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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
1. Applicant’s election without traverse of Species 1, claims 1-14 in the reply filed on 03/16/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC §103
2. 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.
3. Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pradeep (U.S PAT. 11,424,843) in view of Muta et al. (U.S PAT. 7,365,352, hereinafter “Muta”).
Consider claim 1, Pradeep teaches a system comprising: a target site comprising one or more processors and one or more computer storage hardware devices storing computer-usable instructions, that, when used by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: receive a signal transmitted from a base station, the signal having a predetermined signal strength (col. 3, lines 42-62, i.e., a cellular base station transceiver 111 monitors signal strengths), wherein the signal comprises a plurality of protocol data units encoded according to a cellular telecom protocol (Figs. 2-3, col. 5, lines 16-29 and 49-61); monitor changes in a detected signal strength from the predetermined signal strength of the signal (col. 5, lines 49-61, i.e., tracking signal strengths for devices connected to a cellular base station); determine changes in a gas concentration based on the monitored changes in the detected signal strength, wherein each unit of a change in the detected signal strength from an expected signal strength corresponds to a predetermined change in the gas concentration (col. 4, lines 17-27).
Pradeep does not explicitly show that upon determining changes in the gas concentration, providing near real-time access to the changes in the gas concentration though an application programming interface (API).
In the same field of endeavor, Muta teaches upon determining changes in the gas concentration, providing near real-time access to the changes in the gas concentration though an application programming interface (API) (col. 12 lines 36-49).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to use, upon determining changes in the gas concentration, providing near real-time access to the changes in the gas concentration though an application programming interface (API), as taught by Muta, in order to provide a gas flux measuring device that is appropriate for regional measurements of forest or the like, has no influence of concomitants, has a high responsiveness and is excellent in measuring stability.
Consider claim 2, Pradeep further teaches wherein the gas concentration is a concentration of carbon dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide, or airborne particulates (col. 11, lines 40-51 i.e., smoke, gas leak emissions effecting signal attenuation).
Consider claim 3, Pradeep further teaches wherein the one or more processors are configured to calibrate the predetermined changes in the gas concentration based on controlled gas concentrations or reference data sets (col. 10, line 65 through col. 11, line 13, i.e., match signal attenuation data against known causal factors).
Consider claim 4, Pradeep further teaches wherein the target site is integrated into existing infrastructure, such as cellular towers, buildings, or transportation systems (col. 3, lines 11-23, i.e., the cellular base station transceiver 111 is a cellular-enabled mobile device site where antennas and electronic communications equipment connect multiple devices to a base station network).
Consider claim 5, Pradeep further teaches to store historical data regarding gas concentrations and signal strength changes (col. 12, lines 46-61).
Consider claim 6, Pradeep further teaches alert systems configured to notify a user of an increase in gas concentration (col. 13, lines 28-40).
Consider claim 7, Muta further teaches a user interface to provide real-time visualization of the concentration of the greenhouse gas (col. 23, lines 6-15).
Consider claim 8, the subject-matter of independent claim 8 relates to a method for detecting atmospheric greenhouse gasses utilizing a cellular network with features fully corresponding to the characteristics of claim 1. Therefore, the same argumentation presented in relation to claim 1 is, mutatis mutandis, of application to claim 8.
Consider claim 9, the previous rejections of claim 3 apply mutatis mutandis to corresponding claim 9.
Consider claim 10, the previous rejections of claim 7 apply mutatis mutandis to corresponding claim 10.
Consider claim 11, Pradeep further teaches wherein the greenhouse gas comprise carbon dioxide (col. 11, lines 40-51).
Consider claim 12, Pradeep further teaches determining a change in concentration of particulate matter based on the change in signal strength (col. 12, lines 46-61).
Consider claim 13, the previous rejections of claim 6 apply mutatis mutandis to corresponding claim 13.
Consider claim 14, Pradeep further teaches wherein the alert systems further comprise alerts or notifications to individuals or entities in a vicinity of the target, wherein the alerts or notifications are generated when the concentration of the greenhouse gas exceeds predetermined threshold levels (col. 13, lines 28-40).
Conclusion
4. Any response to this action should be mailed to:
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tuan H. Nguyen whose telephone number is (571) 272-8329. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00Am - 5:00Pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pan Yuwen can be reached on (571) 272-7855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/TUAN H NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649