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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding Applicant’s argument that Fu fails to disclose “obtaining, over time, one or more accelerometer measurements from one or more accelerometers associated with a cable that is deployed in service”.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Fu teaches obtaining, over time, one or more accelerometer measurements from one or more accelerometers associated with a cable (Paragraph 6, “arranging an acceleration sensor vertically at the mid-span and both ends of a semi-rigid constrained cable respectively, and collecting vibration signals of the cable under environmental excitation or artificial excitation”, also as shown in Fig.1, the acceleration measurements are obtained over a period of time) that is deployed in service (Paragraphs 39-40, “A cable in the FAST cable net is taken as an object of cable force identification”).
Regarding Applicant’s argument that Fu fails to disclose “determining, based on the one or more accelerometer measurements, a vibration state of the cable based on one or more of: (i) a change in vibration frequency over time, (ii) a change in vibration amplitude over time, or (iii) one or more harmonic components identified in the accelerometer measurements”.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Fu teaches determining, based on the one or more accelerometer measurements, a vibration state of the cable based on one or more of: (i) a change in vibration frequency over time, (ii) a change in vibration amplitude over time, or (iii) one or more harmonic components identified in the accelerometer measurements (Abstract, “and thus obtains the corresponding first natural frequency and mode shapes, and the cable force can be solved without obtaining any other data in advance”, the first natural frequency is a harmonic components).
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-11 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fu et al. (U.S. Publication No. 20240353276).
Regarding claim 1, Fu teaches a method comprising: obtaining, over time, one or more accelerometer measurements from one or more accelerometers associated with a cable (Paragraph 6, “arranging an acceleration sensor vertically at the mid-span and both ends of a semi-rigid constrained cable respectively, and collecting vibration signals of the cable under environmental excitation or artificial excitation”, also as shown in Fig.1, the acceleration measurements are obtained over a period of time) that is deployed in service (Paragraphs 39-40, “A cable in the FAST cable net is taken as an object of cable force identification”); determining, based on the one or more accelerometer measurements, a vibration state of the cable based on one or more of: (i) a change in vibration frequency over time, (ii) a change in vibration amplitude over time, or (iii) one or more harmonic components identified in the accelerometer measurements (Abstract, “and thus obtains the corresponding first natural frequency and mode shapes, and the cable force can be solved without obtaining any other data in advance”, the first natural frequency is a harmonic components); and generating an estimated loading associated with the cable, based on the vibration state of the cable (Abstract, “the cable force can be solved without obtaining any other data in advance”).
Regarding claim 2, Fu teaches wherein generating the estimated loading associated with the cable comprises: generating an indication of a no-load state based on detecting a first vibration state of the cable; and generating an indication of a loaded state based on detecting a second vibration state of the cable (Abstract and paragraphs 39-55, since Fu’s method is capable of estimating all the loads, it estimates both no-load state and loaded state).
Regarding claim 3, Fu teaches wherein generating the estimated loading associated with the cable is based on determining one or more changes in a vibration state associated with the cable (Abstract and paragraphs 39-55).
Regarding claim 4, Fu teaches wherein generating the estimated loading associated with the cable comprises: generating an indication of a loaded state based on determining a first type of vibration behavior change between an initial vibration state of the cable and a subsequent vibration state of the cable; and generating an indication of a no-load state based on determining a second type of vibration behavior change between the initial vibration state of the cable and a subsequent vibration state of the cable, wherein the second type of vibration behavior change is different than the first type of vibration behavior change (Abstract and paragraphs 39-55, since Fu’s method is capable of estimating all the loads, it estimates both no-load state and loaded state).
Regarding claim 5, Fu teaches wherein generating the estimated loading associated with the cable comprises: determining a first estimated loading associated with the cable at a first time; determining a second estimated loading associated with the cable at a second time after the first time; and generating an indication of a loading change between the first time and the second time (Abstract and paragraphs 39-55).
Regarding claim 6, Fu teaches wherein the indication of the loading change between the first time and the second time is indicative of an increase or a decrease in loading associated with the cable (Abstract and paragraphs 39-55).
Regarding claim 7, Fu teaches wherein the indication of the loading change between the first time and the second time is indicative of one or more of a percentage change in loading associated with the cable between the first time and the second time and a tension change associated with the cable between the first time and the second time (Abstract and paragraphs 39-55).
Regarding claim 8, Fu teaches wherein generating the estimated loading associated with the cable comprises determining an estimated tension of the cable (Abstract and paragraphs 39-55).
Regarding claim 9, Fu teaches generating one or more tension estimates associated with the cable, wherein the one or more tension estimates are generated based on the vibration state of the cable (Abstract and paragraphs 39-55).
Regarding claim 10, Fu teaches wherein the one or more accelerometer measurements comprises a plurality of accelerometer measurements, each respective accelerometer measurement included in the plurality of accelerometer measurements associated with a different time (As shown in Fig.1).
Regarding claim 11, Fu teaches wherein the vibration state of the cable comprises one or more of a change in vibration frequency over time and a change in vibration amplitude over time (As shown in Fig.1).
Regarding claim 17, Fu teaches wherein the one or more accelerometer measurements are obtained from one or more accelerometers included in the cable (Abstract and paragraphs 6 and 39-55).
Regarding claim 18, Fu teaches wherein the one or more accelerometer measurements are obtained from one or more accelerometers included in an end termination of the cable (Abstract and paragraphs 6 and 39-55).
Regarding claim 19, Fu teaches an apparatus, the apparatus comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory (Paragraphs 33-35), the at least one processor being configured to: obtain, over time, one or more accelerometer measurements from one or more accelerometers associated with a cable (Paragraph 6, “arranging an acceleration sensor vertically at the mid-span and both ends of a semi-rigid constrained cable respectively, and collecting vibration signals of the cable under environmental excitation or artificial excitation”, also as shown in Fig.1, the acceleration measurements are obtained over a period of time) that is deployed in service (Paragraphs 39-40, “A cable in the FAST cable net is taken as an object of cable force identification”); determine, based on the one or more accelerometer measurements, a vibration state of the cable based on one or more of: (i) a change in vibration frequency over time, (ii) a change in vibration amplitude over time, or (iii) one or more harmonic components identified in the accelerometer measurements (Abstract, “and thus obtains the corresponding first natural frequency and mode shapes, and the cable force can be solved without obtaining any other data in advance”, the first natural frequency is a harmonic components); and generate an estimated loading associated with the cable, based on the vibration state of the cable (Abstract and paragraphs 6 and 39-55).
Regarding claim 20, Fu teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: obtaining, over time, one or more accelerometer measurements from one or more accelerometers associated with a cable (Paragraph 6, “arranging an acceleration sensor vertically at the mid-span and both ends of a semi-rigid constrained cable respectively, and collecting vibration signals of the cable under environmental excitation or artificial excitation”, also as shown in Fig.1, the acceleration measurements are obtained over a period of time) that is deployed in service (Paragraphs 39-40, “A cable in the FAST cable net is taken as an object of cable force identification”); determining, based on the one or more accelerometer measurements, a vibration state of the cable based on one or more of: (i) a change in vibration frequency over time, (ii) a change in vibration amplitude over time, or (iii) one or more harmonic components identified in the accelerometer measurements (Abstract, “and thus obtains the corresponding first natural frequency and mode shapes, and the cable force can be solved without obtaining any other data in advance”, the first natural frequency is a harmonic components); and generating an estimated loading associated with the cable, based on the vibration state of the cable (Abstract and paragraphs 6 and 39-55).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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, 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 12-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fu et al. (U.S. Publication No. 20240353276).
Regarding claim 12, Fu is silent about activating one or more sensors associated with the cable based on generating the indication of the loaded state; and deactivating the one or more sensors associated with the cable based on generating the indication of the no-load state.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to activate activating one or more sensors associated with the cable based on generating the indication of the loaded state; and deactivate the one or more sensors associated with the cable based on generating the indication of the no-load state, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claim 13, Fu is silent about determining an elapsed time between generating the indication of the loaded state and generating the indication of the no-load state; and updating a first timer value using the elapsed time, wherein the first timer value is indicative of a time under load associated with the cable.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to determine an elapsed time between generating the indication of the loaded state and generate the indication of the no-load state; and update a first timer value using the elapsed time, wherein the first timer value is indicative of a time under load associated with the cable, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claim 14, Fu is silent about wherein the one or more accelerometer measurements are obtained from one or more accelerometers detachably coupled to the cable.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to make Fu’s accelerometers detachably coupled to the cable, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claim 15, Fu teaches wherein the one or more accelerometers are not included in a load path associated with the cable (Paragraph 6 and Fig.3).
Regarding claim 16, Fu is silent about wherein the one or more accelerometer measurements are obtained from one or more accelerometers included in a sensor housing detachably coupled to the cable.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to make Fu’s accelerometers in a sensor housing detachably coupled to the cable, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
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 XIN Y ZHONG whose telephone number is (571)272-3798. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 a.m. - 6 p.m..
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/XIN Y ZHONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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