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 .
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Information Disclosure Statement
No information disclosure statement requiring consideration is pending before the examiner.
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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.
Claims 7, 8, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Indefiniteness - Applied Voltage and Breaker/Contactor Voltage
Claims 7 and 15 recite applying a voltage to move a breaker to an open position and measuring or receiving a breaker voltage in the open position. Claim 8 recites applying a voltage to move one or more contactors to an open position and measuring a contactor voltage in the open position.
As currently drafted, the claims do not identify where the applied voltage is applied, such as to a trip coil, actuator, control input, contact terminal, or other defined circuit node. The claims also do not define what is meant by "breaker voltage" or "contactor voltage." The voltage could refer to a voltage across open contacts, a terminal-to-reference voltage, a terminal-to-ground voltage, a coil/control voltage, or another measurement taken at a different part of the circuit. Because these different measurements are not technically equivalent, a person of ordinary skill in the art would not be able to determine the metes and bounds of the claimed measurement with reasonable certainty.
Applicant argues that a person of ordinary skill would understand measuring the voltage of a device to mean measuring voltage across contacts or electrical leads. That argument is not persuasive because the claims do not recite "across the contacts," "across the electrical leads," or any other measurement reference. The claim language therefore leaves multiple reasonable measurement configurations within the same electrical device. Figure 3 and the written description may show circuit elements, but the claims themselves do not identify the required measurement nodes, reference point, or applied-voltage location.
Suggested Correction
Applicant may amend claims 7, 8, and 15 to specify the circuit node to which the voltage is applied and the measurement configuration for the breaker voltage or contactor voltage, for example by reciting that the voltage is measured across the breaker contacts, across the contactor contacts, between a specified terminal and a specified reference node, or across a specified coil/control input.
Status of Other 112 Issues
No rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(a), 112(d), or 112(f) is made in this action. The prior 112(b) rejections of claims 14 and 17 are withdrawn in view of applicant's amendments.
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REFERENCES USED
Reference 1 - CN 106338405 A, Pantograph test method, system, device and rail vehicle.
Reference 2 - US 10,048,303 B2, Method and system for monitoring a pantograph of a railway vehicle and railway vehicle.
Reference 3 - CN 103085666 A, Processing method for offline electric locomotive pantograph, processing system and electric locomotive.
Reference 4 - US 3,349,197, Pantograph-type current collector.
Reference 5 - CN 106154153 A, Detecting system of circuit breaker cart in a DC traction power-supply system.
Reference 6 - US 2014/0046534 A1, Method and system for isolating voltage sensor and contactor faults in an electrical system.
Reference 7 - US 11,004,625 B2, High speed circuit breaker for industrial and railways applications.
Reference 8 - WO 2012/073266 A1, Command system for the active and diagnostic control of a railway pantograph.
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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.
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Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 1
A method for operating a collector assembly of a vehicle that is configured to receive electric current from a conductive pathway, the method comprising: examining one or more mechanical components of the collector assembly of the vehicle by moving the collector assembly of the vehicle relative to the conductive pathway; sensing one or more electrical characteristics of the electric current received by the collector assembly of the vehicle from the conductive pathway to test one or more electrical components of one or more of the collector assembly or the vehicle; and implementing one or more responsive actions to control operation of the vehicle based on outcomes of one or more of an examination of the one or more mechanical components or the test of the one or more electrical components.
Analysis
Reference 1 teaches a rail vehicle having a pantograph located above the vehicle body and configured to obtain electrical energy from a catenary/contact network. The pantograph in Reference 1 is therefore a collector assembly of a vehicle configured to receive electric current from a conductive pathway.
Reference 1 teaches examining the pantograph by moving it and measuring mechanical test data. In particular, Reference 1 teaches testing module 501, control module 505, collection module 507, drive module 5071, lifting/lowering module 5073, and parameter-setting module 509. Reference 1 further teaches step S202, in which a constant-speed servo motor drives a wire roller to control pantograph raising or lowering, and step S304, in which a wire rope wound on the wire roller pulls the pantograph to raise or lower the pantograph. The collection module 507 collects pantograph raising height and raising pressure, and the test data also includes raising time and lowering time. The pantograph is thus examined by moving the collector assembly relative to the conductive pathway and by measuring mechanical characteristics during that movement.
Reference 1 does not expressly teach the full electrical-current diagnostic portion. Reference 2 teaches monitoring a pantograph of a railway vehicle connected to a catenary and electrically connected to traction unit 14. Reference 2 teaches voltage step detection device 26, 28, 66 for detecting voltage steps of pantograph voltage at pantograph 6, zero-crossing detection device 42, 60, 66, 82 for detecting zero crossings of line current, and bouncing detection portion 72 for determining bouncing/arc time based on detected pantograph voltage and current events. Because the line current is part of the pantograph current provided to traction unit 14, Reference 2 teaches sensing electrical characteristics of the electric current received by the collector assembly from the conductive pathway to test/evaluate the electrical current-collection condition and associated vehicle electrical components.
Reference 3 teaches collecting input voltage, input voltage frequency, and/or input current at a PWM rectifier on an electric locomotive, using first collecting module 20, input voltage collecting module 201, input voltage frequency collecting module 202, and input current collecting module 203. Reference 3 further teaches comparison module 22 and judgment/control logic that compare input voltage/current changes with set threshold values and output a control signal to controller 24 to stop the inverter and/or PWM rectifier on the locomotive. Reference 3 also teaches second acquisition module 25 and second judgment module 26 for acquiring capacitor voltage and controlling disconnection of main and charging contactor switches when a voltage threshold condition is met. The combined references therefore teach implementing responsive actions to control vehicle operation based on outcomes of mechanical collector examination and electrical testing.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine Reference 1's automated pantograph mechanical testing with Reference 2's pantograph voltage/current monitoring and Reference 3's threshold-based traction-power control because the references address complementary parts of the same rail-vehicle current-collection problem. Reference 1 verifies whether the pantograph can mechanically move and produce expected height/pressure/time data, Reference 2 verifies whether the pantograph/catenary electrical interface is acceptable, and Reference 3 teaches using electrical threshold results to stop traction-power equipment. Combining these teachings would have predictably produced a more complete collector readiness/control system that checks both mechanical collector condition and electrical supply condition before allowing normal vehicle operation.
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Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 2
The method of claim 1, wherein the examination of the one or more mechanical components of the collector assembly includes one or more of raising the collector assembly or lowering the collector assembly.
Analysis
Claim 2 depends from claim 1. The limitations of claim 1 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 1 expressly teaches controlling pantograph raising or lowering. Step S202 uses a constant-speed servo motor to drive a wire roller to control raising or lowering, and step S304 pulls the pantograph through a wire rope so that the pantograph is raised or lowered. Reference 1 further measures raising time and lowering time, which confirms that the examination includes raising and lowering motion.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to use Reference 1's raising/lowering operation in the combined system because raising and lowering are the normal controlled motions by which a pantograph collector is placed into and removed from current-collecting engagement. Using those existing motions as part of a mechanical examination gives the controller direct information about the collector travel, actuator function, and readiness before the electrical tests of References 2 and 3 are acted upon.
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Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 3
The method of claim 2, further comprising measuring a height of the collector assembly in one or more of a raised position or in a lowered position.
Analysis
Claim 3 depends from claim 2. The limitations of claims 1 and 2 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 1 teaches that the pantograph test data includes pantograph raising height. Reference 1 further teaches setting pantograph-catenary height, maximum height, pressure range, and time range through parameter-setting module 509, and collection module 507 collects raising height as the pantograph is raised or lowered. Measuring raising height teaches measuring the height of the collector assembly in a raised or lowered position.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to include Reference 1's height measurement in the combined diagnostic system because height measurement directly confirms whether the pantograph has reached the intended spatial relationship with the catenary. This mechanical measurement works together with the electrical pantograph monitoring of Reference 2 by verifying that poor current collection is not caused by an improper collector position.
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Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and Reference 3, and further in view of Reference 4.
Claim 4
The method of claim 2, further comprising measuring a tension of a spring of the collector assembly while the collector assembly is in the raised position.
Analysis
Claim 4 depends from claim 2. The limitations of claims 1 and 2 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 1 teaches measuring pantograph pressure/tension during raising and lowering. Reference 1 explains that a collector/tension sensor records the tension value at working heights during pantograph raising and lowering, and collection module 507 collects raising pressure.
Reference 4 further teaches a pantograph-type current collector in which springs 2 counterbalance the moving parts and establish the pressure of bow 3 against catenary 4. Reference 4 teaches force-voltage transducer 127, slider 130, spring 121, and relay 117, where voltage UM is proportional to the lengthening of spring 121 and therefore to the additional force/tension applied to the pantograph collector. Reference 4 also teaches using the measured force/tension signal with speed signal UC to control motor 124 and contactors 125, 126. Reference 4 therefore teaches measuring spring tension/force associated with the collector while the collector is in the operating raised condition.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to incorporate Reference 4's spring-tension/force measurement into Reference 1's pantograph test because pantograph spring force determines whether the collector presses against the catenary with adequate but not excessive force. Measuring spring tension during the raised condition would have predictably improved the mechanical examination by identifying weak, over-tensioned, or misadjusted spring conditions that could cause poor current collection or excessive wear.
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Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 5
The method of claim 1, wherein the examining of the one or more mechanical components of the collector assembly includes one or more of comparing a lower end of a range of movement of the collector assembly to a lower movement threshold, comparing an upper end of the range of movement of the collector assembly to an upper movement threshold, or comparing a speed at which the collector assembly raises or lowers to a speed threshold.
Analysis
Claim 5 depends from claim 1. The limitations of claim 1 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 1 teaches setting pantograph-catenary height, maximum height, pressure range, and time range through parameter-setting module 509. Reference 1 also teaches measuring raising height, pressure, raising time, and lowering time. These set values and measured values teach comparing the upper/lower movement range and raise/lower timing to designated acceptable values. Reference 3 further teaches comparing measured input voltage/current values and changes to set threshold values and taking control action when thresholds are exceeded, confirming the use of threshold comparison logic in the same rail-vehicle current-collection control environment.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to compare movement endpoints and movement speed/time to thresholds because Reference 1 already collects the relevant movement data and sets acceptable ranges, and Reference 3 teaches threshold-based vehicle control. The combination would have predictably converted measured pantograph movement data into objective pass/fail diagnostic outcomes for identifying incomplete travel, overtravel, or slow collector response.
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Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 6
The method of claim 1, wherein the examining of the one or more mechanical components of the collector assembly includes extending a driver of the collector assembly to an extended position and retracting the driver to a retracted position.
Analysis
Claim 6 depends from claim 1. The limitations of claim 1 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 1 teaches a constant-speed servo motor, wire roller, fixed pulley block, and wire rope for driving the pantograph to raise or lower. The drive module 5071 drives the wire roller, and lifting/lowering module 5073 pulls the pantograph through the wire rope. The servo motor/wire-roller/wire-rope arrangement is a driver of the collector assembly that moves between extended and retracted operating states as the pantograph is raised and lowered.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to examine the collector by extending and retracting the driver taught by Reference 1 because the driver is the component that produces collector movement. Exercising that driver during a diagnostic sequence gives a predictable indication of whether the actuator, pulley, wire rope, and collector linkage are functioning before the electrical tests and vehicle-control actions are relied upon.
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Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and Reference 3, and further in view of Reference 5.
Claim 7
The method of claim 1, wherein the test of the one or more electrical components of the collector assembly includes applying a voltage to move a breaker to an open position and measuring a breaker voltage in the open position.
Analysis
Claim 7 depends from claim 1. The limitations of claim 1 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 5 teaches a detecting system for a circuit breaker cart in a DC traction power-supply system. Reference 5 includes a master controller, voltage measurement amplifier, current measurement amplifier, line test module, millivolt generator, breaker open/close switch, circuit breaker position indicator, and station detector. The millivolt generator output is connected to both ends of the breaker under test to provide an analog voltage signal. The voltage measurement amplifier and current measurement amplifier collect breaker-end voltage and current signals, and the breaker open/close switch is connected with the control end of the breaker under test to control opening and closing. Reference 5 therefore teaches applying a test/control voltage in a traction-power breaker test, moving the breaker to an open state, and measuring breaker voltage/current in that test state.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to add Reference 5's DC traction breaker test to the combined collector diagnostic system because a pantograph-fed vehicle power system relies on protective breakers to isolate the traction power path when collector or electrical conditions are unacceptable. Testing breaker actuation and breaker voltage in the same diagnostic workflow would have predictably confirmed that the vehicle can safely isolate the received electrical supply before normal operation is permitted.
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Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and Reference 3, and further in view of Reference 6.
Claim 8
The method of claim 1, wherein the test of the one or more electrical components of the collector assembly includes applying a voltage to move one or more contactors to an open position and measuring a contactor voltage in the open position.
Analysis
Claim 8 depends from claim 1. The limitations of claim 1 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 3 teaches controller 24 controlling disconnection of the main contactor switch and charging contactor switch on the locomotive when threshold voltage conditions are met. Reference 6 teaches a vehicle electrical system having contactors 40, voltage sensors 34, controller 50, high-voltage DC bus 20, and method 100. Reference 6 teaches that contactors 40 selectively connect and disconnect the electrical load from the voltage source, that the contactors are opened under operating conditions such as shutdown or detected fault, and that controller 50 receives measured voltage signals 55 from voltage sensors 34 when contactors 40 are open. Reference 6 further teaches comparing the measured voltage to threshold regions 72, 74, 75, 76, 78, and 79 to distinguish contactor and voltage-sensor faults. These teachings render obvious opening vehicle contactors by a controller command/control voltage and measuring contactor voltage in the open position as part of electrical-component testing.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to add Reference 6's open-contactor voltage diagnostic to the pantograph-fed vehicle control system because Reference 3 already uses controller-commanded main and charging contactor disconnection in response to pantograph/electrical threshold conditions. Measuring the voltage state of the opened contactor, as taught by Reference 6, would have predictably verified whether the contactor actually isolated the electrical path and whether a voltage sensor or contactor fault remained present.
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Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 9
The method of claim 1, wherein controlling operation of the vehicle includes controlling operation of the vehicle based on the outcomes of the examination of the one or more mechanical components and the test of the one or more electrical components.
Analysis
Claim 9 depends from claim 1. The limitations of claim 1 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 1 teaches analyzing mechanical pantograph test data including height, pressure, raising time, and lowering time. Reference 2 teaches determining bouncing/arc time from pantograph voltage and pantograph current events. Reference 3 teaches controlling the inverter, PWM rectifier, and contactor switches based on electrical threshold outcomes. Together, the references teach controlling vehicle operation based on both the mechanical collector test results and the electrical current-collection test results.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to base vehicle control on both mechanical and electrical outcomes because either type of failure can make current collection unsafe or unreliable. A pantograph that moves incorrectly can damage the catenary or fail to collect current, while unacceptable pantograph voltage/current behavior can destabilize traction equipment; using both outcomes in one control decision would have predictably improved safety and reliability.
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Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 10
The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more responsive actions includes one or more of: preventing operation of the vehicle until one or more of the outcomes exceeds a first designated threshold; directing one or more of maintenance, inspection, or repair of the collector assembly; operating the vehicle in a reduced capacity state responsive to determining that one or more of the outcomes is outside a designated range of values and within one or more designated tolerance thresholds; or notifying an operator of the vehicle.
Analysis
Claim 10 depends from claim 1. The limitations of claim 1 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 3 teaches preventing normal traction operation by stopping the inverter and/or PWM rectifier when input voltage, input voltage frequency, and/or input current changes exceed set thresholds. Reference 3 also teaches disconnecting main and charging contactor switches when voltage threshold conditions are met. Reference 1 teaches setting acceptable pantograph height, maximum height, pressure range, and time range, and analyzing the resulting test data. Reference 2 teaches detecting pantograph bouncing/arc conditions from voltage and current sensing. These teachings render obvious responsive actions including preventing operation until mechanical and electrical outcomes meet acceptable threshold criteria, directing corrective action, and notifying through the vehicle diagnostic/control system.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to implement these responsive actions because the purpose of collector testing is to avoid unsafe current collection and unstable traction operation. Reference 1 supplies mechanical test outcomes, Reference 2 supplies electrical pantograph-contact outcomes, and Reference 3 supplies the known vehicle-control response of stopping traction equipment and disconnecting switches when thresholds are not satisfied.
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Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 11
A system comprising: a collector assembly that is configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle that travels along a route, the collector assembly being configured to receive electric current from a conductive pathway extending along the route to power loads of the vehicle; a controller that is configured to initiate movement of the collector assembly relative to the conductive pathway to examine one or more mechanical components of the collector assembly; and a first sensor that is configured to sense one or more electrical characteristics of the electric current received by the collector assembly from the conductive pathway and thereby to examine one or more electrical components of one or more of the collector assembly or the vehicle, and the controller is configured to implement one or more responsive actions to control operation of the vehicle based at least in part on outcomes of one or both of an examination of the one or more mechanical components and an examination of the one or more electrical components.
Analysis
Reference 1 teaches a rail vehicle with a pantograph above the vehicle body for receiving electrical energy from a contact network. Reference 1 further teaches test device/control structures including testing module 501, control module 505, collection module 507, drive module 5071, lifting/lowering module 5073, and parameter-setting module 509. These components teach a controller configured to initiate pantograph movement relative to the conductive pathway to examine mechanical collector components.
Reference 2 teaches a pantograph 6 connected to catenary 8 and traction unit 14, voltage step detection device 26, 28, 66, zero-crossing detection device 42, 60, 66, 82, and bouncing detection portion 72. These structures sense pantograph voltage and line current/pantograph current to determine pantograph bouncing/arc behavior, thereby teaching a first sensor or sensing arrangement configured to sense electrical characteristics of current received by the collector assembly.
Reference 3 teaches first collecting module 20, input voltage collecting module 201, input voltage frequency collecting module 202, input current collecting module 203, comparison module 22, controller 24, second acquisition module 25, and second judgment module 26. Reference 3 controls the inverter, PWM rectifier, and contactor switches based on threshold outcomes. The combined system therefore teaches the claimed collector assembly, controller, first sensor, and responsive control functionality.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to configure the rail-vehicle collector system of Reference 1 with the electrical pantograph monitoring of Reference 2 and the threshold-based traction-control response of Reference 3 because those functions are complementary. The combination would have predictably allowed the controller to make a more reliable go/no-go or protective control decision using both mechanical collector readiness and electrical current-collection readiness.
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Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 12
The system of claim 11, wherein the collector assembly includes a pantograph or a conductive shoe.
Analysis
Claim 12 depends from claim 11. The limitations of claim 11 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 1 expressly teaches a pantograph used on a rail vehicle to receive electrical energy from the catenary/contact network. Reference 2 also expressly teaches pantograph 6 connected to catenary 8. Thus, the collector assembly includes a pantograph.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to implement the claimed collector assembly as a pantograph because References 1 and 2 are both directed to pantograph current collectors for rail vehicles. Using the pantograph form in the combined system is therefore a direct use of the disclosed collector type for its ordinary current-collection purpose.
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Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 13
The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to compare one or more of: a lower end of a range of movement of the collector assembly to a lower movement threshold, an upper end of the range of movement of the collector assembly to an upper movement threshold, or a speed at which the collector assembly raises or lowers to a speed threshold.
Analysis
Claim 13 depends from claim 11. The limitations of claim 11 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 1 teaches setting pantograph-catenary height, maximum height, pressure range, and time range through parameter-setting module 509. Reference 1 further teaches measuring pantograph raising height, pressure, raising time, and lowering time, including use of a photoelectric sensor for raising/lowering time and a tension sensor for pressure/tension. Reference 3 teaches threshold comparison logic through comparison module 22 and judgment/control logic. Therefore, the controller would compare lower/upper movement range and raising/lowering speed/time to movement thresholds.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to configure the controller to compare movement endpoints and movement speed to thresholds because Reference 1 already collects those movement measurements and sets acceptable ranges. Applying Reference 3's threshold-based decision logic to those measured movement values would have predictably identified incomplete travel, excessive travel, or slow movement before the vehicle is placed into normal service.
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Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 14
The system of claim 11, further comprising a second sensor that is configured to measure a position of the collector assembly relative to the conductive pathway.
Analysis
Claim 14 depends from claim 11. The limitations of claim 11 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Applicant amended claim 14 from "third sensor" to "second sensor," and the prior 112(b) issue is withdrawn. Reference 1 teaches sensors in collection module 507, including a tension sensor and a photoelectric sensor. Reference 1 also teaches measuring pantograph raising height and setting pantograph-catenary height and maximum height. A sensor that measures raising height or monitors position/timing of the pantograph relative to the catenary teaches a second sensor configured to measure the position of the collector assembly relative to the conductive pathway.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to include Reference 1's position/height sensing in the combined system because the controller must know whether the pantograph has reached the correct relationship with the catenary before relying on the electrical current-collection tests. The position sensor provides a predictable and direct confirmation of mechanical collector readiness.
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Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and Reference 3, and further in view of Reference 5.
Claim 15
The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to apply a voltage to move a breaker to an open position, the controller is configured to receive a measurement from the first sensor of a breaker voltage in the open position.
Analysis
Claim 15 depends from claim 11. The limitations of claim 11 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 5 teaches a DC traction-power breaker test system with a master controller, voltage measurement amplifier, current measurement amplifier, line test module, millivolt generator, breaker open/close switch, circuit breaker position indicator, and station detector. The millivolt generator supplies an analog voltage signal to the breaker under test, the breaker open/close switch controls the breaker through its control end, and the voltage measurement amplifier measures breaker-end voltage. Reference 5 therefore teaches the controller applying a test/control voltage to move a breaker to an open state and receiving a measurement of breaker voltage in that state.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to include Reference 5's breaker actuation and voltage test in the system of claim 11 because the same vehicle-control system that determines collector readiness must also verify that the protective breaker can isolate the traction-power path. Combining Reference 5 with the pantograph and electrical diagnostic system would have predictably confirmed safe isolation after an unacceptable mechanical or electrical outcome.
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Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and Reference 3, further in view of Reference 5, and further in view of Reference 7.
Claim 16
The system of claim 15, wherein the breaker is an indirect trip circuit breaker or a high speed circuit breaker.
Analysis
Claim 16 depends from claim 15. The limitations of claim 15 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 7 teaches high speed circuit breaker 1 for industrial and railway applications, including coil 22 and fast interruption/protective operation. Reference 7 therefore teaches implementing the breaker of the combined traction-power diagnostic system as a high speed circuit breaker.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to use Reference 7's high speed railway circuit breaker as the breaker tested in the combined system because traction-power faults require fast and reliable interruption. This is a predictable substitution of a known railway protective breaker for the breaker function already tested and controlled in Reference 5.
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Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and Reference 3, and further in view of Reference 8.
Claim 17
The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to direct one or more of maintenance, inspection, or repair of the collector assembly in response to the outcomes of one or more of the examination of the one or more mechanical components being below a first mechanical threshold or the examination of the one or more electrical components being below a first electrical threshold.
Analysis
Claim 17 depends from claim 11. The limitations of claim 11 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Applicant amended claim 17 to clarify that the controller is configured to direct one or more of maintenance, inspection, or repair, and the prior 112(b) issue is withdrawn.
Reference 8 teaches active and diagnostic control of railway pantograph 1 using electronic control unit 3, proportional valve 4, diagnostic/control unit 5, optical sensors 6, and bus communication with the train diagnostic system. Reference 8 teaches processing optical sensor signals and transmitting information concerning possible faultiness of the picking-up head, mobile frame, pantograph motor system/air spring, and overhead supply line when processed values exceed limit values. Reference 8 further teaches maintenance under condition of the pantograph and contact line. These teachings render obvious directing maintenance, inspection, or repair when mechanical or electrical collector outcomes fall below thresholds.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to use Reference 8's maintenance-under-condition diagnostic output in the combined collector system because a detected collector mechanical or electrical threshold failure is useful only if it leads to corrective action. Reference 8 explains that pantograph diagnostic results are transmitted to the train diagnostic system for faults in the picking-up head, mobile frame, motor/air spring, and overhead line, which makes the maintenance, inspection, or repair directive a predictable response to failed collector test outcomes.
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Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and Reference 3, and further in view of Reference 8.
Claim 18
The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to notify an operator of the vehicle in response to one or more of the outcomes of the examination of the one or more mechanical components being below a first mechanical threshold or the outcomes of the examination of the one or more electrical components being below a first electrical threshold.
Analysis
Claim 18 depends from claim 11. The limitations of claim 11 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 8 teaches that control unit 5 processes optical sensor signals and transmits information to the train diagnostic system through a vehicle bus when processed values exceed limit values. The transmitted information concerns possible faultiness of pantograph components and the overhead supply line. Providing that diagnostic information to the train diagnostic system teaches notifying the operator or vehicle operating system in response to mechanical/electrical threshold failures.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to notify the operator through the train diagnostic system when collector outcomes fall below thresholds because an operator or operating system must know when the vehicle should be inspected, kept out of normal service, or operated protectively. Reference 8 already teaches transmitting pantograph fault information over the vehicle bus, and using that output with the combined mechanical/electrical tests would have predictably improved safety and serviceability.
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Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 19
A method for testing a collector assembly of a vehicle that receives electric current from a conductive pathway, the method comprising: examining one or more mechanical components of the collector assembly by moving the collector assembly and sensing one or more mechanical characteristics of the one or more mechanical components of the collector assembly; sensing one or more electrical characteristics of the electric current received by the collector assembly to test one or more electrical components of the collector assembly or the vehicle; and preventing operation of the vehicle until the one or more mechanical characteristics are in a threshold mechanical range and the one or more electrical characteristics are in a threshold electrical range.
Analysis
Reference 1 teaches a rail-vehicle pantograph that receives electrical energy from a catenary/contact network. Reference 1 teaches examining mechanical collector characteristics by moving the pantograph and sensing height, pressure/tension, raising time, and lowering time. The movement is produced by the constant-speed servo motor, wire roller, fixed pulley block, and wire rope, and the sensed mechanical characteristics are collected by collection module 507 and analyzed by the test processor.
Reference 2 teaches sensing electrical characteristics of the pantograph/catenary interface using voltage step detection device 26, 28, 66 and zero-crossing detection device 42, 60, 66, 82 to detect pantograph voltage and pantograph/line current events. Reference 2 determines bouncing/arc time of pantograph 6 based on those electrical characteristics, thereby testing the electrical current-collection condition.
Reference 3 teaches comparing electrical input voltage, input voltage frequency, and/or input current changes to set threshold values and controlling the inverter and/or PWM rectifier to stop working when the thresholds are exceeded. Reference 3 also teaches disconnecting contactor switches when voltage threshold conditions are met. In view of Reference 1's mechanical threshold ranges and Reference 3's electrical threshold control, the combined method teaches preventing operation until mechanical and electrical characteristics are in acceptable threshold ranges.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to prevent vehicle operation until both mechanical collector characteristics and electrical current-collection characteristics are within threshold ranges because failure in either domain can produce unsafe or unreliable current collection. The combination of Reference 1's mechanical test, Reference 2's pantograph voltage/current monitoring, and Reference 3's traction-power stop/disconnect response would have predictably produced a complete readiness gate for the vehicle.
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Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reference 1 in view of Reference 2 and further in view of Reference 3.
Claim 20
The method of claim 19, wherein moving the one or more components of the collector assembly includes extending a driver of the collector assembly to an extended position and retracting the driver to a retracted position.
Analysis
Claim 20 depends from claim 19. The limitations of claim 19 are taught or rendered obvious as set forth above. Reference 1 teaches the constant-speed servo motor, wire roller, fixed pulley block, and wire rope used to move the pantograph. Drive module 5071 drives the wire roller, and lifting/lowering module 5073 pulls the pantograph to raise or lower it. This teaches extending and retracting the driver/collector mechanism between operating positions during the collector test.
Motivation
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to move the collector by extending and retracting Reference 1's driver because that driver is the known mechanism used to raise and lower the pantograph. Exercising the driver as part of the test would have predictably verified actuator function, cable/pulley function, and collector movement before applying the electrical readiness checks of References 2 and 3.
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Withdrawn Rejections
The prior rejection of claim 14 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) is withdrawn in view of applicant's amendment replacing "third sensor" with "second sensor."
The prior rejection of claim 17 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) is withdrawn in view of applicant's amendment clarifying that the controller is configured to "direct one or more of maintenance, inspection, or repair."
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Response to Arguments
Applicant's remarks have been fully considered but are not persuasive with respect to the maintained rejections.
Regarding the 112(b) rejection of claims 7, 8, and 15, applicant argues that a person of ordinary skill would understand a breaker voltage or contactor voltage to mean voltage across contacts or electrical leads, and that Figure 3 provides sufficient circuit context. The argument is not persuasive because the claims do not recite that the voltage is measured across contacts, across leads, or relative to any particular node. Multiple reasonable voltage measurements exist in an open breaker or open contactor state, including across the contacts, terminal-to-ground, upstream terminal-to-reference, downstream terminal-to-reference, or control/coil voltage. The claims therefore do not define the measurement configuration with reasonable certainty.
Regarding claim 1, applicant argues that the prior art did not teach proactive collector examination by moving the collector assembly. The maintained rejection is not based on a merely reactive pantograph-lowering disclosure. Reference 1 is expressly directed to a pantograph testing method, system, device, and rail vehicle. Reference 1 teaches test data including pantograph raising height, raising pressure, raising time, and lowering time; step S202 controlling pantograph raising/lowering; step S304 pulling the pantograph through a wire rope; testing module 501; control module 505; collection module 507; drive module 5071; lifting/lowering module 5073; and parameter-setting module 509. These disclosures teach a deliberate pantograph test/examination, not only a response after an accident or breakaway fault.
Applicant also argues that the prior art failed to teach sensing electrical characteristics of electric current received by the collector assembly. The maintained rejection relies on Reference 2 for that limitation. Reference 2 detects voltage steps of pantograph voltage at pantograph 6 and zero crossings of line current, where the line current is part of the pantograph current provided to traction unit 14. Reference 2 then determines pantograph bouncing/arc behavior from those voltage/current events. Reference 3 further senses input voltage, input voltage frequency, and/or input current at the PWM rectifier on the locomotive and uses those electrical values to control traction-power operation. The combined teachings therefore address the electrical-current limitation more directly than the prior response characterizes.
Applicant's arguments against the dependent claims are also not persuasive. Claim 4 is supported by Reference 4's spring/force measurement, including spring 121, force-voltage transducer 127, and voltage UM proportional to spring lengthening/force. Claims 7 and 15 are supported by Reference 5's DC traction breaker test system, including the millivolt generator, voltage measurement amplifier, breaker open/close switch, and circuit breaker position indicator. Claim 8 is supported by Reference 6's open-contactor voltage diagnostic and by Reference 3's controller-commanded main/charging contactor disconnection. Claims 17 and 18 are supported by Reference 8's pantograph diagnostic system, limit-value processing, bus transmission to the train diagnostic system, and maintenance-under-condition disclosure.
Applicant's amendments to claims 14 and 17 have been considered. The amendments overcome the prior 112(b) issues directed to the "third sensor" wording in claim 14 and the grammar of claim 17. The amendments do not overcome the prior-art rejection because Reference 1 teaches a position/height sensor for claim 14, and Reference 8 teaches maintenance, inspection, or repair direction for claim 17.
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Claim Disposition
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claims 14 and 17 have been amended.
Rejected Claims
Under 35 U.S.C. 112(b): Claims 7, 8, and 15.
Under 35 U.S.C. 103: Claims 1-20.
Objected To Claims
None.
Allowed Claims
None.
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Conclusion
Claims 7, 8, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b). Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 for the reasons set forth above.
The earlier pantograph-lowering, rail-power-interruption, pantograph-height, and contact-pressure references were not maintained in this action because the references applied above more directly address automated pantograph testing, pantograph voltage/current sensing, traction-power threshold control, and the specific breaker/contactor test limitations at issue.
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/Jason C Smith/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615
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