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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Amendment
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20160356755 to Gifford in view of US 20200264151 to Do Quang.
Regarding Claim 1, Gifford discloses a water quality monitoring system for monitoring water quality in a water distribution network comprising a plurality of distribution lines interconnecting one or more nodes from which water is supplied into the water distribution network (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, monitoring devices 130/230 with parameter sensing module 232 monitoring a parameter or parameters of a fluid distribution system 110 as in map of multiple monitoring devices over a geographic area; ¶¶ [0029]-[0035], [0047]-[0051], [0070]-[0071]), the water quality monitoring system comprising: a plurality of water sampling sub-systems, each sub-system being arranged in fluid communication with a corresponding distribution line for obtaining water quality parameters from said corresponding distribution line (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, monitoring devices 130 monitoring a parameter or parameters of a fluid distribution system 110; ¶¶ [0029]-[0035], [0047]-[0051], [0070]-[0071]), each sub-system comprising a communication module for communicating data related to a water quality parameter to a database over a communication network wherein each of the sub-systems are functionally linked with each other over the communication network to allow all of the sub-systems in the corresponding distribution lines for monitoring in an idle mode for a signal to ready itself to be triggered to perform measurements of the water quality parameters in a measurement event (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, monitoring devices 130/230 monitoring a parameter or parameters of a fluid distribution system 110 with communicative paths between and among monitoring devices 130 and computing system 120; ¶¶ [0029]-[0035], [0047]-[0051], [0070]-[0071]); a remotely located server computer in communication with said plurality of water sampling sub-systems, said server computer being in communication with a processor and a memory device (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, monitoring devices 130/230 with communicative paths between and among monitoring devices 130 and host computing system 120 having processing resource 122 and memory; ¶¶ [0033]-[0035], [0040]-[0043], [0050], [0070]-[0071]), wherein said processor is operable to perform the steps of retrieving the data from the database to determine: a maximum measured value for the water quality parameter from a set of water quality parameter values measured by each sub-system in each measurement event (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, monitoring devices 130/230 with communicative paths between and among monitoring devices 130 and host computing system 120 determining sample parameters at relatively slow rate and keeping average, maximum and minimum of every hour; ¶¶ [0033]-[0035], [0040]-[0043], [0050], [0070]-[0071], [0093]); a minimum measured value for the water quality parameter from the set of water quality parameter values measured by each sub-system in each measurement event (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, monitoring devices 130/230 with communicative paths between and among monitoring devices 130 and host computing system 120 determining sample parameters at relatively slow rate and keeping average, maximum and minimum of every hour; ¶¶ [0033]-[0035], [0040]-[0043], [0050], [0070]-[0071], [0093]); and an average measured value for the water quality parameter computed by calculating an average of all measured values of the water quality parameter in the set (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, monitoring devices 130/230 with communicative paths between and among monitoring devices 130 and host computing system 120 determining sample parameters at relatively slow rate and keeping average, maximum and minimum of every hour; ¶¶ [0033]-[0035], [0040]-[0043], [0050], [0070]-[0071], [0093]); wherein the memory device comprises executable instructions to configure the processor to display a graph, on a display device, that includes a first axis to indicate the maximum measured value, the minimum measured value and the average value for each measurement event and a second axis to indicate a time period over which a plurality of said measurement events have occurred thereby providing a visual indication of water quality (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, host computing system 120 displaying screenshots 1500A-1500C of graphs plotting the monitored parameters with maximum and minimum values with any other parameter (such as average value) accessible by clicking; ¶¶ [0033]-[0035], [0040]-[0043], [0050], [0085]-[0086], [0093]).
However, Gifford does not explicitly disclose all of the sub-systems … perform simultaneous measurements of the water quality parameters in a measurement event. Do Quang discloses all of the sub-systems … perform simultaneous measurements of the water quality parameters in a measurement event (Fig. 2-5, detection of abnormal simultaneous variations of several physical quantities and/or at several points of a water distribution network with whole set of sensors sampled at the same frequency, and therefore produce measurements simultaneously; ¶¶ [0028], [0077], [0116]; Note also that Do Quang discloses calculating maximum, minimum (0) and average (Mean, median) values at ¶¶ [0081]-[0086], [0099], [0104], [0140], [0152]-[0155]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the application to modify the invention of Gifford by providing all of the sub-systems … perform simultaneous measurements of the water quality parameters in a measurement event as in Do Quang in order to provide for greater precision in determining anomalies.
Regarding Claim 2, Gifford discloses the processor for the remotely located server computer is operable to determine a range of the measured values of the water quality parameter by computing a difference between the maximum measured value and the minimum measured value and wherein the memory device comprises executable instructions to indicate the range of the measured values on the first axis (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, host computing system 120 keeping average, maximum and minimum of every hour and display; ¶¶ [0040]-[0043], [0050]-[0051], [0082]-[0086]).
Regarding Claim 3, Gifford discloses a user input interface in communication with the processor for controlling operation of the water sampling sub-systems and initiating one or more measurement events in a time period (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, host computing system 120 user devices 2010, 2012, 2014, input/output devices 2130 and interface devices 2140; ¶¶ [0050]-[0051], [0082]-[0086], [0098]-[0100]).
Regarding Claim 4, Gifford discloses each sub-system is configured to measure one or more of the following: (a) pressure; (b) transient pressure; (c) temperature of water; (d) pH of water; (e) oxidation reduction potential (ORP); (e) Conductivity (Ec); and (f) Free Chlorine concentration (g) Turbidity (Figs. 1-3, monitoring devices 130 monitoring pressure, temperature, turbidity, pH, and/or chlorine of fluid distribution system 110; ¶¶ [0029]-[0032]),
Regarding Claim 5, Gifford discloses the memory device comprises executable instructions to additionally display predetermined maximum and minimum limit values for the water quality parameter (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, host computing system 120 and display for maximum and minimum and thresholds; ¶¶ [0040]-[0043], [0050]-[0051], [0082]-[0086]).
Regarding Claim 6, Gifford discloses the memory device comprises executable instructions to compute a difference between the average value of each measurement and the maximum measured value for each measurement and process the difference in accordance with one or more predetermined rules to provide an indication of unexpected changes in water quality (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, host computing system 120 determining average, maximum, minimum, trigger and threshold values; ¶¶ [0040]-[0043], [0050]-[0051], [0082]-[0086], [0093]-[0097]).
Regarding Claim 7, Gifford discloses the memory device comprises executable instructions to compute a difference between an average value of each measurement and the minimum measured value for each measurement and process said difference in accordance with one or more predetermined rules to provide an indication of unexpected changes in water quality (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, host computing system 120 determining average, maximum, minimum, trigger and threshold values; ¶¶ [0040]-[0043], [0050]-[0051], [0082]-[0086], [0093]-[0097]).
Regarding Claim 8, Gifford discloses the memory device comprises executable instructions to process the measured value for each measurement in accordance with one or more predetermined rules to provide an indication of unexpected changes in water quality (Figs. 1-3, 9-10 and 15, host computing system 120 determining average, maximum, minimum, trigger and threshold values; ¶¶ [0040]-[0043], [0050]-[0051], [0082]-[0086], [0093]-[0097]).
Regarding Claims 9-14, the method of the claims appears to be met by the operation of the system of claims 1-2 and 4-7.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-8 filed 10/16/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and 9 under 35 USC § 102(a)(1) regarding simultaneous measurements have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of US 20200264151 to Do Quang.
Applicant further asserts that Gifford does not disclose “taking simultaneous measurements nor being functionally linked with each other”. The examiner disagrees. While Gifford does not explicitly disclose taking simultaneous measurements, Gifford does disclose sensors being functionally linked with each other, i.e., monitoring devices 130/230 monitoring a parameter or parameters of a fluid distribution system 110 with communicative paths between and among monitoring devices 130 and computing system 120. Do Quang discloses similarly linked devices configured for taking simultaneous measurements.
Applicant further asserts “Gifford …does not disclose displaying the maximum, minimum and average of the measurement events. Furthermore, the maximum, minimum and average measurements would not be meaningful due to offset configured time periods which the monitoring devices 130 take measurements relative to each other”. The examiner disagrees. Gifford discloses host computing system 120 displaying screenshots 1500A-1500C of graphs plotting the monitored parameters with maximum and minimum values with any other parameter (such as average value) accessible by clicking; ¶¶ [0033]-[0035], [0040]-[0043], [0050], [0085]-[0086], [0093]. Also Do Quang discloses similarly linked devices configured for taking simultaneous measurements for calculating maximum, minimum (0) and average (Mean, median) values at ¶¶ [0081]-[0086], [0099], [0104], [0140], [0152]-[0155]) and various displays including maximum and minimum values.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID J BOLDUC whose telephone number is (571)270-1602. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 10am-6pm.
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, Walter Lindsay, Jr. can be reached at (571) 272-1672. 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.
/DAVID J BOLDUC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852