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 § 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 1-19 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.
Claim 1 recites “first and second temperature measurement sections provided for each of a plurality of small regions into which a large region where a normal temperature range is predetermined is divided in a measurement target and configured to measure a temperature within the small region”. However it is not clear what this limitation means. The claims seems to imply that each small region has a large region that is divided, which does not make sense. Furthermore it is not clear what divided in a measurement target means. Similarly Claim 10 recites “a first temperature measurement step of measuring a temperature of a small region for each of a plurality of small regions into which a large region where a normal temperature range is predetermined is divided in a measurement target in a first temperature measurement section;”. However it is not clear what this means and is therefore indefinite. Claims 1-5, 8-14, 16, 18-19 recite “small region”. The term "small" is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term "small" is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Claims 1, 6, 10, 15, 16, recite “large region”. The term "large" is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term "small" is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Claims 1, 8, 10, 18 recite “normal temperature range”. The term "normal" is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term "small" is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Claim 1 recites “change rate calculation sections provided for each of the plurality of small regions and configured to obtain a first temperature change rate, which is a change rate per unit time in the first measured temperature” This seems to imply that the change rate calculation sections merely obtains a first temperature change rate. However such an obtained change rate is claimed to be the change rate per unit time in the first measured temperature. It is not clear how obtaining data can cause measured data to be a particular rate and is therefore indefinite. Claim 1 recites first and second temperature measurement sections provided for each of a plurality of small regions a temperature deviation calculation section provided for each of the plurality of small regions a deviation abnormality determination section provided for each of the plurality of small regions
change rate calculation sections provided for each of the plurality of small regions representative change rate calculation sections configured to obtain a representative change rate, which is a value representative of the temperature change rate for each of the plurality of small regions change rate abnormality determination sections provided for each of the plurality of small regions However the claims recite “section/sections provided for each of a plurality of small regions.” It is not clear how section and sections are related to each of the plurality of small regions. Does each small region have its own section or sections? Claims 7, 17 recites “short-time”, “long-time”. The terms “short”,"long" are relative terms which renders the claim indefinite. The terms ”short”, "long" are not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Prior art could not be applied to the claims due to the 35 U.S.C. §112(b) Rejections above. Examiner recommends Applicant to schedule an interview to discuss the claimed invention, and claim language, to help Examiner better understand the intended meaning of the claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Tanaka (US 2008/0276595 A1) teaches a gas turbine protection apparatus, which can output a gas turbine protection signal only when a combustor is abnormal, without increasing the number of temperature sensors such as thermocouples
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YOSHIHISA ISHIZUKA whose telephone number is (571)270-7050. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11:00-7:00.
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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.
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YOSHIHISA . ISHIZUKA
Examiner
Art Unit 2857
/YOSHIHISA ISHIZUKA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
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