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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 29-41 and 43-49 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gibson et al. (US Publication 2020/0378859; IDS dated 08/09/2023 US Publication Cite No. 3; hereinafter Gibson) in view of Howitt (US Patent 9,983,092).
With regards to claim 29, Gibson teaches a cap (150) for fitting to a pipe end (140a) to detect one or more conditions within a pipe (abstract), the cap comprising:
a housing (FIG. 2) comprising a first opening (bottom end of 230) at a first end thereof (FIG. 2-3A), the first opening comprising a fitting means (216) arranged to cooperate with a corresponding fitting means of the pipe end (140a) to secure the cap to the pipe end ([0040-0041]); and
a sensor (380), the sensor being configured to detect one or more conditions within the pipe ([0045-0046]),
wherein, when the cap (150) is fitted to a pipe end (140a; FIG. 1), the sensor is arranged to detect one or more conditions within a pipe comprising the pipe end ([0045-0046, 0052]).
However, Gibson is silent regarding wherein the cap comprises an electrical connection point for the sensor on an external wall of the cap.
Howitt teaches a cap (14; FIG. 2) of a hydrant similar to Gibson, wherein the cap (14; FIG. 2) comprises an electrical connection point (16) for the sensor on an external wall of the cap (col. 8, lines 30-47; FIG. 2).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to replace one known type of communication connection of the sensor as taught by Gibson (wireless through antenna) with another known type of communication connection equivalent as taught by Howitt (wired connection) with reasonable expectation of transmitting the sensor data to the user as originally intended.
With regards to claim 30, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 29, wherein the pipe end is one end of a pipe tee (FIG. 1).
With regards to claim 31, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 29, wherein the fitting means (216) of the first opening is a screw thread located on an internal wall of the housing ([0040-0041]), and wherein the corresponding fitting means of the pipe end is a corresponding screw thread on an external wall of the pipe end ([0041]; FIG. 1).
With regards to claim 32, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 29, wherein the sensor (380) is located within the housing (150; [0043]; FIG. 3A).
With regards to claim 33, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 29, wherein the cap comprises a second opening (top portion of 230) at a second end thereof, the second opening being arranged to receive a sensor module (including 240) including the sensor (380; FIG. 3A).
With regards to claim 34, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 33, wherein the sensor module (380) is removable ([0044]).
With regards to claim 35, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 33, wherein the sensor module (including 240) comprises a sensor module fitting means (structure of housing 240 and 336) arranged to cooperate with a corresponding second opening fitting means (including 332 and 334) of the second opening to secure the sensor module within the second opening ([0044]; FIG. 3A).
With regards to claim 36, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 35, wherein the sensor module fitting means (structure of housing 240 and 336) comprises a screw thread (thread of 336) located on an external wall of the sensor module (threads of 336 are located outside of the cavity 310 where the sensor 380 is located), and wherein the corresponding second opening fitting means (including 332 and 334) comprises a corresponding screw thread (threads of fastener hole 334; [0044]) on an internal wall of the second opening (FIG. 3A).
With regards to claim 37, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 33, wherein the sensor module (240) comprises a first end (bottom portion as in FIG. 3A) and a second end (top portion as in FIG. 3A) and wherein, when the sensor module (240) is received into the second opening (top portion of 230), the first end of the sensor module is in communication with an interior of the cap (i.e. vibration movement via contact through post 332; [0052]) and the second end (top portion of 240; FIG. 3A) of the sensor module (240) is in communication with an exterior of the cap (280; [0044]).
With regards to claim 38, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 37, wherein the sensor (380) is located at the first end of the sensor module (380 extends across the thickness of 240 from the first end to the second end; FIG. 3A and 4).
With regards to claim 39, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 37, wherein the first end (bottom portion as in FIG. 3A) protrudes into the interior of the cap (see FIG. 3A, the first end protrude downward to surface of 230) but does not extend beyond the cap (FIG. 2-3A).
With regards to claim 40, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 33, wherein the sensor (380) is integral with the sensor module (FIG. 3A and 4; [0049-0050]).
With regards to claim 41, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 37, wherein the second end of the sensor module comprises an electrical connection point (21, 22) for the sensor ([0024, 0026]; FIG. 1).
With regards to claim 43, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 29, wherein the sensor is a piezoresistive sensor ([0048]).
With regards to claim 44, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the cap of claim 29, wherein the one or more conditions comprises at least one of a force (vibration sensor, [0048]), pressure or temperature.
With regards to claim 45, Gibson teaches a system for detecting one or more conditions within a pipe (abstract), the system comprising:
a cap (150) comprising:
a housing (FIG. 2-3A) comprising a first opening (bottom end of 230) at a first end thereof, the opening comprising a fitting means (216) arranged to cooperate with a corresponding fitting means of a pipe end (140a) to secure the cap to the pipe end ([0040-0041]); and
a sensor (380), the sensor being configured to detect one or more conditions within a pipe based at least in part on fitting the cap to the pipe end ([0045-0046]); and
a processing unit (362) electrically connected to the sensor of the cap via an electrical connection point ([0046]),
wherein the processing unit is arranged to determine one or more conditions within the pipe ([0046]).
However, Gibson is silent regarding wherein the cap comprises an electrical connection point for the sensor on an external wall of the cap.
However, Gibson is silent regarding wherein the cap comprises an electrical connection point for the sensor on an external wall of the cap.
Howitt teaches a cap (14; FIG. 2) of a hydrant similar to Gibson, wherein the cap (14; FIG. 2) comprises an electrical connection point (16) for the sensor on an external wall of the cap (col. 8, lines 30-47; FIG. 2).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to replace one known type of communication connection of the sensor as taught by Gibson (wireless through antenna) with another known type of communication connection equivalent as taught by Howitt (wired connection) with reasonable expectation of transmitting the sensor data to the user as originally intended.
With regards to claim 46, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the system of claim 45, wherein the cap (150) comprises the processing unit (362; FIG. 3A; [0045]).
With regards to claim 47, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the system of claim 46, wherein the processing unit (362) and the cap are integrally formed (FIG. 2-3A).
With regards to claim 48, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) a method for detecting a change in one or more conditions within a pipe using the system of claim 45, comprising:
detecting, based on a first signal from the sensor (one of vibration patterns), a first reading relating to a condition within the pipe at a first time ([0046]);
detecting, based on a second signal from the sensor (one of vibration patterns), a second reading relating to the condition within the pipe at a second time ([0046]); and
determining, by the processing unit, a change in the condition based on a difference between the first reading and the second reading ([0046]).
With regards to claim 49, Gibson, as modified by Howitt, teaches (citations to Gibson unless specified otherwise) the system of claim 45, wherein:
the pipe comprises a purge tee (100) configured to be coupled to a gas pipe (198; [0038]),
the pipe end (140a) comprises one end of the purge tee (FIG. 1), and
the cap is sized and shaped to fit the one end of the purge tee ([0039]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUANG X.L NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1585. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, STEPHEN D. MEIER can be reached at (571) 272-2149. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/QXN/ Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/STEPHEN D MEIER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
Prosecution Insights