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 .
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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 12/19/2025, with respect to the 112(a) & 112(b) Rejections have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 112(a) & 112(b) Rejections of Office Action dated 08/20/2025 has been withdrawn.
Regarding the 35 USC § 102 arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant states –
Regarding claims 1, 10 and 15, Applicant submits that Halstrom does not disclose the measurement of an environmental condition external to the irrigation system component. While the Examiner alleges that paragraph [0038] discloses this feature. Applicant submits that automation of the detection of underground leaks does not measurement an environmental condition.
The examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant. Halstrom’s processor 190 “measures of an environmental condition” when indicating that there has been a variation (e.g., a decrease) in fluid flow. Additionally, as previously and currently cited Halstrom’s flow of fluid (e.g., water) as described in ¶ [0038], a fluid of water is “an environmental condition”. Moreover, the fluid of water is affected by leakages or water resources is “an external condition” as the leakage move the flow of water outside “external” of the pipe. The limitation is met by Halstrom as (a) a measurement [by 109]; an environmental condition [flow of water] external to the irrigation system component [the leakage is on an outside the pipe]”. Therefore, Halstrom DOES disclose Claim 1 as recited.
Hallstrom is being used to detect a condition of the pipe {a leak). But there is no discussion of measurement of environmental conditions. The flow of water through the pipe is all that is measured and the flow of the water through the pipe is used as an indication of the integrity of the pipe itself. Nothing external to that pipe is evaluated by the device of Hallstrom.
The examiner respectfully with the applicant. The applicant is not explicit to what measurement nor environmental condition nor the how is external to the irrigation system component external”. The examiner is citing the flow of water as the “environmental condition”, the flow of water as the condition and a leakage of freshwater as “external” to the pipe because a leakage is from a pipe. Therefore, Halstrom DOES disclose Claim 1 as recited – also refer to the previous paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 8-13 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being anticipated by Hallstrom (US 2020/0080875).
Regarding Claim 1, Hallstrom disclose an irrigation system component comprising;
a body [152] through which water flows (FIG. 1A, Claim 1; using a micro-turbine and an Energy Harvesting Circuit (“EHC”) to harvest energy from a fluid flowing through a pipeline);
an energy harvesting circuit [112] for converting mechanical energy of water moving through the irrigation system component to electrical energy for use by the irrigation system component (FIG. 1A, Claim 1; using a micro-turbine and an Energy Harvesting Circuit (“EHC”) to harvest energy from a fluid flowing through a pipeline);
a measurement module [190] for measuring at least one condition related the irrigation system (¶ [0058-0059]; This information is then communicated to a local processing device (e.g., processing device 208 of FIG. 2) and/or a remote processing device (e.g., a processor 190 of SBCS 102 shown in FIG. 1B or a remote server). In 322, a decision is made as to whether or not the value indicates that there has been a variation (e.g., a decrease) in fluid flow through the pipeline by a certain percentage (e.g., >5%) during a given period of time or from a reference fluid flow value),
wherein the at least one condition is an environmental condition of an area in proximity to and external to the irrigation system component (¶ [0038]; The EHSD 112 1 provides a transiently-powered wireless sensing device that simultaneously monitors and harvests energy from the flow of fluid (e.g., water) through a pipeline. The EHSD 112 1 automates the detection of underground leaks, which increase irrigation costs, waste freshwater resources, an comprise soil and structural stability), and
a communication circuit [102] for receiving instructions from an irrigation controller [104], the instructions related to operation of the irrigation system component (FIG. 1B, ¶ [0025-0027]; The SBCS 102 is configured to enable and disable normal operations of the irrigation system 100).
Regarding Claim 2, Hallstrom disclose the irrigation system component of claim 1, further comprising: a nozzle [118] for distributing water to a coverage area (FIG. 1A, Claim 3).
Regarding Claim 3, Hallstrom disclose the irrigation system component of claim 2, further comprising: an antenna disposed on the nozzle, the antenna coupled to the communication circuit (Claim 21; further comprising an antenna disposed in).
Regarding Claim 4, Hallstrom disclose the irrigation system component of claim 1, further comprising: a valve [106] for controlling a flow of water through the body, wherein the valve is for receiving control signals from a processing device [150] (FIG. 1A, [0021]; As such, the irrigation system 100 comprises a water supply 108, a pump 109, a control system 150, at least one valve 106 1, 106 2, . . . , 106 N, a plurality of sprinklers 116 1, 116 2, . . . , 116 n, 118 1, 118 2, . . . , 118 x, 120 1, 120 2, . . . , 120 y, and at least one EHSD 112 1, 112 2, . . . , 112 5).
Regarding Claim 6, Hallstrom disclose the irrigation system component of claim 1, wherein the measurement module is for a second condition being a flow rate of water through the body (¶ [0058-0059]; This information is then communicated to a local processing device (e.g., processing device 208 of FIG. 2) and/or a remote processing device (e.g., a processor 190 of SBCS 102 shown in FIG. 1B or a remote server). In 322, a decision is made as to whether or not the value indicates that there has been a variation (e.g., a decrease) in fluid flow through the pipeline by a certain percentage (e.g., >5%) during a given period of time or from a reference fluid flow value.).
Regarding Claim 8, Hallstrom disclose irrigation system component of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit is for sending information related to the at least one condition to the irrigation controller (Claim 17; a processing circuit configured to determine whether the amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline indicates that there has been a variation of fluid flow by a certain percentage).
Regarding Claim 9, Hallstrom disclose the irrigation system component of claim 1, further comprising a processing circuit [208] for executing operation of the irrigation system in response to the at least one condition, the executing operation without instructions from the irrigation controller (¶ [0058]; This information is then communicated to a local processing device (e.g., processing device 208 of FIG. 2) and/or a remote processing device (e.g., a processor 190 of SBCS 102 shown in FIG. 1B or a remote server)).
Regarding Claim 10, Hallstrom disclose a irrigation system component comprising;
a body through which water flows (refer to rejected Claim 1 above, element A);
an energy harvesting circuit for converting mechanical energy of water moving through the irrigation system component to electrical energy for use by the irrigation system component (refer to rejected Claim 1 above, element B); and
a communication circuit for transmitting information to an irrigation controller, the information representative of conditions measured by the irrigation system component (refer to rejected Claim 1 above, element C),
wherein the at least one condition is an environmental condition of an area in proximity to and external to the irrigation system component (refer to rejected Claim 1 above, element D).
Regarding Claim 11, Hallstrom disclose the irrigation system component of claim 10, further comprising an antenna disposed on the body, the antenna coupled to the communication circuit (Refer to rejected Claim 3 above).
Regarding Claim 12, Hallstrom disclose the irrigation system component of claim 10, further comprising
a processing circuit [208] for executing operation of the irrigation system in response to the at least one condition, the executing operation without instructions from the irrigation controller (¶ [0058]; This information is then communicated to a local processing device (e.g., processing device 208 of FIG. 2) and/or a remote processing device (e.g., a processor 190 of SBCS 102 shown in FIG. 1B or a remote server)).
Regarding Claim 13, Hallstrom disclose the irrigation system component of claim 10, wherein the conditions measured by the irrigation system component include a rate of water flow through the body (Claim 17; a processing circuit configured to determine whether the amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline indicates that there has been a variation of fluid flow by a certain percentage).
Regarding Claim 15, Hallstrom disclose the irrigation system component of claim 10, wherein the environmental conditions measured by the irrigation system component include at least one of: temperature, soil moisture content (¶ [0038]; The EHSD 112 1 automates the detection of underground leaks, which increase irrigation costs, waste freshwater resources, an comprise soil and structural stability), or humidity.
Regarding Claim 16, Hallstrom disclose a method comprising:
converting a mechanical energy from water moving through an irrigation system component to electrical energy (refer to rejected Claim 1 above, element B);
measuring conditions external and proximity to the irrigation system component (refer to rejected Claim 1 above, element D);
enabling a communication circuit; receiving, by the communication circuit, at least one control signal from a system controller (refer to rejected Claim 1 above, element C); and
operating the irrigation system component in response to the at least one control signal from the system controller (FIG. 1A, ¶ [0025]).
Regarding Claim 17, Hallstrom disclose the method of claim, 16 further comprising: sending, by the communication circuit, at least one signal representative of a functional status of the irrigation system component (FIG. 1A, [0021]; As such, the irrigation system 100 comprises a water supply 108, a pump 109, a control system 150, at least one valve 106 1, 106 2, . . . , 106 N, a plurality of sprinklers 116 1, 116 2, . . . , 116 n, 118 1, 118 2, . . . , 118 x, 120 1, 120 2, . . . , 120 y, and at least one EHSD 112 1, 112 2, . . . , 112 5.).
Regarding Claim 18, Hallstrom disclose the method of claim 16 further comprising: sending, by the communication circuit, data representative of a water flow rate through the irrigation system component (Claim 17; a processing circuit configured to determine whether the amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline indicates that there has been a variation of fluid flow by a certain percentage).
Regarding Claim 19, Hallstrom disclose the method of claim 16, further comprising: altering at least one function of the irrigation system component without receiving a control signal from the irrigation controller (Claim 17; a processing circuit configured to determine whether the amount of natural fluid flow through the pipeline indicates that there has been a variation of fluid flow by a certain percentage).
Regarding Claim 20, Hallstrom disclose the method of claim 16, wherein operating the irrigation system component in response to the at least one control signal from the system controller comprises: stopping [by 106] a flow of water moving through the irrigation system component (FIG. 1A, ¶ [0025]).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH ORTEGA whose telephone number is (469)295-9083. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 AM - 5 PM.
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, TULSIDAS C. PATEL can be reached on (571)272-2098. 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.
/JOSEPH ORTEGA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834