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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1, 2, 5, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2007241633 A (herein JP633).
In reference to claim 1, JP633 teaches a plant control device (shown in figure 4), comprising: a terminal base (110; fig. 4) where a wiring (18; fig. 4) is connected which is connected to each of multiple devices installed in a plant; a control IO module (34, 35) where an IO signal is input or the IO signal is output; and a terminal base adapter (1) disposed between the control IO module (34, 35) and the terminal base (110), the terminal base adapter being configured to convert, by a predetermined logic, an IO signal input from at least one of the multiple devices or the IO signal input from the control IO module, wherein the terminal base adapter (1) is mountable on the terminal base (110) and includes a second electrical connector (16) which is mounted (through the connector cable that connects 16, 17) with a first electrical connector (17) disposed on the control IO module (34, 35).
In reference to claim 2, JP633 teaches wherein the terminal base adapter (1) is paired with the control IO module.
In reference to claim 5, JP633 teaches the terminal base adapter further includes a signal terminal (i.e. the terminal contact within connector 16) for enabling input/output of a redundant signal.
Regarding the limitation for enabling input/output of a redundant signal, it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations.
In reference to claim 6, JP633 teaches the terminal base adapter further includes a communication terminal (i.e. the terminal contact within connector 16) for enabling mounting of a communication connection component.
Regarding the limitation for enabling mounting of a communication connection component, it has been held that a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus satisfying the claimed structural limitations.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 4, 7 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
(Claim 8) a step of mounting, on the terminal base, a terminal base adapter in place of the existing control IO module; and a step of mounting a new control IO module on the terminal base adapter.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRAVIS SLOAN CHAMBERS whose telephone number is (571)272-6813. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30a.m.-5:00p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A Riyami can be reached at 571-270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TRAVIS S CHAMBERS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831 02/25/2026
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