings to remote cloud platform 26; see also [0075], the base station may be configured to selectively transmit data to the cloud platform 26 based on experimental performance or communication bandwidth usage); and a controller to set sampling parameters of at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors based on a priority protocol and a power budget (see Fig. 5 and [0026], [0031], and [0045], base station includes power manager (controller) that sets sampling rates or data transfer rates based on a priority protocol and power budget as described).
Wei fails to specifically teach that the sensors take readings of a machine.
However, Wei does suggest that the sensors may be used to monitor machine health (see [0027]).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the sensor network of Wei such that a plurality of sensors were utilized to take readings of a machine. This would allow for an accurate and automated monitoring of a machine that included sensor power management, thus reducing manpower expenditure as described by Wei (see [0005]).
Regarding claim 2, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claim 1.
Furthermore, Wei teaches that a first sensor of the plurality of sensors is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor (see [0065], use of MESIC mems sensors) and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors is a piezoelectric sensor (see page 16, lines 20-31, use of piezometers).
Regarding claim 3, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claim 1.
Furthermore, Wei teaches that the power budget is based on at least one of remaining battery life of the field unit (see Fig. 5 and [0031], power budget based on remaining battery level).
Regarding claim 4, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claim 1.
Wei fails to specifically teach that the priority protocol is based on at least one of: an age of a machine component from which the field unit takes readings; accessibility of the field unit on the machine component; criticality of the machine component; and expense of the machine component.
However, Wei does teach that the priority protocol is based on a predetermined user priority level (see [0026]).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Wei such that the age, accessibility, criticality, or expense was utilized to determine the priority protocol of Wei. This would ensure that high priority measurements were taken based on remaining power rather than low priority measurements as is known in the art.
Regarding claim 11, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claim 7.
Wei fails to specifically teach that the priority protocol is based on at least one of: an age of a machine component from which the field unit takes readings; accessibility of the field unit on the machine component; criticality of the machine component; and expense of the machine component.
However, Wei does teach that the priority protocol is based on a predetermined user priority level (see [0026]).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device off Wei such that the age, accessibility, criticality, or expense was utilized to determine the priority protocol of Wei. This would ensure that high priority measurements were taken based on remaining power rather than low priority measurements as is known in the art.
Regarding claim 14, Wei teaches a method (see Abstract; see also [0030]-[0034], method of operating the device described), comprising: taking readings of a location at a first sensor of a field unit comprising a plurality of sensors (see Fig. 1, [0019], and [0050], readings taken from a sensor network 30 includes multiple sensors to take readings, e.g. pressure, temperature, sound, of a location; wherein one of the sensors may be considered the first sensor); selectively transmitting, at a transmitter, data based on readings from the first sensor to a remote device or application (see Fig. 1 and 5, transmitter (communications manager) in base station 22 communicates data readings to remote cloud platform 26; see also [0075], the base station may be configured to selectively transmit data to the cloud platform 26 based on experimental performance or communication bandwidth usage); and selectively modulating sampling parameters of at least one of the first sensor and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors based on a priority protocol and a power budget (see Fig. 5 and [0026], [0031], and [0045], base station includes power manager (controller) that sets sampling rates or data transfer rates for each of a plurality of sensors based on a priority protocol and power budget as described).
Wei fails to specifically teach that the sensors take readings of a machine component.
However, Wei does suggest that the sensors may be used to monitor machine health (see [0027]).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the sensor network method of Wei such that a plurality of sensors were utilized to take readings of a machine. This would allow for an accurate and automated monitoring of a machine that included sensor power management, thus reducing manpower expenditure as described by Wei (see [0005]).
Regarding claim 15, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claim 14.
Furthermore, Wei teaches selectively modulating the sampling parameters comprises taking readings at the first sensor at a first sampling interval and a first sampling rate and taking readings at the second sensor at a second sampling interval and a second sampling rate (see Fig. 5 and [0026], [0031], and [0045], base station includes power manager (controller) that sets sampling rates of each sensor based on a priority protocol and power budget as described; see also [0078], each sensor may be set to be collected at different intervals).
Regarding claim 16, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claims 14 and 15.
Furthermore, Wei teaches that the first sensor comprises a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor (see [0065], use of MESIC mems sensors) and the second sensor comprises one of an ultrasonic sensor and a piezoelectric sensor (see page 16, lines 20-31, use of piezometers).
Regarding claim 17, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claim 14.
Furthermore, Wei teaches that the power budget is based on at least one of remaining battery life of the field unit (see Fig. 5 and [0031], power budget based on remaining battery level).
Regarding claim 18, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claim 14.
Wei fails to specifically teach that the priority protocol is based on at least one of: an age of a machine component from which the field unit takes readings; accessibility of the field unit on the machine component; criticality of the machine component; and expense of the machine component.
However, Wei does teach that the priority protocol is based on a predetermined user priority level (see [0026]).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Wei such that the age, accessibility, criticality, or expense was utilized to determine the priority protocol of Wei. This would ensure that high priority measurements were taken based on remaining power rather than low priority measurements as is known in the art.
Claims 5, 12, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei as applied to claims 1, 7, and 14 above, and further in view of Tsuji (US 2002/0016694 A1, hereinafter Tsuji).
Regarding claim 5, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claim 1.
Wei above fails to specifically teach that the controller is to modulate the sampling parameters of at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors in response to an indication from the application or one or more readings exceeding a threshold value.
Tsuji teaches a controller to modulate the sampling parameters of at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors in response to an indication from the application or one or more readings exceeding a threshold value (see Fig. 1-3, control section 11; see also Fig. 6 and [0064], various pressure thresholds used to modulate sampling rates as shown and described).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Wei with the threshold based sampling rates of Tsuji. This allows for lowering the power consumption of a measuring apparatus as described by Tsuji (see [0002]).
Regarding claim 12, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claim 7.
Wei above fails to specifically teach that the controller is to modulate the sampling parameters of at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors in response to an indication from the application or one or more readings exceeding a threshold value.
Tsuji teaches a controller to modulate the sampling parameters of at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors in response to an indication from the application or one or more readings exceeding a threshold value (see Fig. 1-3, control section 11; see also Fig. 6 and [0064], various pressure thresholds used to modulate sampling rates as shown and described).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Wei with the threshold based sampling rates of Tsuji. This allows for lowering the power consumption of a measuring apparatus as described by Tsuji (see [0002]).
Regarding claim 19, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claim 14.
Wei above fails to specifically teach modulating sampling by at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor is in response to an indication from the application or one or more readings exceeding a threshold value.
Tsuji teaches a modulating the sampling parameters of at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors in response to an indication from the application or one or more readings exceeding a threshold value (see Fig. 1-3, control section 11; see also Fig. 6 and [0064], various pressure thresholds used to modulate sampling rates as shown and described).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the method of Wei with the threshold based sampling rates of Tsuji. This allows for lowering the power consumption of a measuring apparatus as described by Tsuji (see [0002]).
Claims 6, 13, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei in view of Tsuji as applied to claims 5, 12, and 19 above, and further in view of Hyland et al. (US 2016/0363606 A1, hereinafter Hyland).
Regarding claim 6, Wei as modified by Tsuji above teaches all of the limitations of claims 1 and 5.
Wei as modified by Tsuji above fails to specifically teach that the controller is to initiate sampling by a first sensor of the plurality of sensors based on readings taken by a second sensor of the plurality of sensors.
Hyland teaches a controller to initiate sampling by a first sensor of the plurality of sensors based on readings taken by a second sensor of the plurality of sensors (see Abstract; see also Fig. 1, controller (processor) 3 and sensors 4, C, 10; see also [0084], controller 3 initiates sampling by a first sensor C based on the readings taken by a second sensor 4).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to further modify the device of Wei as modified by Tsuji above with the controller sampling as described by Hyland. This allows for the device to reduce power consumption by maintaining a plurality of sensors in an off state as described by Hyland (see Abstract).
Regarding claim 13, Wei as modified by Tsuji above teaches all of the limitations of claims 7 and 12.
Wei as modified by Tsuji above fails to teach that the controller is to initiate sampling by the second sensor based on readings taken by the first sensor.
Hyland teaches a controller to initiate sampling by a first sensor of the plurality of sensors based on readings taken by a second sensor of the plurality of sensors (see Abstract; see also Fig. 1, controller (processor) 3 and sensors 4, C, 10; see also [0084], controller 3 initiates sampling by a first sensor C based on the readings taken by a second sensor 4).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to further modify the device of Wei as modified by Tsuji above with the controller sampling as described by Hyland. This allows for the device to reduce power consumption by maintaining a plurality of sensors in an off state as described by Hyland (see Abstract).
Regarding claim 20, Wei above teaches all of the limitations of claims 14 and 19.
Wei as modified by Tsuji above fails to teach initiating sampling by the second sensor based on readings taken by the first sensor.
Hyland teaches a controller method to initiate sampling by a first sensor of the plurality of sensors based on readings taken by a second sensor of the plurality of sensors (see Abstract; see also Fig. 1, controller (processor) 3 and sensors 4, C, 10; see also [0084], controller 3 initiates sampling by a first sensor C based on the readings taken by a second sensor 4).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to further modify the method of Wei as modified by Tsuji above with the controller sampling method as described by Hyland. This allows for the device to reduce power consumption by maintaining a plurality of sensors in an off state as described by Hyland (see Abstract).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANIEL T WOODWARD whose telephone number is (571)270-0704. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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/NATHANIEL T WOODWARD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855