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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “a least one”. This should read “at least one”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 9-15 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.
Claims 9 and 11 recite “comprising multiple electronic switching devices.” It is unclear whether this is in addition to the previously recited “at least one electronic switching device” or whether the at least one electronic switching device is multiple devices.
Claim 10 recites “one or more crossing gate arm(s)” and then later “a crossing gate arm”. It is unclear whether these are the same or different. The appropriate antecedent term or consistent nomenclature should be used. Claims 11-15 depend from claim 10 and are rejected for their dependency.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 8, 10, 12-13, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ibarra (US 20190351920 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ibarra teaches crossing gate mechanism comprising:
an electric motor (Fig 4, motor 108) driving a main shaft (Fig 2, 4, shaft 112), wherein the main shaft is configured to couple to a crossing gate arm (Fig 2, gate arm 20, Para 0069),
a position detection unit configured to detect a position of the main shaft (Fig 3, sensor 114),
a least one electronic switching device configured to operate in different switching states (circuit 106, see Para 0068), and
a programmable control unit (Fig 3, controller 102) configured to control operation of the at least one switching device based on a detected position of the main shaft (Fig 3, sensor 114 feeds controller 102) in combination with a programmed switching state for the detected position (Fig 3, switching 106 interacts with 102, see Para 0068).
Regarding claim 2, Ibarra teaches wherein the position detection unit is configured to determine an angle of the main shaft (Para 0071).
Regarding claim 3, Ibarra teaches wherein the programmable control unit is configured to receive angular information from the position detection unit (Fig 3) and determine, based on the angle, a position of the main shaft (Para 0071).
Regarding claim 4, Ibarra teaches a user interface connected to the control unit for programming the different switching states based on different main shaft positions (Fig 3, interface 104).
Regarding claim 8, Ibarra teaches wherein the position detection unit comprises at least one sensor selected from an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, a proximity detector, a rotary encoder, and a combination thereof (Fig 3, encoder 120).
Regarding claim 10, Ibarra teaches a crossing gate system comprising:
one or more crossing gate arm(s) (Fig 2, gate arm 20, Para 0069), and
a crossing gate mechanism (see following elements) comprising:
an electric motor (Fig 4, motor 108) driving a main shaft (Fig 2, 4, shaft 112), wherein the main shaft is configured to couple to a crossing gate arm (Fig 2, gate arm 20, Para 0069),
a position detection unit configured to detect a position of the main shaft (Fig 3, sensor 114),
at least one electronic switching device configured to operate in different switching states (circuit 106, see Para 0068), and
a programmable control unit (Fig 3, controller 102) configured to control operation of the at least one switching device based on a detected position of the main shaft (Fig 3, sensor 114 feeds controller 102) in combination with a programmed switching state for the detected position (Fig 3, switching 106 interacts with 102, see Para 0068).
Regarding claim 12, Ibarra teaches wherein the programmable control unit is configured to receive angular information from the position detection unit (Fig 3) and determine, based on the angular information, a position of the main shaft (Para 0071).
Regarding claim 13, Ibarra teaches a user interface connected to the control unit for programming the different switching states based on different main shaft positions or other detected information (Fig 3, interface 104).
Regarding claim 15, Ibarra teaches wherein the at least one switching device is configured to provide an input for a motor control (Fig 3, input to controller and thus motor).
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.
Claim(s) 5, 7, 9, 11, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ibarra (US 20190351920 A1), in view of Nguyen (US 20180174449 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Ibarra is silent on wherein the at least one switching device comprises a solid-state relay.
Nguyen teaches wherein the at least one switching device comprises a solid-state relay (Para 0424, “one or more switches such as a relay or a system to provide an analogous or equivalent digital output signal (e.g. solid state relay. etc.).”).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention disclosed by Ibarra by having one or more solid state relays as disclosed by Nguyen because it would be a simple substitution of one known element (the electrical circuit switch) for another (solid state relays) to obtain predictable results (switching functions in electrical devices).
Regarding claim 7, Ibarra teaches wherein the different switching states comprise an open state and a closed state (circuit 106 has been modified in the parent claim, see Para 0068 of Ibarra).
Regarding claim 9, Ibarra is silent on multiple electronic switching devices.
Nguyen teaches multiple electronic switching devices (Para 0424, “one or more switches such as a relay or a system to provide an analogous or equivalent digital output signal (e.g. solid state relay. etc.).”).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention disclosed by Ibarra by having one or more solid state relays as disclosed by Nguyen because it would be a simple substitution of one known element (the electrical circuit switch) for another (solid state relays) to obtain predictable results (switching functions in electrical devices).
Regarding claim 11, Ibarra is silent on multiple electronic switching devices.
Nguyen teaches multiple electronic switching devices (Para 0424, “one or more switches such as a relay or a system to provide an analogous or equivalent digital output signal (e.g. solid state relay. etc.).”).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention disclosed by Ibarra by having one or more solid state relays as disclosed by Nguyen because it would be a simple substitution of one known element (the electrical circuit switch) for another (solid state relays) to obtain predictable results (switching functions in electrical devices).
Regarding claim 14, Ibarra is silent on wherein the at least one switching device comprises a solid-state relay or electromechanical relay.
Nguyen teaches wherein the at least one switching device comprises a solid-state relay or electromechanical relay (Para 0424, “one or more switches such as a relay or a system to provide an analogous or equivalent digital output signal (e.g. solid state relay. etc.).”).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention disclosed by Ibarra by having one or more solid state relays as disclosed by Nguyen because it would be a simple substitution of one known element (the electrical circuit switch) for another (solid state relays) to obtain predictable results (switching functions in electrical devices).
Claim(s) 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ibarra (US 20190351920 A1), in view of Sibley (US 3909632 A).
Regarding claim 5, Ibarra is silent on wherein the at least one switching device comprises a solid-state relay.
Sibley teaches wherein the at least one switching device comprises a solid-state relay (Column 2, line 30-31; Column 3, lines 39-50).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the invention disclosed by Ibarra by having one or more solid state relays as disclosed by Sibley because it would be a simple substitution of one known element (the electrical circuit switch) for another (solid state relays) to obtain predictable results (switching functions in electrical devices).
Regarding claim 6, Ibarra as modified teaches wherein the solid-state relay utilizes power semiconductor devices to switch between the different switching states (Column 2, line 30-31; Column 3, lines 39-50 and 56-59 of Sibley).
Regarding claim 7, Ibarra teaches wherein the different switching states comprise an open state and a closed state (circuit 106 has been modified in the parent claim, see Para 0068 of Ibarra).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
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/THEODORE N YAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3676