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 § 102
(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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN109975453, hereinafter CN.
With respect to Claim 1, CN discloses [see figs 1 and 2] a control method for an intelligent automatic control system for mine gas chromatographs, wherein the intelligent automatic control system comprises a mine gas chromatograph [1], a remote mobile control terminal [5], at least one gas generator solenoid valve [7], a column [column heater 5 implies a column], an FID [FID heater 102 implies an FID], a TCD [120], and a reformer [reformer heater 104 implies a reformer], the method comprising:
operating the remote mobile control terminal; turning on, via operating the remote mobile control terminal, a power switch of the mine gas chromatograph [see page 3, para 3 “clicking open the main power”] and the at least one gas generator solenoid valve [see page 6, first para]; reading an initial column temperature, an initial FID temperature, an initial TCD temperature, and an initial reformer temperature; and starting the mine gas chromatograph [every temperature sensor will necessarily have an initial reading, page 5, final para describes starting the chromatograph].
With respect to Claim 2, CN discloses further comprising turning on, via the remote mobile control terminal, a column heater, an FID heater, a TCD heater, and a reformer heater. Page 5, final paragraph, continued on page 6 shows the remote mobile control terminal controlling the heaters.
With respect to Claim 3, CN discloses further comprising: heating, via the column heater, the column to a running column temperature; heating, via the FID heater, the FID to a running FID temperature; heating, via the TCD heater, the TCD to a running TCD temperature; and heating, via the reformer heater, the reformer to a running reformer temperature. Page 5, final paragraph, continued on page 6 shows the remote mobile control terminal controlling the heaters, and defines the temperature bands to which the column, FID, TCD and reformer should be heated.
With respect to Claim 4, CN discloses further comprising: achieving a normal air pressure, as read by an air pressure sensor; achieving a normal hydrogen pressure, as read by a hydrogen pressure sensor; and achieving a normal nitrogen pressure, as read by a nitrogen pressure sensor. Page 3, para 4 describes the pressure sensors
With respect to Claim 5, CN discloses further comprising: turning on, via the remote mobile control terminal, a TCD bridge solenoid valve. See page 4, para under “specific implementation methods”
With respect to Claim 6, CN discloses further comprising: connecting, via the remote mobile control terminal, FID ignition coils; and igniting, via connecting the FID ignition coils, the FID. See page 3, para 4.
With respect to Claim 7, CN discloses further comprising: connecting, via the remote mobile control terminal, a six-way injection valve and a ten-way injection valve. See page 3, para 4.
With respect to Claim 8, CN discloses further comprising: analyzing, via the mine gas chromatograph, a standard gas; and calibrating, via the mine gas chromatograph, the standard gas. See page 3, para 4.
With respect to Claim 9, CN discloses further comprising: setting, via the remote mobile control terminal, a number of cycles, an analysis time, and a sampling time of a sample gas. See page 8, claim 6, the “gas circulation number” is taken to read on the number of cycles.
With respect to Claim 10, CN discloses further comprising: starting, via the remote mobile control terminal, an injection pump; and analyzing, via the mine gas chromatograph, the sample gas. See page 6, first paragraph, the “feeding pump” reads on the injection pump.
With respect to Claim 11, CN discloses further comprising: turning off, via the remote mobile control terminal, the column heater, the FID heater, the TCD heater, and the reformer heater. Page 6, first para describes temperatures in which the system is shut down.
With respect to Claim 12, CN discloses further comprising sounding an alarm, prior to heating the column, the FID, the TCD, and the reformer, when an initial temperature selected from the group consisting of the initial column temperature, the initial FID temperature, the initial TCD temperature, and the initial reformer temperature is outside of a nominal initial temperature range. See page 6, 2nd para.
With respect to Claim 13, CN discloses further comprising shutting down, one minute after sounding the alarm, the intelligent automatic control system. See page 8, claim 7.
With respect to Claim 14, CN discloses further comprising sounding an alarm, prior to achieving the normal air pressure, the normal hydrogen pressure, and the normal nitrogen pressure, when a running temperature selected from the group consisting of the running column temperature, the running FID temperature, the running TCD temperature, and the running reformer temperature is outside of a nominal running temperature range. See page 3, final 3 paragraphs, the temperature range alarm occurs before the pressure check.
With respect to Claim 15, CN discloses further comprising shutting down, one minute after sounding the alarm, the intelligent automatic control system. See page 3, final 3 paragraphs, shutdown after 1, claims 7-9 state 1 minute.
With respect to Claim 16, CN discloses further comprising sounding an alarm, prior to turning on the TCD bridge solenoid valve, when a pressure selected from the group consisting of the normal air pressure, the normal hydrogen pressure, and the normal nitrogen pressure is outside of a nominal pressure range. Page 3, para 4 indicates monitoring normal air, hydrogen and nitrogen pressure, page 3, final para shows alarm when pressures are outside their normal range, and note the alarm shuts the system down, preventing a switching of the valve.
With respect to Claim 17, CN discloses further comprising shutting down, one minute after sounding the alarm, the intelligent automatic control system. See page 7, para 1 and 2, and claim 7.
With respect to Claim 18, CN discloses wherein operating the remote mobile control terminal comprises operating a device is a mobile phone. See page 2, para under “summary of the invention”.
With respect to Claim 19, CN discloses an intelligent automatic control system for mine gas chromatographs, comprising: a mine gas chromatograph; a remote mobile control terminal [5] communicatively coupled to the mine gas chromatograph; at least one gas generator solenoid valve [7] communicatively coupled to the remote mobile control terminal; a column [page 4, final para ] communicatively coupled to the remote mobile control terminal; an FID [page 4, final para ] communicatively coupled to the remote mobile control terminal; a TCD [page 4, final para ] communicatively coupled to the remote mobile control terminal; a reformer [page 4, final para ] communicatively coupled to the remote mobile control terminal; and a non-transitory computer-readable media executable by a processor of remote mobile control terminal, the non-transitory computer-readable media configured to cause the remote control terminal to perform the steps of: turning on a power switch of the mine gas chromatograph and the at least one gas generator solenoid valve; reading an initial column temperature, an initial FID temperature, an initial TCD temperature, and an initial reformer temperature; and starting the mine gas chromatograph. See page 3, para 4 and consider that in order for the mobile phone to carry out the steps, it must have a non-transitory computer-readable media and processor. Page 3, para 4 also details starting the device based on initial temperature readings.
With respect to Claim 20, CN discloses that, the non-transitory computer-readable media configured to cause the remote control terminal to further perform the steps of: turning on, via the remote mobile control terminal, a column heater, an FID heater, a TCD heater, and a reformer heater; heating the column to a running column temperature; heating the FID to a running FID temperature; heating the TCD to a running TCD temperature; and heating the reformer to a running reformer temperature. Page 3, para 4 shows running the heaters to operating temperatures.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEX T DEVITO whose telephone number is (571)270-7551. The examiner can normally be reached 12pm- 8 pm EST M-S.
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, John Breene can be reached at 571-272-4107. 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.
/ALEX T DEVITO/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/JOHN E BREENE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855