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 .
Appeal Brief
In view of the Appeal brief filed on 06/12/2026, PROSECUTION IS HEREBY REOPENED. New ground of rejection are set forth below.
To avoid abandonment of the application, appellant must exercise one of the following two options:
(1) file a reply under 37 CFR 1.111 (if this Office action is non-final) or a reply under 37 CFR 1.113 (if this Office action is final); or,
(2) initiate a new appeal by filing a notice of appeal under 37 CFR 41.31 followed by an appeal brief under 37 CFR 41.37. The previously paid notice of appeal fee and appeal brief fee can be applied to the new appeal. If, however, the appeal fees set forth in 37 CFR 41.20 have been increased since they were previously paid, then appellant must pay the difference between the increased fees and the amount previously paid.
A Supervisory Patent Examiner (SPE) has approved of reopening prosecution by signing below:
/LEE E RODAK/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-3 and 5-6, 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schonstedt (U.S. Patent 3736502) in view of Choi (U.S. Publication 2005/0172480A1).
Regarding claim 1, Schonstedt teaches a magnetic detection device comprising a plurality of magnetic sensor units, namely flux gate sensor units 10-24, each including magnetic cores 26, 28 and a signal pickup winding 32 (Figs. 1-2), further an excitation arrangement including excitation wire 36 extending through the magnetic cores, with oscillator 44 supplying AC excitation, and a detection circuit including AC amplifier 48 and phase sensitive detector 46 for acquiring the signal from the pickup windings (Figs. 1-2, 4).
wherein the signal coils of the plurality of magnetic sensor units are connected in series to each other (wherein the signal pickup winding 32 associated with each sensor unit is connected in series with the other signal pickup windings by signal leads 40 (Figs. 1-2; claims 3 and 6)).
Schonstedt does not expressly teach that each magnetic sensor unit includes "an excitation coil and a signal coil formed as conductor patterns on a board and a magnetic core layer arranged on the board."
However, Choi teaches a PCB integrated fluxgate sensor including soft magnetic cores 1, 2, excitation coil 3, and pickup/signal coil 4 ([0023], Figs. 1-2), further teaches the
excitation coil and signal/pickup coil formed as conductor patterns on the board and a
magnetic core layer arranged on the board ([0030]-[0037], Figs. 4A-4H).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement each of Schonstedt's flux gate sensor units using Choi's PCB integrated fluxgate construction, thereby providing each sensor unit with the claimed conductor pattern excitation coil, conductor pattern signal coil, and magnetic core layer arranged on the board, while retaining Schonstedt's series connected signal coil arrangement, to gain advantage or reducing overall system size while maintaining high sensitivity and facilitates lower cost mass production ([0042]-[0043]).
Regarding claim 2, Schonstedt as modified further teaches the excitation coils of the plurality of magnetic sensor units being connected to each other and configured to flow an AC current output from a driving circuit common to the excitation coils (excitation wire 36 extends successively through the magnetic cores 26, 28 of the plurality of flux gate sensor unit sand is energized by common oscillator 44 (Figs. 1-2, 4), further expressly recites excitation conductors associated with the respective magnetic cores being connected in series (claim 6).
Regarding claim 3, Schonstedt does not expressly teach a magnetic core layer having an annular shape and formed on a board along a main surface of the board, with the excitation coil and signal coil arranged to wind around the magnetic core layer by connecting conductor patterns formed on opposite sides of the board so as to sandwich the magnetic core layer.
However, Choi teaches that the magnetic core may be formed as a single rectangular
Ring type core defining a closed magnetic path ([0029]). Choi further teaches forming the
soft magnetic core as a magnetic layer incorporated in the PCB, and forming conductive
patterns on opposite sides of the PCB which are connected through plated via holes 28 to form
excitation coil 3 and pickup/signal coil 4 around the magnetic core ([[0030]-[0037], Figs. 4A-4H).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to implement the magnetic cores and coils of Schonstedt's flux gate sensor units using
Choi's ring type PCB integrated fluxgate construction, thereby providing an annular
magnetic core layer formed along the board and excitation and signal coils formed from
interconnected conductor patterns on opposite sides of the board so as to wind around and
sandwich the magnetic core layer to gain advantage or reducing overall system size while maintaining high sensitivity and facilitates lower cost mass production ([0042]-[0043]).
Regarding claim 5, Schonstedt does not expressly teach that the plurality of magnetic sensor units is "arranged side-by-side along a main surface of the board."
However, Choi teaches implementing a fluxgate magnetic sensor in a planar printed circuit board, with the magnetic core and conductor pattern excitation and pickup coils incorporated along the PCB structure ([0030]-[0037], Figs. 4A-4H). Choi further teaches that the PCB integrated fluxgate sensor can be integrated on the PCB together with other sensors and circuits, thereby reducing the overall size of the system ([0042]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to arrange the plurality of Schonstedt flux gate sensor units, as implemented using Choi's planar PCB construction, side by side along the main surface of the board, as a predictable planar arrangement of the plurality of PCB integrated sensor units, particularly in view of Choi's teaching of integrating the fluxgate sensor together with other sensors and circuitry on the PCB to reduce overall system size ([0042]).
Regarding claim 6, Schonstedt does not expressly teach that the excitation coil and the signal coil of each of the plurality of magnetic sensor units are formed as conductor patterns on the board, wherein the board is common to the excitation coil and the signal coil.
However, Choi teaches a PCB integrated fluxgate sensor including excitation coil 3 and
pickup/signal coil 4, wherein conductive patterns formed on the PCB and connected through
plated via holes 28 form the excitation and pickup coils ([0030]-[0037], Figs. 4A-4H). Thus,
Choi teaches forming both the excitation coil and signal/pickup coil as conductor patterns of a
common PCB.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to implement the excitation and signal coils of each of Schonstedt's plurality of flux gate
sensor units using Choi's common PCB conductor pattern construction, thereby forming
the excitation and signal coils as conductor patterns on the same board, because Choi teaches
that its PCB integrated construction reduces overall system size while maintaining high
sensitivity and facilitates lower cost mass production (0042]-[0043]).
Regarding claim 8, Schonstedt teaches a plurality of flux-gate magnetic sensor units including first and second magnetic sensor units, further teaches a single excitation wire 36 extending through the magnetic cores of the sensor units in succession and supplied with a common excitation current, and further expressly characterizes the excitation conductors associated with the respective sensor cores as connected in series (Figs. 1-2; col. 2; claim 6). Thus, the respective sensor units are excited in series from the common excitation conductor/source, corresponding to the claimed excitation coils "connected in series in a forward direction equal in polarity."
Schonstedt further teaches that signal pickup windings 32 of the respective sensor units are connected in series, with selected signal windings having polarity opposite to other signal windings to balance ambient magnetic fields (Fig. 1; col. 2). Schonstedt expressly recites the signals of the sensors being connected in series with the signal of one sensor connected "in phase opposition" to the signal of another sensor (claim 5). This corresponds to the claimed signal coils "connected in series in a reverse direction different in polarity."
Claims 4, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schonstedt (U.S. Patent 3736502) in view of Choi et al. (U.S. Publication 2005/0172480A1), as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Takatsuji (U.S. Publication 2011/0241665A1).
Regarding claim 4, Schonstedt in view of Choi does not expressly teach the excitation coil and signal coil alternately winding around the annular magnetic core layer, the signal coil changing its winding direction every half circumference of the magnetic core layer, and the plurality of magnetic sensor units being arranged so that their detection directions are aligned with a mutually common direction defined by a line passing through positions where the winding direction of the signal coil changes.
However, Takatsuji teaches a fluxgate sensor having a ring shaped magnetic core, an excitation coil wound toroidally around the ring shaped core, and detection coils wound around the core, further expressly teaches that a detection coil may be provided in two parts on radially opposite portions of the ring shaped magnetic core, rather than as a unitary winding diametrically across the core ([0048]-[0049], [0074], Figs. 6A, 7 A and 14).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to employ Takatsuji's diametrically opposed, two part detection coil arrangement in the ring core fluxgate sensor units of Schonstedt as modified by Choi and to wind the opposed signal coil portions in opposite directions while interleaving the excitation and signal windings around the core, thereby defining a common detection axis through the opposed signal coil portions, and to orient the plurality of like sensor units with their respective detection axes in a common direction. Such an arrangement would have been a predictable implementation of Takatsuji's disclosed diametrically opposed detection coil portions for providing the desired common magnetic field sensing direction.
Regarding claim 9, Schonstedt in view of Choi does not expressly teach that the excitation coils of the plurality of magnetic sensor units have a common winding number and the signal coils of the plurality of magnetic sensor units have a common winding number.
However, Takatsuji teaches a plurality of fluxgate magnetic sensor units having excitation coils 2-1, 2-2 of the same configuration and detection coils 3, 4, 5 likewise having the same configuration ([0072]), further expressly teaches that the numbers of turns of the respective detection coils 3-5 are all the same ([0068]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide the plurality of like fluxgate sensor units of Schonstedt as modified by Choi with
common winding numbers for their excitation coils and common winding numbers for their signal coils, consistent with Takatsuji's teaching of identically configured excitation coils and equal turn detection coils. Such an arrangement would predictably provide substantially uniform electromagnetic characteristics among the respective sensor units and facilitate manufacture of like sensor units.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schonstedt (U.S.
Patent No. 3736502) in view of Choi et al. (US2005/0172480A1), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Laville (U.S Publication 20210111335).
Regarding claim 7, Schonstedt in view of Choi does not expressly teach that the plurality of magnetic sensor units is arranged so that the boards each including the excitation coil, the signal coil, and the magnetic core layer are stacked along a direction intersecting a main surface of the board.
However, Laville teaches a plurality of sensor devices 204a, 204b respectively provided on substrates 202a, 202b, wherein the sensor/substrate structures are stacked one over another, as illustrated in Fig. 2, thereby providing a plurality of sensor bearing substrates stacked along a direction intersecting the main surfaces of the substrates.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to arrange the plurality of PCB integrated magnetic sensor units of Schonstedt as modified by Choi according to Laville's stacked sensor/substrate arrangement, thereby stacking the respective boards containing the excitation coil, signal coil, and magnetic core layer along a direction intersecting their main surfaces such an arrangement can improve matching of results between the respective sensor devices and reduce the risk of common cause failure associated with fabrication ([0152], Fig. 2).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schonstedt (U.S.
Patent No. 3736502) in view of Choi et al. (US2005/0172480A1), as applied to claim 1
above, and further in view of Sun (CN115248403A).
Regarding claim 10, Schonstedt in view of Choi does not expressly teach "a magnetic convergence section arranged on a detection direction side of the magnetic core layer in each of the plurality of magnetic sensor units, the magnetic convergence section being configured to converge a magnetic flux with respect to the magnetic core layer."
However, Sun teaches a MEMS fluxgate magnetic sensor having magnetic core 2 and conical magnetic field line concentrators 3 (Figs. 1-2; [0014]-[0015]). Specifically, the two concentrators 3 are symmetrically arranged at the left and right ends of magnetic core 2, with the small end of each concentrator positioned close to magnetic core 2 ([0015], Figs. 1-2), further expressly teaches the claimed convergence function. During detection of an external magnetic field, conical magnetic field concentrator 3 concentrates and amplifies the external magnetic field, which causes detection coil 5 to output the corresponding detection signal ([0023]; Figs. 1-2). CN '403 additionally explains that use of the magnetic field concentrator focuses weak magnetic fields, increases the strength of the detectable magnetic field, and improves the sensor's weak field detection capability and detection resolution ([0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide each magnetic sensor unit of Schonstedt as modified by Choi with Sun magnetic field concentrator 3 positioned adjacent to the magnetic core on the magnetic field detection side, thereby providing a magnetic convergence section
configured to converge magnetic flux with respect to the magnetic core layer. One of ordinary
skill would have been motivated to make the modification because Sun expressly teaches
that the magnetic field concentrator focuses, concentrates, and amplifies the external magnetic field, thereby increasing the detectable magnetic field strength and improving weak field detection capability and detection resolution ([0023], [0030]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kendall (US Publication 20220334192) discloses BATTERY SENSOR ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD OF BALANCING BATTERIES.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAQI R NASIR whose telephone number is (571)270-1425. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lee Rodak can be reached at (571) 270-5628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAQI R NASIR/ Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/LEE E RODAK/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858
