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 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.
Claims 3, 7-8,11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akemi et al. (JP 2020038064, IDS Document, Paragraphs cited from the PE2E Translation of JP 2020038064, Paragraphs counting from the start of the document/paragraphs on pages counted from the start) in view of Junji et al. (JP 2020134231, IDS Document, Paragraphs cited from the Translation of 2020134231).
Regarding Claim 3, Akemi discloses a discharge detection system for detecting discharge occurred in a building via indoor wiring (Figures 1-4), the discharge detection system comprising:
a master unit (7, Figures 1, 7, 10, 12) and a plurality of slave units (plurality of 6, Figures 1, 3-4, 10, 12), wherein
each of the master unit and the plurality of slave units is provided with a detection section for detecting a voltage or current (Paragraph 30, 40) and a determination section for determining whether discharge has occurred based on an output of the detection section (Paragraph 43),
the master unit is electrically connected to a secondary side of a main breaker and primary sides of a plurality of branch breakers, the main breaker and the branch breakers configuring a distribution board (7 electrically connected to primary side of main breaker 2 and primary sides of branch circuit breakers 3 in distribution board 1, Figure 1),
each of the plurality of slave units is electrically connected to an electrical outlet installed in the building at locations far from the mater unit for it to detect occurrence of discharge (6 electrically connected to outlet B1, Figure 1),
each of the plurality of branch breakers has a secondary side electrically connected to the indoor wiring (3 connected to A1), the indoor wiring is electrically connected to the electrical outlets (A1 connected to B1),
the master unit specifies one of the slave units electrically connected to the indoor wiring in which the discharge occurred, based on the comparison of outputs from the determination detection of the slave units (Paragraph 5 on Page 3, “…. base unit 7 confirms the state of the wiring A1 by specifying the slave unit 6 that is the transmission source of the unique signal based on the detection result of the detection unit 5. That is, the master unit 7 receives the unique signal from the slave unit 6 connected to the connector B1 connected to the wiring A1 by referring to the detection result of the current flowing through the wiring A1. The base unit 7 specifies the address based on the unique signal, thereby specifying the slave unit 6 to which the specified address is assigned, that is, the slave unit 6 that is the transmission source of the unique signal”, part of 73, Figure 1, Paragraph 57(Paragraph 3 on Page 8), “…Then, the processing unit 73 specifies the address based on the unique signal, thereby specifying the slave 6 to which the specified address is assigned, that is, the slave 6 that is the transmission source of the unique signal. Further, the processing unit 73 specifies the connector B1 corresponding to the specified child device 6 by referring to the reference data…”).
Akemi does not specifically disclose detection section being a noise detection section for detecting the noise superimposed in the voltage or current; determining whether discharge has occurred being based on an output of the noise detection section (based on a noise in a high frequency band input wiring -recited in the preamble) and the plurality of slave units is electrically connected being to selective electrical outlets (Akemi discloses same number of slave units as the number of electrical outlets, similar to instant application Figure 16 embodiment).
Junji discloses a discharge detection system for detecting discharge occurred based on a noise in a high frequency band via indoor wiring (Figures 1-18, Abstract, Paragraphs 12-13) comprising noise detection section (comprising 1, Figures 1-3, 5, 9-10) for detecting the noise superimposed in the voltage or current (Figures 6, 8, 11, 18), and determining whether a discharge occurred based on the output of the noise detection section (Abstract, Paragraph 12, “…the discharge detection unit 1 of the present embodiment includes a detection unit that detects an output at a target frequency set for detecting noise generated by a discharge accident…”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the discharge detection system of Akemi, a noise detection section as taught by Junji, such that a target frequency can be set as the discharge detection threshold and to increase the detection accuracy by excluding noise generated by normal operation/use of the home appliances (see Junji, Paragraph 12, “…the target frequency band is preferably a frequency band of radiation noise that does not include noise of home appliances, etc. In this case, noise generated by a discharge accident on the wiring path has been transmitted in the wiring path”) and selective outlets electrically connected to the plurality of slave units based on the number of slave units available and the number of outlets to be detected/connected, and factors such as location and aging of the outlets.
Regarding Claim 7, combination of Akemi and Junji discloses the discharge detection system according to Claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of slave units is further provided with a power feed section (comprising power supply unit 62, Figures 3A, 3B) and a switch (comprising 66, Figures 3-4), the power feed section is electrically connectable to a load (comprising 67, Figure 3B, Paragraph 46, “…the control unit 63 to open and close an electric path connecting the wiring A1 (the voltage wire plug blade 611) and the load 67. In the present embodiment, the load 67 is a resistor built in the slave unit 6…”) and receives power supply from the electrical outlet via the switch (Paragraph 46, “…the control unit 63 to open and close an electric path connecting the wiring A1 (the voltage wire plug blade 611) and the load 67…”), and the switch supplies the power from the electrical outlet to the power feed section in a closed state, and if a determination is made that discharge has occurred, changes from the closed state to an open state (Paragraphs 46-47).
Regarding Claim 8, Akemi discloses a discharge detection system for detecting discharge occurring in a building via indoor wiring (Figures 1-4), the discharge detection system comprising:
a plurality of discharge detectors in a master unit and slave units (comprising 5, 6, Figures 1, 3-4, 10, 12) and a monitoring device (7, Figures 1, 7, 10, 12), wherein:
the plurality of discharge detectors are provided with a detection section for detecting voltage or current (comprising 5, part of 631 in 6, Figures 1, 3B) and a determination section for determining whether discharge has occurred based on an output of the detection section (comprising 63, Figure 3B),
the monitoring device is provided with a reporting section for visually and/or auditorily reporting that discharge has occurred (comprising 71, Figure 1, Paragraph 19, “….master device 7 is a personal computer (desktop type, laptop type, or the like)…”, Paragraphs 20-21, 49-50, 57),
the plurality of discharge detectors in the slave units electrically connected to an electrical outlet installed in the building (5, 6 electrically connected to outlet B1, Figure 1), and if determining that discharge has occurred, outputs a first signal and the first signal is input to the monitoring device (Paragraph 20, “….the master unit 7 receives the unique signal from the slave unit 6 connected to the connector B1 connected to the wiring A1 by referring to the detection result of the current flowing through the wiring A1…”), and
the monitoring device causes the reporting section to operate based on the first signal (Paragraphs 20,21, “…The base unit 7 specifies the address based on the unique signal, thereby specifying the slave unit 6 to which the specified address is assigned, that is, the slave unit 6 that is the transmission source of the unique signal….. the worker can set the master unit 7 in a place where the detection result of the detection unit 5 can be obtained and execute the confirmation processing…”),
wherein all or part of the discharge detectors capable of sending and receiving a signal to and from each other and the first signal output from each of the discharge detectors is input to the monitoring device through another discharge detector (Akemi’s master unit 7 and each slave unit having communication interface for wireless communication and/or PLC communication, the first signal can be sent directly or via another slave unit to the master unit, Paragraph 1 on Page 15, “….the trigger signal is a radio wave conforming to a communication standard such as a specific low-power radio station (a radio station that does not require a license) in the 920 MHz band, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or the like. May be transmitted to the child device 6 by wireless communication using the medium as a medium. In this case, for example, the master unit 7 and each slave unit 6 only need to have a communication interface for wireless communication”, Paragraph 2 on Page 15, “….the distribution board 1 and each slave unit 6 may have a communication interface for PLC communication”).
Akemi does not specifically disclose detection section being a noise detection section for detecting the noise superimposed in the voltage or current; determining whether discharge has occurred being based on an output of the noise detection section (based on a noise in a high frequency band input wiring -recited in the preamble) and the slave units is electrically connected being to selective electrical outlets (Akemi discloses same number of slave units as the number of electrical outlets, similar to instant application Figure 16 embodiment).
Junji discloses a discharge detection system for detecting discharge occurred based on a noise in a high frequency band via indoor wiring (Figures 1-18, Abstract, Paragraphs 12-13) comprising noise detection section (comprising 1, Figures 1-3, 5, 9-10) for detecting the noise superimposed in the voltage or current (Figures 6, 8, 11, 18), and determining whether a discharge occurred based on the output of the noise detection section (Abstract, Paragraph 12, “…the discharge detection unit 1 of the present embodiment includes a detection unit that detects an output at a target frequency set for detecting noise generated by a discharge accident…”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide in the discharge detection system of Akemi, a noise detection section as taught by Junji, such that a target frequency can be set as the discharge detection threshold and to increase the detection accuracy by excluding noise generated by normal operation/use of the home appliances (see Junji, Paragraph 12, “…the target frequency band is preferably a frequency band of radiation noise that does not include noise of home appliances, etc. In this case, noise generated by a discharge accident on the wiring path has been transmitted in the wiring path”) and selective outlets electrically connected to the slave units based on the number of slave units available and the number of outlets to be detected/connected, and factors such as location and aging of the outlets.
Regarding Claim 11, combination of Akemi and Junji discloses the discharge detection system according to Claim 8,
wherein the monitoring device outputs a second signal based on the first signal and at least one of a main breaker and a plurality of branch breakers is interrupted based on the second signal, the main breaker and the branch breakers configuring a distribution board (Paragraph 20, “….the master unit 7 receives the unique signal from the slave unit 6 connected to the connector B1 connected to the wiring A1 by referring to the detection result of the current flowing through the wiring A1…”, Paragraphs 65-66).
Regarding Claim 12, combination of Akemi and Junji discloses the discharge detection system according to Claim 8, wherein
an individual identification number is assigned to each of the plurality of the discharge detectors and the first signal includes information on the individual identification number (Paragraph 19, "Upon receiving the trigger signal, the slave unit 6 outputs a unique signal corresponding to the address assigned to the slave unit 6 to the distribution board 1 via the wiring A1…”, Paragraph 62), and
the reporting section of the monitoring device has a configuration capable of displaying the individual identification number of at least one of the discharge detectors based on the first signal (Paragraphs 20,21, “…The base unit 7 specifies the address based on the unique signal, thereby specifying the slave unit 6 to which the specified address is assigned, that is, the slave unit 6 that is the transmission source of the unique signal….. the worker can set the master unit 7 in a place where the detection result of the detection unit 5 can be obtained and execute the confirmation processing…”).
Regarding Claim 13, combination of Akemi and Junji discloses the discharge detection system according to Claim 8, wherein: the first signal includes information on at least one of a level of the noise, time of detecting the noise, and a duration time of the noise (Paragraphs 62-64/Paragraphs 2-4 on Page 9), the monitoring device is further provided with a comparison section, and the comparison section of the monitoring device compares information on at least one of the level of the noise, the time of detecting the noise, and the duration time of the noise based on two or more of the first signals output from the plurality of the discharge detectors to specify any one of the plurality of the discharge detectors (part of 73, Figure 1, Paragraph 57, “…Then, the processing unit 73 specifies the address based on the unique signal, thereby specifying the slave 6 to which the specified address is assigned, that is, the slave 6 that is the transmission source of the unique signal. Further, the processing unit 73 specifies the connector B1 corresponding to the specified child device 6 by referring to the reference data…”).
Regarding Claim 14, combination of Akemi and Junji discloses the discharge detection system according to Claim 3, wherein: the master unit outputs a first signal if its determination section determines that discharge has occurred, the first signal input to at least one of the main breaker and the branch breakers to interrupt power supply to the indoor wiring in which the discharge has occurred (Paragraph 19, “…The “trigger signal” in the present disclosure is a signal that is output (transmitted) to the slave unit 6 when the wiring confirmation system 100 executes a confirmation process for confirming the state of the wiring A1. The output source of the trigger signal may be the distribution board 1 or the master unit 7…”, Paragraphs 20, 65-66).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 2/05/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive and/or rendered moot in view of current rejection addressing the amended limitations.
The Applicant argues, on Pages 6-7 of the Remarks that Akemi and/or Junji have nothing to do with the comparison of outputs from the determination sections of the slave units to specify a slave unit where the discharge has occurred.
In response, examiner respectfully notes that Akemi’s slave units each having unique address send the output of the determination section to the master unit and based on the outputs received master unit specifies the slave unit where the discharge has occurred. Akemi discloses in Paragraph 5 on Page 3, “…. base unit 7 confirms the state of the wiring A1 by specifying the slave unit 6 that is the transmission source of the unique signal based on the detection result of the detection unit 5. That is, the master unit 7 receives the unique signal from the slave unit 6 connected to the connector B1 connected to the wiring A1 by referring to the detection result of the current flowing through the wiring A1. The base unit 7 specifies the address based on the unique signal, thereby specifying the slave unit 6 to which the specified address is assigned, that is, the slave unit 6 that is the transmission source of the unique signal” and in Paragraph 3 on Page 8, “…Then, the processing unit 73 specifies the address based on the unique signal, thereby specifying the slave 6 to which the specified address is assigned, that is, the slave 6 that is the transmission source of the unique signal. Further, the processing unit 73 specifies the connector B1 corresponding to the specified child device 6 by referring to the reference data…”. Also see disclosure in Paragraph 4 on Page 14, “….the base unit 7 separates the power consumption waveforms of the “first slave unit” and the “second slave unit” from the waveform of the combined power based on the time when the current flows through the wiring A1…… The master unit 7 can distinguish between them”.
The Applicant argues, on Page 7 of the Remarks that while Akemi teaches a communication interface for wireless communication in the slave unit, it does not mention that a signal is transmitted from the slave unit to the master unit via another slave unit and further that the slave units 6 of Akemi, however, are not configured to communicate with each other.
In response, examiner respectfully notes that preceding the argued upon limitation Claim 8 recite, “the discharge detectors capable of sending and receiving a signal to and from each other”, and Akemi’s master unit 7 and slave units 6 having communication interface for wireless communication by Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or the like, discharge detectors of both master unit and slave units are capable of sending and receiving a signal to and from each other and can be configured for the first signal output from each of the discharge detectors is input to the monitoring device through another discharge detector.
Regarding Applicant’s arguments toward dependent claims 7, 14 and 11-13, please see the response to arguments toward Claims 3 and 8 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sako et al. (US 2014/0114610) discloses an electrical discharge detection system (Figures 1-5) comprising main and branch circuit breakers including detection unit to interrupt current upon detection of a discharge (distribution board, Figure 1, Paragraphs 24, 33-35).
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 LUCY M THOMAS whose telephone number is (571)272-6002. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Crystal L Hammond can be reached at (571)270-1682. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LUCY M THOMAS/Examiner, Art Unit 2838, 2/27/2026
/CRYSTAL L HAMMOND/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838