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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I claims 1-2, in the reply filed on 6/5/2026 is acknowledged. Accordingly, claims 2-4 are withdrawn from consideration at this time.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-2 are objected to because of the following informalities: Line 1 of claims 1-2 recites “industrial processes controller”, which appears grammatically inconsistent. Examiner suggests inserting An before ‘industrial processes controller’ to resolve this inconsistency. Additionally, line 13 recites “spring” which also appears grammatically inconsistent should probably read as a spring or springs. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 1 recites the limitation:
"the base" in line 3
“the ledge” in line 4
“the shoulder” in line 6
“the surface” in line 7
“the expansion module” in line 7
“the rack” in line 7
“the power supply” in line 10
“the communication interface” in lines 10-11
“the coupling” in lines 12-13
“the electrical connections” in line 13.
There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because these elements were not previously introduced. In order to avoid insufficient antecedence, Examiner suggests replacing [the] with a or an or omitting [the] where the element is pluralized. Please review the rest of the claims for similar occurrences.
Additionally, claim 1 also recites “a flap” in line 4 and then later in line 5. It is unclear if the second recited flap is different from the first. This is somewhat confusing and appears to be an error. Please review all claims for similar occurrences. Note, claim 2 depend directly from claim 1 and are therefore rejected for at least the same reasons. Appropriate action required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character, in claim 1, have been used to designate different parts with the same number. For example:
“(20)” has been used to designate both a frame and a rack, in lines 4 and 7, respectively.
“(11)” has been used to designate both a central projection and a ledge, in lines 2 and 4, respectively.
“(21)” has been used to designate both a slot and a compartment, in lines 9 and 12, respectively.
“(22)” has been used to designate both a through hole and a flap, in lines 4 and 6, respectively.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Innes 5,652,420.
Regarding claim 1, Innes discloses industrial processes controller (see Abstract) characterized for comprise: a) a main module (3, Fig 4) provided with a recess with a central projection (see recess centered and flanked at or near 65 and/or including 15b, 15c, Fig 4) arranged in the base (15 and/or including 13, see Fig 1 with respect to Fig 4); b) a frame (5, Fig 4) equipped with a flap (62 on 60, Figs 3, 3A) provided with a through hole (formed between 62a, 62b, Fig 3A) that fits into the ledge (71, Fig 3A) arranged at the base of the main module (see Figs 3, 5) and a flap (89 and/or including 91, Fig 5) with a through hole (65, Figs 4, 5) that projects from the face opposite the flap (65 projects from lower surface opposite upper surface where 60 locates, Fig 4) that fits into the shoulder (64, Fig 5) arranged in a coincident position on the surface of the expansion module (see coincidental position of upper surface of expansion module 7 relative to 3, 5 once assembled, Figs 1-4), the rack (housing/exterior/shell of 7 constitutes rack, Fig 4) having a communication bus (101, Fig 6) provided with sets of electrical connections (90, Fig 6) with a unique communication address (see col 2 lines 34-41, mechanism to identify functions), configuring a compartment or slot (97, Fig 6) and a connector (95, Fig 6) that interconnects the communication bus of the rack (Figs 1-5) to the power supply (11, Fig 4) and to the communication interface (145 or 147, 149, Fig 2) of the main module (see Figs 2-5); c) expansion module (10, Fig 4) positioned in a compartment (117, Fig 4) of the rack (Fig 4) through the coupling of connectors (121, 123, Fig 7) with spring (spring type structure such as resilient members, 124, 126, col 6 lines 15-19) in the electrical connections (119, Fig 4) of the rack (Fig 4), each expansion module having a structure of configuration and operation data and a unique identifier (see Table 1 compared to Table 2-4, in col 11 lines 10-50) read by the main module processing unit (see col 11 lines 10-50, Figs 1-5), detecting the presence of the coupling of a certain expansion module to the main module (see col 2 lines 34-46, compare with Tables 1-4).
Regarding claim 2, Innes discloses industrial processes controller, according to claim 1, characterized in that the rack is an integral structure of the main module, constituting a single body (as depicted in Figs 1-3, for example).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Epperson - US 20130176687 A1, Figs 1a-2. Teaches similar expansion module/industrial controller apparatus/assembly.
Chiang - US 10,314,194 B1, Figs 1-5. Teaches similar expansion module/industrial controller apparatus.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RASHEN E MORRISON whose telephone number is (571)272-8852. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5.
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/RASHEN E MORRISON/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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