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 1/20/2026 with respect to claims 1-7 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues YE does not teach a low frequency seismic wave monitoring module.
Examiner respectfully states that the rejection does not rely on YE for this feature, and the seismic monitoring portion is supplied by Ramesh as previously set forth.
Applicant argues Ramesh is passive and does not propagate seismic waves downward and receive reflected waves. Examiner respectfully disagrees as previously cited [0006, 32-35,] when vibration occurs in layered soil media, seismic wave energy propagates through those layers. The geophones deployed within the soil necessarily detect propagating wave energy travelling downward and trough stratified media. In layered soil systems, wave propagation inherently involves transmission and reflection at interfaces between strata. The claim language does not require a distinct active seismic transmitter separate from the monitoring module. It recites propagating seismic wave downward and receiving reflected waves. The geophone based monitoring disclosed in [0032-35] operates within stratified soil layers and detects propagating vibration energy associated with subsurface creep.
Applicant further argues neither reference teach frequency domain interfaces characteristics of internal creeping.
Examiner respectfully states as cited before Ramesh [fig. 5, 10A, 0006, 26-28], teaches analysis of vibration variability necessarily required signal processing of time varying vibration data. Differentiation between sustained creep related movement and transient disturbances requires evaluation of vibration characteristics over time, including frequency content and amplitude variation. The variability pattern analysis disclosed in fig. 10A [0006] constitutes analysis of vibration characteristics to determine instability conditions. Such analysis inherently involves evaluation of characteristics of the vibration signal.
Applicant further argues neither reference determines longitudinal force on a three dimensional stratigraphic shear surface.
Examiner respectfully disagrees as slope stability evaluation via factor of safety necessarily involves consideration of forces acting along a potential shear surface within layered soil. Determination of FoS requires evaluation of relationship between resisting and driving forces acting along the stratified slop. Thus, evaluation of stability parameters in [0007] inherently involves determination of forces associated with the landslide shear surface within the stratified soil mass disclosed in [0032-35].
Applicant further argues Ramesh merely performs time correlated analysis and does not integrate surface deformation and longitudinal force within the same time period.
Examiner respectfully states YE discloses server based deformation processing [0019-21]. Ramesh teaches centralized data management [0026-28], real time sensor data acquisition and evaluation for warning generations [0006, 28]. Ramesh hierarchical warning system depends on contemporaneous evaluation of multiple sensors inputs. Real time multi sensor monitoring necessarily require temporally aligned data evaluation. Combining YE’s server based determination monitoring with Ramesh’s centralized real time multi sensor evaluation results in collection and evaluation of both datasets within corresponding monitoring intervals. Accordingly, the claimed “same period of time” limitation is satisfied by the combined teachings.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YE (EP4130653A1) in view of Ramesh (U.S. Publication 20230046111).
Regarding claim 1, YE teaches a joint landslide monitoring system (may monitor a slope of an urban residential area, perform early warning on landslide [0030]), comprising:
a high-frequency electromagnetic wave monitoring module configured to continuously emit electromagnetic wave signals into a monitoring area through a transmitting antenna (“a radar device 1 and a server 2. The radar device 1 is configured to transmit a linear frequency modulation (LFM) signal and to receive an echo signal of a monitoring point of a monitoring target” [0028]), and
scan space of the monitoring area with emitted waves by changing a phase distribution on an aperture of the transmitting antenna (generating and LFM signal in the X or K band, transmitting through the antenna and receiving echo signals reflected form the monitoring area [0034-37]);
amplify signals received by a receiving antenna and perform interference processing on the amplified signals to obtain target signals (“Echo signals of the two monitoring points are obtained by means of radio frequency signals transmitted by the radar device, and the echo signals are transmitted to the server” [0045]); and obtain surface deformation information of the monitoring area according to a phase difference of the target signals (“the server 2 obtains a first line-of-sight deformation of the monitoring target by means of differential interferometry” [0051]),
wherein the surface deformation information comprises a position of a landslide mass and landslide velocity information (“the server compute the vertical displacement and/or the horizontal displacement of the monitoring target according to the first angle of incidence, the second angle of incidence, the first line-of-sight deformation and the second line-of-sight deformation”, “Thus, the vertical displacement and the horizontal displacement may be obtained by solving the equation set” [0075]); issue alert information when the maximum subsidence amount exceeds a subsidence amount threshold or the subsidence velocity exceeds a subsidence velocity threshold.
a cloud platform configured to collect the surface deformation information sent by the high-frequency electromagnetic wave monitoring module (radar deformation measurement system including a server (cloud) configuration to receive radar echo signal from high frequency electromagnetic waves (radar) module and to compute surface deformation parameters therefrom [0019-21]), determine a maximum subsidence amount and a subsidence velocity of the monitoring area according to the surface deformation information (the server calculates vertical displacement and horizontal displacement (subsidence amount) and determines deformation velocity of the monitored area based on radar phase difference [0012, 58-61]), issue alert information when the maximum subsidence amount exceeds a subsidence amount threshold or the subsidence velocity exceeds a subsidence velocity threshold (“obtaining a first deformation threshold and/or a second deformation threshold,.., sending out a deformation over-threshold alarm signal in response to the vertical displacement being higher than the first deformation threshold and/or the horizontal displacement being higher than the second deformation threshold” [0012]).
YE does not explicitly teach a low-frequency seismic wave monitoring module configured to propagate seismic waves downward from a ground surface in the monitoring area and receive reflected waves from a creeping medium that the seismic waves encounter, wherein the reflected waves continue to propagate downward after reaching the ground surface; obtain frequency-domain interference characteristics of internal creeping in the monitoring area according to the reflected waves received in multiple times; and determine, according to the frequency-domain interference characteristics, a longitudinal force on a 3D stratigraphic landslide mass shear surface in the monitoring area; and
the longitudinal force on the 3D stratigraphic landslide mass shear surface sent by the low-frequency seismic wave monitoring module; the longitudinal force on the 3D stratigraphic landslide mass shear surface collected within a same period of time.
However Ramesh teaching a hierarchical early-warning system for landslide teaches a low-frequency seismic wave monitoring module configured to propagate seismic waves downward from a ground surface in the monitoring area and receive reflected waves from a creeping medium that the seismic waves encounter, wherein the reflected waves continue to propagate downward after reaching the ground surface (“A geophone sensor 210 is illustrated in this example in soil layers 1 and 2. A geophone measures earth movement in the soil layer and is a geologic sensor. Geophone 210 is connected to wireless transceiver 204 by sensor wiring” [0037], the geophones detect seismic waves generated by ground movement or active excitation and measure vibration amplitude and frequency associated with subsurface creep [0033,39], data from the sensors are transmitted to a data management center for analysis of frequency domain characteristics related to soil creep and for determining shear or longitudinal stress acting on the slope);
obtain frequency-domain interference characteristics of internal creeping in the monitoring area according to the reflected waves received in multiple times (strain gauges and geophones are used to detect minute soil movements and creeping. The sensors continuously detect ground vibrations over time, allowing analysis of surface creeping characteristics [0035-37]); and determine, according to the frequency-domain interference characteristics, a longitudinal force on a 3D stratigraphic landslide mass shear surface in the monitoring area ; and the longitudinal force on the 3D stratigraphic landslide mass shear surface sent by the low-frequency seismic wave monitoring module (a data management center operating as a cloud based server that collects sensor data from multiple geologic and seismic instruments measuring soil stress, pore pressure and ground movements, the data management center determines slope stability parameters such as factor of safety and pore pressure derived focus acting on the landslide shear surface, which corresponds to the claimed longitudinal force on the 3D stratigraphic landside mass shear surface [0027-37]); and the longitudinal force on the 3D stratigraphic landslide mass shear surface collected (a data management center operating as a cloud based server that collects sensor data from multiple geologic and seismic instruments measuring soil stress, pore pressure and ground movements, the data management center determines slope stability parameters such as factor of safety and pore pressure derived focus acting on the landslide shear surface, which corresponds to the claimed longitudinal force on the 3D stratigraphic landside mass shear surface [0027-37]) within a same period of time (performing time correlated analysis of data from multiple sensor types collected in real time to evaluate slope stability [0028, 31, 46-48]);
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the low frequency seismic system of Ramesh with the high frequency radar interferometric system of YE in order to integrates surface deformation information with subsurface creeping and shear information thereby increasing the reliability and accuracy of landside prediction.
Regarding claim 2, YE as modified further teaches wherein the high-frequency electromagnetic wave monitoring module comprises: a synthesizer configured to generate frequency-modulated signals (the radar device generates and LFM signal in the X/K band [0034-35]); the transmitting antenna configured to continuously emit the frequency-modulated signals into the monitoring area, wherein the frequency-modulated signals are electromagnetic wave signals (“the radar device 1 further includes an antenna 15 connected to the signal transmission unit 12 and the signal reception unit 13. The signal transmission unit 12 is configured to transmit the LFM signal by means of the antenna 15. The signal reception unit 13 is configured to receive the echo signal by means of the antenna 15” [0034-37]);the receiving antenna configured to receive mixed-frequency signals, which are a mixture of the frequency-modulated signals and delayed frequency-modulated signals reflected back (“the radar device 1 is mounted at a suitable position, such that the signal transmitted by the radar device may cover two monitoring points of the monitoring target. Echo signals of the two monitoring points are obtained by means of radio frequency signals transmitted by the radar device, and the echo signals are transmitted to the server.” [0045-46]); a filter connected to the receiving antenna and configured to filter out intermediate frequency signals within a preset frequency range (“the control unit filters the echo signal, and analyzes the received control signal” [0042, 48]); a first analog-to-digital converter connected to the filter and configured to convert the intermediate frequency signals into digital signals, referred to as first digital signals; a digital signal processor (DSP) connected to the first analog-to-digital converter and configured to perform a fast Fourier transform (FFT) on the digital signals; and a constant false alarm rate (CFAR) detection module connected to the DSP and configured to perform CFAR detection on the digital signals after the FFT, to obtain high-frequency electromagnetic wave data (the implementation of the radar signal processing unit is known to use frequency modulation radar dsp architecture, including ADC to digitize the beat signal and DSP performing FFT based frequency /phase extraction, as such implementation are routing and well understood in radar and landslide deformation and employing CRFAR type adaptive thresholding within the radar DSP chain to automatically detect meaningful deformation returns and suppress noise, as CFAR is a standard feature in radar detection to maintain stable detection performance across variable environmental noise condition as can be evident by Long (U.S. publication 202001217945) [0048, 0052, 0081, 0113]).
Regarding claim 3, YE as modified further teaches a detector configured to propagate seismic waves downward from the ground surface in the monitoring area, collect mechanical signals representing linear vibrations of the ground surface in the monitoring area, and convert the mechanical signals into electrical signals (“a geologic sensor that may detect minute movement of soil” “A geophone sensor 210 is illustrated in this example in soil layers 1 and 2. A geophone measures earth movement in the soil layer and is a geologic sensor. Geophone 210 is connected to wireless transceiver 204 by sensor wiring” [0035-37]); the use of period extender to broaden bandwidth in seismic measurement implemented with multi-channel ADC with multi geophones incorporating these standard signal processing enhancements as can be evident by Long (U.S. publication 202001217945) [0048, 0073, 0081]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the low frequency seismic system of Ramesh with the high frequency radar interferometric system of YE in order to integrates surface deformation information with subsurface creeping and shear information thereby increasing the reliability and accuracy of landside prediction.
Regarding claim 4, YE as modified further teaches wherein the detector comprises a three-axis vibration sensor configured to detect mechanical signals of linear vibrations in three Cartesian axis directions (“if the count value for the tiltmeter/strain gauge sensors OR count value for the ground vibration sensors is obtained as 1” [0070]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the low frequency seismic system of Ramesh with the high frequency radar interferometric system of YE in order to integrates surface deformation information with subsurface creeping and shear information thereby increasing the reliability and accuracy of landside prediction.
Regarding claim 5 YE as modified further teaches wherein the subsidence velocity threshold is 5 mm/h (teaches comparing the measured surface deformation with preset threshold and generating and alarm when the reformation rate exceeds a preset limit (exact numerical threshold is not fixed) [0050-53])).
Regarding claim 6, YE as modified further teaches a first 5G data transmission module and a second 5G data transmission module, wherein the high-frequency electromagnetic wave monitoring module and the cloud platform are connected through the first 5G data transmission module, and the low-frequency seismic wave monitoring module and the cloud platform are connected through the second 5G data transmission module (The I/O apparatus 115 may be a mouse, a keyboard, a modem, a network interface, a touch input apparatus, a somatosensory input apparatus, a printer, and other apparatuses well known in the art. Typically, the input/output apparatus 115 is connected to a system by means of an input/output (I/O) controller 116).
One of the ordinary skills in the art would have been motivated to make this modification such that an appropriate data transmission module can be used based on the design choice (Please see MPEP 2144 .04 VI.C.).
Regarding claim 7, the method recited is intrinsic to the apparatus recited in claim 1, as disclosed by YE (EP4130653A1) in view of Ramesh (U.S. Publication 2023046111) as the recited method steps will be performed during the normal operation of the apparatus, as discussed above with regard to claim 1.
Conclusion
5. 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 TAQI R NASIR whose telephone number is (571)270-1425. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lee Rodak can be reached at (571) 270-5628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAQI R NASIR/ Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/LEE E RODAK/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858