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 .
Status of Claims
1. This Office Action is in response to Amendment filed on date: 3/21/2026.
Claims 1-16 are currently pending.
Claims 1-2, and 6 are amended.
Claims 13-16 are newly added.
Claims 1 and 6 are independent claims.
Response to Arguments
2. Applicant's arguments, see in pages 5-9 in the submitted Remarks, filed on 3/21/2026, with respect to the rejection on independent claims 1 and 6 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
For claim 8, regarding the limitation “wherein the earth ground measurement device has a mounting interface that is configured to mount the earth ground measurement device on a DIN rail”. The applicant argued: “Though it is correct that the system shown in the Leen, et al. U.S. patent may be mounted on a DIN rail, there is simply nothing disclosed about any kind of earth resistance measurement, lightning protection-related measurements or measurement of any similar electrical properties at all. The Leen, et al. U.S. patent cannot provide anything regarding how an earth ground measurement device shall be designed or run, let alone about the specific multi-channel design of Claims 1 and 6. Additionally, Applicant respectfully urges that the Leen, et al. U.S. patent is not analogous art to Applicant's claimed system and method for measuring earth ground resistance because it is neither in the same field of endeavor nor reasonably pertinent to the particular problem to be solved by Applicant's invention…”.
In response to applicant's argument that Leen is not analogous art, it has been held that a prior art reference must either be in the field of applicant's endeavor or, if not, then be reasonably pertinent to the particular problem with which the applicant was concerned, in order to be relied upon as a basis for rejection of the claimed invention. See In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 24 USPQ2d 1443 (Fed. Cir. 1992). In this case, the electrical controller device (12 in Fig.2) in Leen is designed so that it can be mounted on a DIN rail (15 in Fig. 2), serves a similar purpose as the electrical measurement device is configured being mounted on a DIN rail in the present invention.
Examiner Notes
3. Examiner cites particular paragraphs, columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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 of this title, 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.
5. Claims 1, 3-6, 9-10 and 12-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou (US. Pub. 2022/0260621; hereinafter “Zhou”) in view of Guo et al. (CN212111595 with translation attachment; hereinafter “Guo”).
Regarding claim 1, Zhou discloses, in Figs. 5-8, a method of measuring earth ground resistance (a method for measuring a resistance parameter of a grounding system.., see paragraph [0009] and Fig. 5), the method comprising the steps of: - performing an earth ground resistance measurement by an earth ground measurement device, thereby obtaining measurement data (inputting a driving current into a plurality of sections of a grounding system path, where the grounding system path includes at least a grounded apparatus, a grounding body, and a downlead connecting the grounded apparatus and the grounding body; measuring, by a current sensing apparatus of the monitor, response voltages generated by the plurality of sections, and acquiring a response current flowing through the downlead, see at least in [0009]), - gathering the measurement data via at least two different channels of the earth ground measurement device such that multiple measurements are performed at once, wherein each of the at least two different channels is configured to perform the earth ground resistance measurement (a plurality of driving electrodes (equivalent to a plurality of injected current channels) connected to a current output end of a monitor, disposed at a plurality of sections of a grounding system path, and configured to input a driving current into the plurality of sections, where the grounding system path includes at least a grounded apparatus, a grounding body, and a downlead connecting the grounded apparatus and the grounding body; a plurality of sensing electrodes (equivalent to a plurality of received current channels) connected to a voltage input end of the monitor, wherein the plurality of sensing electrodes and the plurality of driving electrodes are disposed at the plurality of sections in pairs, and the sensing electrodes are configured to measure response voltages generated by the plurality of sections; a current sensing apparatus, connected to a current acquisition input end of the monitor, sleeved on the downlead, and configured to sense a response current flowing through the downlead; and the monitor, configured to determine a resistance parameter of the grounding system path according to the driving current, the response voltages and the response current, see at least in [0010, 44]), and - uploading the measurement data automatically to a remote processing module separately formed with respect to the earth ground measurement device (The wireless communication module of the monitor may be a wireless module including an antenna. The monitor may transmit information, such as resistance parameters related to the grounding system path obtained through measurement, to a monitoring network host in real time by using the communication module, and receive a set parameter and a monitoring instruction of the monitoring network host, see least in [0013, 65]).
Zhou does not explicitly specify that each of the at least two different channels has at least three interfaces connected with electrodes used for performing the earth ground resistance measurement.
Guo discloses, in Figs. 2-3, a multi-point synchronous measuring system based on soil resistivity measurement, by setting a plurality channels of measuring units, it can collect voltage on a plurality of electrodes at one time (see abstract and Figs. 2-3), the multi-point synchronous measuring system comprises a plurality of measurement channels, each of the plurality of measurement channels has a relay which is configured to have eight interfaces connected with electrodes used for performing on soil resistivity measurement (see annotated Figs. 2-3 below).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the earth ground measurement device of Zhou by having each of the measurement channel has at least three interfaces connected with electrodes used for performing the earth ground resistance measurement as taught by Guo, for purpose of providing the multi-point synchronous measurement system having advantages by setting up multiple N-channel measurement units, the voltage on multiple electrodes can be acquired at one time (see page 4 of Guo).
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Regarding claim 3, Zhou and Guo disclose the method according to claim 1, Zhou further teaches wherein the remote processing module (such as a monitoring network host 82 in Fig. 8) comprises a measurement data analysis circuit that processes the measurement data uploaded, thereby analyzing the measurement data automatically (see [140, 143]).
Regarding claim 4, Zhou and Guo disclose the method according to claim 1, Zhou further teaches wherein the remote processing module (82) is a data collection server to which the measurement data collected is automatically uploaded by means of the at least one communication module of the earth ground measurement device (see [0042, 65, 67, 140, 143]).
Regarding claim 5, Zhou and Guo disclose the method according to claim 1, Zhou further teaches wherein earth leakage measurements, earth integrity measurements and/or neutral to earth voltage measurements are performed (measuring current flowed for detecting earth leakage, see [003-5] and the summary).
Regarding claim 6, Zhou discloses, in Figs. 1-8, a system for measuring earth ground resistance (a system for measuring a resistance parameter of a grounding system in Figs. 2-4), the system comprising an earth ground measurement device (a monitor 21 in Figs. 2-4), wherein the earth ground measurement device (21) has a test module configured to perform earth ground resistance measurements (inputting a driving current into a plurality of sections of a grounding system path, where the grounding system path includes at least a grounded apparatus, a grounding body, and a downlead connecting the grounded apparatus and the grounding body; measuring, by a current sensing apparatus of the monitor, response voltages generated by the plurality of sections, and acquiring a response current flowing through the downlead, see at least in [0009]), wherein the earth ground measurement device comprises at least two different channels, wherein each of the at least two channels is configured to perform an earth ground resistance measurement (a plurality of driving electrodes (equivalent to injected current channels) connected to a current output end of a monitor, disposed at a plurality of sections of a grounding system path, and configured to input a driving current into the plurality of sections, where the grounding system path includes at least a grounded apparatus, a grounding body, and a downlead connecting the grounded apparatus and the grounding body; a plurality of sensing electrodes (equivalent to received current channels) connected to a voltage input end of the monitor, wherein the plurality of sensing electrodes and the plurality of driving electrodes are disposed at the plurality of sections in pairs, and the sensing electrodes are configured to measure response voltages generated by the plurality of sections; a current sensing apparatus, connected to a current acquisition input end of the monitor, sleeved on the downlead, and configured to sense a response current flowing through the downlead; and the monitor, configured to determine a resistance parameter of the grounding system path according to the driving current, the response voltages and the response current, see at least in [0010, 44]),, and wherein the earth ground measurement device further has at least one communication module configured to communicate measurement data obtained to a remote processing module (The wireless communication module of the monitor may be a wireless module including an antenna. The monitor may transmit information, such as resistance parameters related to the grounding system path obtained through measurement, to a monitoring network host in real time by using the communication module, and receive a set parameter and a monitoring instruction of the monitoring network host, see least in [0013, 65]).
Zhou does not explicitly specify that each of the at least two different channels has at least three interfaces connected with electrodes used for performing the earth ground resistance measurement.
Guo discloses, in Figs. 2-3, a multi-point synchronous measuring system based on soil resistivity measurement, by setting a plurality channels of measuring units, it can collect voltage on a plurality of electrodes at one time (see abstract and Figs. 2-3), the multi-point synchronous measuring system comprises a plurality of measurement channels, each of the plurality of measurement channels has a relay which is configured to have eight interfaces connected with electrodes used for performing on soil resistivity measurement (see annotated Figs. 2-3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the earth ground measurement device of Zhou by having each of the measurement channel has at least three interfaces connected with electrodes used for performing the earth ground resistance measurement as taught by Guo, for purpose of providing the multi-point synchronous measurement system having advantages by setting up multiple N-channel measurement units, the voltage on multiple electrodes can be acquired at one time (see page 4 of Guo).
Regarding claim 9, Zhou and Guo disclose the system according to claim 6, Zhou further teaches wherein the at least one communication module is configured to communicate via an Internet Protocol and/or a Modbus data communication protocol, particularly Wi-Fi, Modbus TCP or Modbus RTU (see [0065, 0109]).
Regarding claim 10, Zhou and Guo disclose the system according to claim 6, Zhou further teaches wherein the system comprises a data collection server that is configured to communicate with the earth ground measurement device via the communication module of the earth ground measurement device (see [0042, 65, 67, 140, 143]).
Regarding claim 12, Zhou and Guo disclose the system according to claim 6, Zhou further teaches wherein the system also comprises an earth integrity measurement module and/or a neutral to earth voltage measurement module (measuring current flowed for detecting earth leakage, see [003-5] and the summary).
Regarding claim 13, Zhou and Guo disclose the method according to claim 1, Guo further teaches wherein all of the electrodes are placed into soil (“the embodiment is further provided with a relay array. wherein one end of the electrode is inserted into the soil to be tested;..”, see page 4).
Regarding claim 14, Zhou and Guo disclose the method according to claim 1, Guo further teaches wherein the at least two different channels are used to perform the respective earth ground resistance measurement at two distinct testing areas (as shown Figs. 2-3, multiple measurement channels each has at least eight measurement electrodes, thus each measurement channel can be selected for performing on soil resistivity measurement on different testing zones as desired. Also see page 4).
Regarding claim 15, Zhou and Guo disclose the system of claim 6, wherein all of the electrodes are placed into soil (“the embodiment is further provided with a relay array. wherein one end of the electrode is inserted into the soil to be tested;..”, see page 4).
Regarding claim 16, Zhou and Guo disclose the system of claim 6, wherein the at least two different channels are configured to perform the respective earth ground resistance measurement at two distinct testing areas (as shown Figs. 2-3, multiple measurement channels each has at least eight measurement electrodes, thus each measurement channel can be selected for performing on soil resistivity measurement on different testing zones as desired. Also see page 4).
6. Claims 2, 7 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou in view of Gou and further in view of Saito (JP2014173965; hereinafter “Saito”).
Regarding claim 2 and similarly claim 7, taking claim 2 as an example, Zhou and Gou disclose the method according to claim 1, except for explicitly specifying wherein a signal generator of the earth ground measurement device is controlled to generate a constant current signal that is forwarded to one electrode per channel such that a predetermined current is generated between two respective electrodes of each channel, thereby providing a current feedback, and wherein a third electrode per channel provides a voltage feedback.
Saito discloses, in Fig. 1, a earth ground measurement device (a ground resistance meter 1) comprising a signal generator (a constant current source 2) that is controlled to generate a constant current signal (a constant current measurement signal I) that is forwarded to one electrode (a first electrode P, second electrode C) per channel such that a predetermined current is generated between two respective electrodes of each channel (see at least in [0017-18]), thereby providing a current feedback, and wherein a third electrode (a ground electrode P) per channel provides a voltage feedback (see Fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the earth ground measurement device of Zhou and Guo by having a signal generator of the earth ground measurement device is controlled to generate a constant current signal that is forwarded to one electrode per channel such that a predetermined current is generated between two respective electrodes of each channel, thereby providing a current feedback, and wherein a third electrode per channel provides a voltage feedback, as taught by Saito for purpose of providing a grounding resistance meter determines availability of measurement of the grounding resistance even if a voltage is large to some extent or more when the grounding resistance value of an auxiliary grounding electrode is small, so that a constant current source can supply the alternating current constant current by regular measurement electric current value within a range of below the maximum output voltage value of the constant current source, thus measuring the grounding resistance value of the to-be-measured grounding electrode correctly (see the summary).
Regarding claim 11, Zhou and Guo disclose the system according to claim 6, except for explicitly specifying wherein the system is configured to use an injected current in the range of 2 mA to 15 mA at a frequency range up to 820 Hz.
Saito discloses a grounding resistance meter is configured to use an injected current in the range of 2 mA to 15 mA (see [0024, 50]) at a frequency range up to 820 Hz (see [0019]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the earth ground measurement device of Guo and Guo by having the system is configured to use an injected current in the range of 2 mA to 15 mA at a frequency range up to 820 Hz, as taught by Saito for purpose of providing a grounding resistance meter determines availability of measurement of the grounding resistance even if a voltage is large to some extent or more when the grounding resistance value of an auxiliary grounding electrode is small, so that a constant current source can supply the alternating current constant current by regular measurement electric current value within a range of below the maximum output voltage value of the constant current source, thus measuring the grounding resistance value of the to-be-measured grounding electrode correctly (see the summary).
7. Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou in view of Guo and further in view of Leen et al. (US. Pat. 12079448; hereinafter “Leen”).
Regarding claim 8, Zhou and Guo disclose the system according to claim 6, except for explicitly specifying that wherein the earth ground measurement device has a mounting interface that is configured to mount the earth ground measurement device on a DIN rail.
Leen discloses, in Fig. 2, a control system (10) having a mounting interface that is configured to mount the earth ground measurement device on a DIN rail (15)(see Col. 4 lines 15-25).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the earth ground measurement device of Zhou and Guo by having a mounting interface that is configured to mount the earth ground measurement device on a DIN rail, as taught by Leen in order to meet the system design and specification requirement.
Conclusion
9. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANG LE whose telephone number is (571)272-9349. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday thru Friday 7:30AM-5:00PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached on (571) 272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THANG X LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
5/17/2026
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