CTNF 18/344,351 CTNF 95628 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 08-25-01 AIA Applicant’s election without traverse of Claims 1-18 in the reply filed on 01/07/2026 is acknowledged. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101 07-04-01 AIA 07-04 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows: Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title. Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. Specifically, representative Claim 1 recites: A method for detecting a missing or faulty sensor configuration when connecting a sensor to a transmitter, wherein the sensor is connected to a sensor port of the transmitter and is in communication connection with the transmitter, the method comprising: retrieving first information concerning the transmitter by the sensor from the transmitter, wherein the first information concerning the transmitter includes a number of the sensor port of the transmitter to which the sensor is connected, and identification information of the transmitter; checking by an electronics of the sensor whether second information concerning the transmitter is stored in a memory unit of the sensor , wherein the second information concerning the transmitter includes a number of a sensor port and an identification of a transmitter; when the second information concerning the transmitter is stored in the memory unit of the sensor: ( Note this and the remaining limitations are contingent on the information being stored, and therefore do not carry patentable weight ) retrieving the second information concerning the transmitter by the electronics of the sensor; and comparing the first information concerning the transmitter with the second information concerning the transmitter; and informing a user when the first information concerning the transmitter differs from the second information concerning the transmitter or when no second information concerning the transmitter is stored in the memory unit of the sensor. The claim limitations in the abstract idea have been highlighted in bold above; the remaining limitations are “additional elements”. Under the Step 1 of the eligibility analysis, we determine whether the claims are to a statutory category by considering whether the claimed subject matter falls within the four statutory categories of patentable subject matter identified by 35 U.S.C. 101: Process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter. The above claim is considered to be in a statutory category (process). Under the Step 2A, Prong One, we consider whether the claim recites a judicial exception (abstract idea). In the above claim, the highlighted portion constitutes an abstract idea because, under a broadest reasonable interpretation, it recites limitations that fall into/recite an abstract idea exceptions. Specifically, under the 2019 Revised Patent Subject matter Eligibility Guidance, it falls into the grouping of subject matter when recited as such in a claim limitation, that covers mathematical concepts (mathematical relationships, mathematical formulas or equations, mathematical calculations) and mental processes – concepts performed in the human mind including an observation, evaluation, judgement, and/or opinion. For example, steps of “retrieving first information concerning the transmitter, wherein the first information concerning the transmitter includes a number of the sensor port of the transmitter to which the sensor is connected, and identification information of the transmitter (finding information on the transmitter and its relation to the connected sensor) ; checking whether second information concerning the transmitter is stored, wherein the second information concerning the transmitter includes a number of a sensor port and an identification of a transmitter (checking a diagram/table for expected connection between two devices or recognizing that the sensor is simple and therefore cannot store data) ; when the second information concerning the transmitter is stored in the memory unit of the sensor: (Determination. Note this and the remaining limitations are contingent on the information being stored, and therefore do not carry patentable weight as stated above ) retrieving the second information concerning the transmitter by the electronics of the sensor (reading the found information from diagram/table) ; and comparing the first information concerning the transmitter with the second information concerning the transmitter (check for matching) ; and informing a user when the first information concerning the transmitter differs from the second information concerning the transmitter or when no second information concerning the transmitter is stored in the memory unit of the sensor (share findings) ” are treated by the Examiner as belonging to mental process grouping . Similar limitations comprise the abstract ideas of Claims 5, 9, and 15 . Next, under the Step 2A, Prong Two, we consider whether the claim that recites a judicial exception is integrated into a practical application. In this step, we evaluate whether the claim recites additional elements that integrate the exception into a practical application of that exception. The above claims comprise the following additional elements: Claim 1: A method for detecting a missing or faulty sensor configuration when connecting a sensor to a transmitter, wherein the sensor is connected to a sensor port of the transmitter and is in communication connection with the transmitter; transmitter, sensor, memory unit; Claim 5: A method for detecting a missing or faulty sensor configuration when connecting a sensor with a transmitter, wherein the sensor is connected to a sensor port of the transmitter and is in communication connection with the transmitter; transmitter, sensor, memory unit; Claim 9: A transmitter-sensor system, comprising a transmitter having at least one sensor port for connecting a sensor; a sensor comprising: an interface for connecting to the at least one sensor port of the transmitter; a memory unit; an electronics; Claim 15: A transmitter-sensor system, comprising: a sensor having an interface for connecting to at least one sensor port of a transmitter; the transmitter comprising: the at least one sensor port for connecting a sensor; a memory unit; an electronics. The additional element in the preamble of “A method for detecting a missing or faulty sensor configuration when connecting a sensor to a transmitter, wherein the sensor is connected to a sensor port of the transmitter and is in communication connection with the transmitter/A transmitter-sensor system” is not qualified for a meaningful limitation because it only generally links the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. A memory unit (generic memory) and a transmitter, sensor, and electronics (generic processors) are generally recited and are not qualified as particular machines. Note the transmitter, sensor, and electronics, though specifically names, are considered generally recited because as written, they are only used to collect and analyze data like a generic computer/processor. In conclusion, the above additional elements, considered individually and in combination with the other claim elements do not reflect an improvement to other technology or technical field, and, therefore, do not integrate the judicial exception into a practical application. Therefore, the claims are directed to a judicial exception and require further analysis under the Step 2B. However, the above claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception (Step 2B analysis). The claims, therefore, are not patent eligible. With regards to the dependent claims, claims 2-4, 6-8, 10-14 and 16-18 provide additional features/steps which are part of an expanded algorithm, so these limitations should be considered part of an expanded abstract idea of the independent claims. The Examiner notes that there are currently no prior art rejections. The current invention discloses a transmitter and sensor connection, where a sensor port number and ID of the transmitter are stored within both the sensor and transmitter. The port number and ID of each are compared to determine if they are consistent. Although protocols such as Highway Addressable Remote Transducer Protocol (HART) are well known communicating identifications when establishing connection, none of the prior art (discussed below) includes storing and checking a specific port number to analyze the connection. Smart sensors tend to store their own data about the sensor and calibration, rather than data about the transmitter or transducer they are connected to. Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Robl (US 20180164130 A1) discloses a Method For Operating A Measuring Transducer, And Corresponding Measuring Transducer. Robl discloses a transducer that stores a sensor-specific software from the sensor during an initial connection (Robl [0056]), allowed the transducer to add new sensor-specific software, or retrieve old sensor software from memory (Robl [0059]). Robl does not seem to disclose the sensor storing any data about the port number or ID of the transducer. Hilsendegen et al. (US 20220170768 A1). hereinafter “Hilsendegen”, discloses Commissioning And Maintenance Of Sensor And Measuring Transducer. Hilsendegen discloses a storage device that stores the identities and operation information of a sensor and measuring transducer to determine compatibility (Hilsendegen [0010]). Hilsendegen does not seem to disclose retrieving a sensor port number of the transmitter, or checking whether the port number and ID of the transmitter matches data stored in the sensor. Mejegard et al. (US 20150123815 A1), hereinafter “Mejegard”, discloses Data Collection System And Method For Fleet Management. More specifically, Mejegard teaches a sensor 300 with a memory 330 connected to a radio of a transceiver 325 (see Mejegard [0085] and Fig. 3A). The memory stores collected data including nearby communication ID codes (Mejegard [0110]). Mejegard does not seem to disclose storing the communication device port number and ID codes, then checking them against each other. Wikipedia ("Highway Addressable Remote Transducer Protocol." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 13 Jun. 2022) discloses The HART Communication Protocol (Highway Addressable Remote Transducer) Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTIAN T BRYANT whose telephone number is (571)272-4194. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday and Alternate Fridays 7:00-4:30. 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, CATHERINE RASTOVSKI can be reached at (571) 270-0349. 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. /CHRISTIAN T BRYANT/Examiner, Art Unit 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/344,351 Page 2 Art Unit: 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/344,351 Page 3 Art Unit: 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/344,351 Page 4 Art Unit: 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/344,351 Page 5 Art Unit: 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/344,351 Page 6 Art Unit: 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/344,351 Page 7 Art Unit: 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/344,351 Page 8 Art Unit: 2857 Application/Control Number: 18/344,351 Page 9 Art Unit: 2857