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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Abnormal Signal Processing Apparatus and Method.
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.
Claims 2, 8 and 14 are 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.
Regarding claims 2, 8 and 14, the claims recite the phrase “ a set including a point where a degree of similarity between a signal at this point”, however it is unclear what “this point” is. Therefore, the claim has been rendered indefinite.
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.
Claim(s) 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by NEC Corporation WO2021176683 (hereinafter “NEC”).
Regarding claim 1, NEC discloses a signal processing apparatus (Optical sensing device-20 includes utilizes computer-50) comprising: at least one memory (memory-502 and storage-503) configured to store instructions; and at least one processor (processor-501) configured to execute the instructions to: acquire signals (specific unit-22) measured by a signal measurement apparatus (Transmitting and receiving unit-21) at a plurality of points (Fig 5, paragraph 0038 discloses using multiple target points near the center of a target point) located along an optical fiber (optical fiber-11); and determine whether there is an event (Paragraph 0017) based on a degree of similarity between the signals measured at adjacent points (Unit-22 compares multiple data points containing multiple sensed parameters). (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100)
Regarding claim 2, NEC discloses the at least one processor (processor-501) is further configured to execute the instructions to: generate, for each of the plurality of points (Fig 5, paragraph 0038 discloses using multiple target points near the center of a target point), a set including a point where a degree of similarity between a signal at this point and a signal at a target point is to be calculated (Paragraph 0019-0026); calculate, for each of the plurality of points, a degree of similarity between the signal at a target point and a signal at the point included in the set in which the target point is included (Paragraph 0036-0043); and determine, for each of the plurality of points, whether there is an event (Paragraph 0017) based on the degree of similarity between the signal at a target point and a signal at an adjacent point that is adjacent to the target point (Unit-22 compares multiple data points containing multiple sensed parameters). (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100).
Regarding claim 3, NEC discloses the at least one processor (processor-501) is further configured to execute the instructions to select, for each of the plurality of points, an adjacent point that is adjacent to a target point, and include the selected adjacent point in the set in which the target point is included. (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100).
Regarding claim 4, NEC discloses the signal measurement apparatus (Transmitting and receiving unit-21) is an apparatus configured to handle a signal measured at any gauge length as a signal at one point, and the at least one processor (processor-501) is further configured to execute the instructions to include in the set in which the target point is included, for each of the plurality of points, a point located within a range of a predetermined number times the gauge length from the target point. (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100).
Regarding claim 5, NEC discloses the at least one processor (processor-501) is further configured to execute the instructions to include in the set in which the target point is included, for each of the plurality of points (Fig 5, paragraph 0038 discloses using multiple target points near the center of a target point), a point located within a range of a predetermined distance from the target point. (Paragraph 0023-0024, 0036-0038)
Regarding claim 6, NEC discloses the at least one processor (processor-501) is further configured to execute the instructions to: perform signal processing on the signal acquired by a signal acquisition unit (acquisition unit-25); and calculate a degree of similarity between the signals that have been subjected to the signal processing. (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100)
Regarding claim 7, NEC discloses a signal processing method (optical fiber sensing device-20 implements the method) executed by a signal processing apparatus, the signal processing method comprising: a signal acquisition step (unit-21 and/or acquisition unit-25) of acquiring signals measured by a signal measurement apparatus at a plurality of points (Fig 5, paragraph 0038 discloses using multiple target points near the center of a target point) located along an optical fiber (optical fiber-11); and a determination step of determining whether there is an event (Paragraph 0017) based on a degree of similarity between the signals measured at adjacent points (Unit-22 compares multiple data points containing multiple sensed parameters). (Fig 1, 5, 7, 13, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100).
Regarding claim 8, NEC discloses the determination step comprises: a set generation step of generating, for each of the plurality of points (Fig 5, paragraph 0038 discloses using multiple target points near the center of a target point), a set including a point where a degree (Paragraph 0017) of similarity between a signal at this point and a signal at a target point is to be calculated; a degree of similarity calculation step of calculating, for each of the plurality of points, a degree of similarity between the signal at a target point and a signal at the point included in the set in which the target point is included (Paragraph 0019-0026); and an event determination step of determining, for each of the plurality of points, whether there is an event based on the degree of similarity between the signal at a target point and a signal at an adjacent point that is adjacent to the target point (Unit-22 compares multiple data points containing multiple sensed parameters). (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100).
Regarding claim 9, NEC discloses in the set generation step (processor-501), for each of the plurality of points, an adjacent point that is adjacent to a target point is selected, and the selected adjacent point is included in the set in which the target point is included. (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100).
Regarding claim 10, NEC discloses the signal measurement apparatus (unit-21) is an apparatus configured to handle a signal measured at any gauge length as a signal at one point, and in the set generation step, for each of the plurality of points (Fig 5, paragraph 0038 discloses using multiple target points near the center of a target point), a point located within a range of a predetermined number times the gauge length from the target point is included in the set in which the target point is included. (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100).
Regarding claim 11, NEC discloses in the set generation step, for each of the plurality of points (Fig 5, paragraph 0038 discloses using multiple target points near the center of a target point), a point located within a range of a predetermined distance from the target point is included in the set in which the target point is included. (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100)
Regarding claim 12, NEC discloses in the degree of similarity calculation step (processor-501), signal processing is performed on the signal acquired by the signal acquisition step, and a degree of similarity between the signals that have been subjected to the signal processing is calculated (Unit-22 compares multiple data points containing multiple sensed parameters). (Fig 1, 5, 7, 13, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100).
Regarding claim 13, NEC discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute (Paragraph 0098): a signal acquisition procedure for acquiring signals measured by a signal measurement apparatus (unit-21) at a plurality of points (Fig 5, paragraph 0038 discloses using multiple target points near the center of a target point) located along an optical fiber (optical fiber-11); and a determination procedure for determining whether there is an event based on a degree of similarity between the signals measured at adjacent points (Unit-22 compares multiple data points containing multiple sensed parameters). (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100)
Regarding claim 14, NEC discloses the determination procedure comprises: a set generation procedure for generating, for each of the plurality of points (Fig 5, paragraph 0038 discloses using multiple target points near the center of a target point), a set including a point where a degree of similarity between a signal at this point and a signal at a target point is to be calculated (Paragraph 0019-0026); a degree of similarity calculation procedure for calculating, for each of the plurality of points, a degree of similarity between the signal at a target point and a signal at the point included in the set in which the target point is included (Paragraph 0036-0043); and an event (Paragraph 0017) determination procedure for determining, for each of the plurality of points, whether there is an event based on the degree of similarity between the signal at a target point and a signal at an adjacent point that is adjacent to the target point. (Unit-22 compares multiple data points containing multiple sensed parameters). (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100).
Regarding claim 15, NEC discloses in the set generation procedure, for each of the plurality of points (Fig 5, paragraph 0038 discloses using multiple target points near the center of a target point), an adjacent point that is adjacent to a target point is selected, and the selected adjacent point is included in the set in which the target point is included. (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100).
Regarding claim 16, NEC discloses the signal measurement apparatus (unit-21) is an apparatus configured to handle a signal measured at any gauge length as a signal at one point, and in the set generation procedure, for each of the plurality of points (Fig 5, paragraph 0038 discloses using multiple target points near the center of a target point), a point located within a range of a predetermined number times the gauge length from the target point is included in the set in which the target point is included. (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100).
Regarding claim 17, NEC discloses in the set generation procedure, for each of the plurality of points (Fig 5, paragraph 0038 discloses using multiple target points near the center of a target point), a point located within a range of a predetermined distance from the target point is included in the set in which the target point is included (Unit-22 compares multiple data points containing multiple sensed parameters). (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0095-0100).
Regarding claim 18, NEC discloses in the degree of similarity calculation procedure, signal processing (unit-22) is performed on the signal acquired by the signal acquisition procedure, and a degree of similarity between the signals that have been subjected to the signal processing is calculated. (Fig 1, 5, 17, Paragraph 0017-0032, 0091-0100).
Conclusion
The prior art as cited on the PTO-892 is made of record and not relied upon but considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NIGEL H PLUMB whose telephone number is (571)272-8886. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7am-5pm.
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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.
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/NIGEL H PLUMB/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/Eric S. McCall/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855