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 .
Second Non-Final Rejection
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-13, filed 11/20/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-4 and 6-20, under USC 103 rejection in view of Aleman in view of Briese and in further view of Klapper have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.
A new ground(s) of rejection is necessitated by the amendment. Aleman in view of Briese. Upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made Aleman in view of Briese. The examiner disagrees with applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 16 and 19 on page 8, “…Additionally, nothing in Briese corresponds to the specific voltage angle and current angle comparison operations, wherein determining whether a given CT is connected backwards is based on a comparison of the current angle and the voltage angle as recited in amended claim 1”.
Briese discloses determining the operational condition further comprises determining whether a given CT in the set of CTs is connected backwards (reversed polarity, par. [0080]) based on a comparison of the current angle and the voltage angle for power provided (par. [0025], [0080]) to the customer premises.
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) 1-3, 6-7-11, 14, 16-17 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aleman et al. US 2023/0176098 A1 (hereinafter referred to as Aleman) in view of Briese et al. US 2002/0186000 A1(hereinafter referred to as Briese).
Regarding claim 1, Aleman discloses non-transitory machine-readable medium having machine- readable instructions (fig. 3, machine executable instructions embedded in a non-transitory memory to control operations of the metering device 304, par. [0035]) for a current transformer (CT) monitor (fig. 2, system monitor 234, par. [0025]), the machine-readable instructions for the CT monitor being executable by a processor core (fig. 2, controller par. [0027]) to perform operations comprising: receiving power data (power flow data, par. [0028]) from a metering device (fig. 2, meter device 100, par. [0013]) operating on a customer premises (fig. 1, customer premises 106, par. [0013]).
Aleman does not disclose the power data a voltage angle and a current angle for electrical power provided to the customer premises characterizing; and determining, from the power data, an operational condition of a set of CTs of the metering device installed at the customer premises based on the power data, wherein the operational condition of the set of CTs impacts an ability to accurately calculate a demand of power consumed by the customer premises, and wherein determining the operational condition further comprises determining whether a given CT in the set of CTs is connected backwards based on a comparison of the current angle and the voltage angle for power provided to the customer premises.
Briese discloses the power data a voltage angle and a current angle (par. [0025], [0066]) for electrical power provided (fig. 4, par. [0071]) to the customer premises characterizing (fig. 1, electric power measuring value, Embod. 1, 3rd -4th par.); and determining, from the power data, an operational condition of a set of CTs of the metering device installed at the customer premises (fig. 2-3, par. [0062]-[0063]) based on the power data (fig. 3, par. [0064]), wherein the operational condition of the set of CTs (par. [0093]) impacts an ability to accurately calculate a demand of power consumed by the customer premises, and wherein determining the operational condition further comprises determining whether a given CT in the set of CTs is connected backwards (reversed polarity, par. [0080]) based on a comparison of the current angle and the voltage angle for power provided (par. [0025], [0080]) to the customer premises.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an integral system checking and troubleshooting package for a solid state electronic revenue meter, as taught in Briese in modifying the apparatus of Aleman. The motivation would be to provide automatic service sensing functions are performed by the device of the present invention without interruption in the operation of the meter except when such operation is purposely suspended as a result of a fatal error (see Briese: par. [0028]).
Regarding claim 2, Aleman and Briese discloses the non-transitory medium of claim 1, Briese discloses wherein the power data characterizes a voltage magnitude, a voltage angle, a voltage phase, a current magnitude, a current angle and a current phase for the electrical power provided to the customer premises (fig. 4, 14, par. [0071]-[0072], [0175]-[0177]), wherein the operations of the CT monitor further comprise calculating a power factor for power provided to the customer premises based on the power data (fig. 4, 14, par. [0190]-[0194]).
The references are combined for the same reason already applied in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 3, Aleman and Briese discloses the non-transitory medium of claim 1, Aleman discloses wherein the customer premises receives single or polyphase power through power lines (fig. 2, L1 208 and L2 212, par. [0026]), and each CT in the set of CTs is coupled to a corresponding power line of the single or polyphase power (fig. 2, current transformers (CTs), par. [0026]).
Regarding claim 4, Aleman and Briese discloses the non-transitory medium of claim 1, Briese discloses wherein the operations of the CT monitor further comprise calculating a demand for the single or polyphase power provided to the customer premises based on the power data (par. [0064]).
The references are combined for the same reason already applied in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 6, Aleman, Briese discloses the claimed invention except for of CTs has a current is greater than 0.5 amperes, and a difference in a current angle a voltage angle of the given CT is greater than or equal to 150 degrees and less than or equal to 210 degrees. Briese discloses utilizes accumulated current and voltage information to determine the phase angle of each voltage and current phasor in a multi-phase system. The proper position of each phasor for this installation is predefined and used as an exemplar for comparison to the calculated phase angle to determine whether each angle falls within a predefined envelop but does not disclose a particular value for this parameter. However, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to determine if CTs has a current is greater than 0.5 amperes, and a difference in a current angle a voltage angle of the given CT is greater than or equal to 150 degrees and less than or equal to 210 degrees, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the “optimum range” involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233. See MPEP 2144.05.
Regarding claim 7, Aleman and Briese discloses the non-transitory medium of claim 1, Briese discloses wherein the operations of the CT monitor (fig. 3, elm. 42, par. [0064]) further comprise determining whether a first CT and a second CT in the set of CTs are cross-phased based on the current angle and the voltage angle and the current magnitude for phases of the single or polyphase power provided to the customer premises (fig. 4-6, par. [0025], [0071],[0080]-[0081).
The references are combined for the same reason already applied in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 8, Aleman and Briese discloses the non-transitory medium of claim 7, Briese discloses wherein the determination of whether the first CT and the second CTs are cross-phased is based on a determination that a difference in a current angle and a voltage angle of the first CT and the second CT is less than or equal to 30 degrees (fig. 4-6, par. [0080]-[0081).
The references are combined for the same reason already applied in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 9, Aleman and Briese discloses the non-transitory medium of claim 7, Briese discloses wherein the power data is a last measured instance of power data for the customer premises, and the operations of the CT monitor (fig. 3, elm. 42, par. [0064]) further comprise retrieving, from a CT database (fig. 1, elm. 24, par. [0062]), previous measured instances of power data for the customer premises, and each measured instance of power data for the customer premises, and each measured instance of power data includes a voltage magnitude, a voltage angle, a voltage phase, a current magnitude, a current angle and a current phase for phases of the single or polyphase power provided to the customer premises (par. [0062], [0064]-[0066]).
The references are combined for the same reason already applied in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 10, Aleman and Briese discloses the non-transitory medium of claim 9, Briese discloses wherein the operations of the CT monitor (fig. 3, elm. 42, par. [0064]) further comprise determining whether a given CT in the set of CTs is defective based on the current magnitude of the last measured instance of power data and the current magnitude of previous measured instances of power data for single or polyphase power provided to the customer premises (fig. 4, par. [0071]).
The references are combined for the same reason already applied in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 11, Aleman and Briese discloses the claimed invention except for determining that the current magnitude of the given CT is zero for at least three measured instances of the power data, and that the current magnitude for other CTs in the set of CTs is greater than 0.25 amperes for the at least three measured instances of power data. Briese discloses signifies the existence of a magnitude error with one or more of the meter phase currents: but does not disclose a particular value for this parameter. However, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to determine the current magnitude of the given CT is zero for at least three measured instances of the power data, and that the current magnitude for other CTs in the set of CTs is greater than 0.25 amperes for the at least three measured instances of power data, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the “optimum range” involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233. See MPEP 2144.05.
Regarding claim 14, Aleman and Briese discloses the non-transitory medium of claim 9, Briese discloses wherein the CT monitor (fig. 3, elm. 42, par. [0064]) comprises a user interface (UI) (fig. 3, elm. 33, par. [0064]) generator that outputs data for a graphical user interface (GUI) characterizing the power data at the customer premises, the GUI including a phasor chart for single or polyphase power provided to the customer premises, and the GUI includes a unique identifier for the customer premises ( par. [0065]).
The references are combined for the same reason already applied in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 16, Aleman discloses system for monitoring current transformers (CTs) (fig. 2, L1 208 and L2 212, par. [0026]), the system comprising: a non-transitory memory having machine-readable instructions; and a processor core (fig. 2, controller par. [0027]) that accesses the memory and executes the machine-readable instructions, the machine-readable instructions comprising a CT monitor that (fig. 3, machine executable instructions embedded in a non-transitory memory to control operations of the metering device 304, par. [0035]): receives power data (abs., par. [0014]) from a metering device (fig. 2, meter device 100, par. [0013]) operating on a customer premises (fig. 1, customer premises 106, par. [0013]) for power data for single or polyphase power provided to the customer premises (power flow data, par. [0028]) (par. [0006], [0014], [0030]) and each CT in the set of CTs is coupled to a corresponding power line of the single or polyphase power (fig. 2, L1 208 and L2 212, par. [0026]).
Aleman does not disclose the power data characterizing a voltage magnitude, a voltage angle, a voltage phase, a current magnitude, a current angle and a current phase for phases of the single or polyphase power provided to the customer premises; and determines, based on the power data, an operational condition of a set of CTs of the metering device installed at the customer premises based on the power data, and wherein determining the operational condition further comprises determining whether a given CT in the set of CTs is connected backwards based on a comparison of the current angle and the voltage angle for power provided to the customer premises.
Briese discloses the power data characterizing a voltage magnitude, a voltage angle, a voltage phase, a current magnitude, a current angle and a current phase for phases of the single or polyphase power provided to the customer premises (fig. 4, 14, par. [0071]-[0072], [0175]-[0177]); and determines, based on the power data, an operational condition of a set of CTs (par. [0093]) of the metering device (fig. 2,elm. 34, par. [0066]) installed at the customer premises based on the power data (par. [0251]) and power, wherein determining the operational condition (fig. 4, par. [0071]) further comprises determining whether a given CT in the set of CTs is connected backwards (reversed polarity, par. [0080]) based on a comparison of the current angle and the voltage angle for power (par. [0025], [0080]) provided to the customer premises.
The references are combined for the same reason already applied in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 17, Aleman and Briese discloses the system of claim 16, Aleman discloses wherein the CT monitor (fig. 2, system monitor 234, par. [0025]), calculates a power factor (par. [0021]), for the single or polyphase power provided to the customer premises based on the power data and a demand for the single or polyphase power provided to the customer premises based on the power data (par. [0021]).
Regarding claim 19, Aleman discloses a method for monitoring current transformers (CTs) (fig. 2, current transformers (CTs), par. [0026]), the method comprising: receiving power data at a CT monitor (fig. 2, system monitor 234, par. [0025]), executing on a server (fig. 3, utility server 340, par. [0036], [0038]) from a metering device (fig. 2, meter device 100, par. [0013]) operating on a customer premises (fig. 1, customer premises 106, par. [0013]), the power data for single or polyphase power (power flow data, par. [0028]) provided to the customer premises, and each CT in the set of CTs is coupled to a corresponding power line of the single or polyphase power (fig. 2, L1 208 and L2 212, par. [0026]),
Aleman does not disclose the power data characterizing a voltage magnitude, a voltage angle, a voltage phase, a current magnitude, a current angle and a current phase for phases of the single or polyphase power provided to the customer premises; and determining, based on the power data, an operational condition of a set of CTs of the metering device installed at the customer premises based on the power data, wherein determining the operational condition further comprises determining whether a given CT in the set of CTs is connected backwards based on a comparison of the current angle and the voltage angle for power provided to the customer premises.
Briese discloses the power data characterizing a voltage magnitude, a voltage angle, a voltage phase, a current magnitude, a current angle and a current phase for phases of the single or polyphase power provided to the customer premises (fig. 4, 14, par. [0071]-[0072], [0175]-[0177]); and determining, based on the power data, an operational condition of a set of CTs (par. [0093]) of the metering device(fig. 2,elm. 34, par. [0066]) installed at the customer premises based on the power data (par. [0251]), wherein determining the operational condition (fig. 4, par. [0071]) further comprises determining whether a given CT in the set of CTs is connected backwards (reversed polarity, par. [0080]) based on a comparison of the current angle and the voltage angle for power (par. [0025], [0080]) provided to the customer premises.
The references are combined for the same reason already applied in the rejection of claim 1.
Claim(s) 12 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aleman in view of Briese as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Chen et al. CN 205920143 U (hereinafter referred to as Chen).
Regarding claim 12, Aleman and Briese discloses the non-transitory medium of claim 2, Aleman and Briese do not disclose wherein the operations of the CT monitor (further comprise determining the set of CTs are oversized based on the current magnitude of a last measured instance of power data being less than a threshold and the current magnitude of previous measured instances of power data for power provided to the customer premises being less than the threshold.
Chen discloses wherein the operations of the CT monitor further comprise determining the set of CTs are oversized (background tech. 1st par.) based on the current magnitude of a last measured instance of power data being less than a threshold and the current magnitude of previous measured instances of power data for power provided to the customer premises being less than the threshold (Preferred Embod. 4th par.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide metering current transformer secondary load compensating device and an electric energy metering device, as taught in Chen in modifying the apparatus of Aleman and Briese. The motivation would be to avoid the current mutual inductor secondary over-load caused by the small current transformer operation error tolerance, ensure accurate and fairly energy metering (see Chen: par. background tech. 1st par.).
Regarding claim 13, Aleman, Briese and Chen discloses the claimed invention except for wherein the threshold is 0.3 amperes, and operations for determining the set of CTs is oversized further comprising determining that the last measured instance and the previous measured instances of power data has a current magnitude that is greater than zero and a power factor that is less than or equal to 0.6.
The threshold is 0.3 amperes and a current magnitude that is greater than zero and a power factor that is less than or equal to 0.6: Aleman, Briese and Chen discloses an inspection device where the error when detecting a predetermined second current mutual inductor secondary rated current 5A, limit load by selecting 3.75VA; current mutual inductor secondary rated current is 1A, the limit load is selected as 1VA.. However absent any criticality, is only considered to be the “optimum” value of the threshold is 0.3 amperes and a current magnitude that is greater than zero and a power factor that is less than or equal to 0.6, as stated above, that a person having ordinary skill in the art would have been able to determine using routine experimentation based, among other things, on the desired accuracy and since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. See In re Boesch, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980) and MPEP 2144.04 and 2144.05.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aleman in view of Briese as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Iwami JP 2014153292 A.
Regarding claim 15, Aleman and Briese discloses the non-transitory medium of claim 1, Aleman and Briese do not disclose wherein the operations for the CT monitor further comprise generating a ticket request characterizing a condition detected at the customer premises responsive to determining that the set of CTs of the metering device have a condition that prevents an accurate calculation of an instant demand of power usage for the customer premises.
Iwami discloses wherein the operations for the CT monitor (fig. 2, elm. 4, par. [0039]) of further comprise generating a ticket request characterizing a condition detected at the customer premises responsive to determining that the set of CTs (fig. 2, elm. 2, par. [0039]) of the metering device have a condition that prevents an accurate calculation of an instant demand of power usage for the customer premises (par. [0039]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to determine an error in attaching a current transformer to a circuit in a distribution board or the like, and to a power value erroneously displayed on a monitoring device, the user can request inspection of the current transformer to a specialist, as taught in Iwami in modifying the apparatus of Aleman and Briese. The motivation would be a specialist can repair the problem. (see Iwami: par. [0039]).
Claim(s) 18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aleman in view of Briese as applied to claim 16 and 19 above, and further in view of Chen.
Regarding claim 18, Aleman and Briese discloses the system of claim 16, Briese discloses (ii) a defective CT (fig. 4, par. [0071]), (iv) cross-phased CTs based at least in-part on the power data (fig. 4-6, par. [0080]-[0081).
Aleman and Briese do not disclose (iii) oversized CTs.
Chen discloses oversized CTs. (background tech. 1st par.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide metering current transformer secondary load compensating device and an electric energy metering device, as taught in Chen in modifying the apparatus of Aleman and Briese. The motivation would be to avoid the current mutual inductor secondary over-load caused by the small current transformer operation error tolerance, ensure accurate and fairly energy metering (see Chen: par. background tech. 1st par.).
Regarding claim 20, Aleman and Briese discloses the system of claim 19, Briese discloses (ii) a defective CT (fig. 4, par. [0071]), (iv) cross-phased CTs based at least in-part on the power data (fig. 4-6, par. [0080]-[0081).
Aleman and Briese do not disclose (iii) oversized CTs.
Chen discloses oversized CTs. (background tech. 1st par.).
The references are combined for the same reason already applied in the rejection of claim 18.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COURTNEY G MCDONNOUGH whose telephone number is (571)272-6552. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am-5 pm.
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/COURTNEY G MCDONNOUGH/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/EMAN A ALKAFAWI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858
3/18/2026