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 Applicant's Arguments/Remarks
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 04/20/2026 with respect to amended claims are fully considered but are not persuasive. Explanations of how each and every claimed limitation is being met or rendered obvious are provided below.
Applicant argues that amended claim 1 is patentable because Saitou derived a measured value from a pressure sensor, while transmission and command reception are performed by different elements, and because Anderson allegedly does not remedy those deficiencies. Applicant further relies on the newly added limitations requiring the situation value to be output “via the coil included in the sensing unit” and requiring that “the information processing device is mounted on a single chip”. Applicant’s argument is directed to the references individually and does not address the combined teachings of the references as applied below.
The rejection has been modified to address the amended claim language. Saitou is relied upon for teaching a processor-based sensing device that acquired a measured value, calculates a variation value based on the measured value, determines whether an alert threshold is satisfied, and outputs information in response to satisfaction of that threshold. Anderson is relied upon for teaching acquisition of a measured value as a voltage induced in a coil. Burke is relied upon for teaching a single-chip RFID sensor platform in which an inductive coil is formed on the chip and combined with processing and transmitting circuitry so that sensed information can be transmitted outward through the integrated antenna.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Applicant acknowledges the Office’s interpretation of the limitations “determination unit”, “situation value calculation unit”, “output unit”, “condition setting unit”, “measured value storage unit”, “situation value storage unit”, “reception unit” and “logic storage unit”. Accordingly, the interpretation set forth in the prior Office action is maintained and no further response is necessary.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-7, 10 and 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saitou et al (US 2006/0077048) in view of Anderson (US 2008/0238413) and further view of Burke et al (US 2010/0171596).
Per claim 1, Saitou discloses an information processing device comprising a processing unit including a memory, wherein “the microcomputer (processor) 8 includes a memory 81 and a CPU 82.” See Saitou, para [0039].
Saitou discloses acquiring a measured value used for calculating a state-indicative value, wherein “the tire pressure sensor 2 … outputs a signal voltage corresponding to the tire pressure.” See Saitou, para [0033].
Saitou discloses a determination unit configured to determine whether a condition is satisfied, wherein “an alert value 75 indicates a threshold value … When the variation value 74 exceeds the alert value 75, the microcomputer 8 outputs an alert signal.” See Saitou, para [0042]. Saitou further discloses that “the microcomputer 8 compares the calculated variation value 74 with the alert value 75, and judges whether or not the calculated variation value 74 exceeds the alert value 75.” See Saitou, para [0049].
Saitou discloses a situation value calculation unit configured to calculate a situation value based on the measured value acquired by the sensing unit, wherein “the microcomputer 8 calculates a variation value 74 which indicates a difference between the obtained initial value 72 and the current pressure value.” See Saitou, para [0049]. The calculated variation value constitutes a value indicating a state according to the sensed tire-pressure situation. Saitou discloses condition-responsive output, wherein, when the variation value exceeds the alert value, “the microcomputer 8 outputs an alert signal.” See Saitou, paras [0042] and [0050].
However, Saitou does not expressly disclose a sensing unit including a coil and configured to acquire, as a measured value, a value of a voltage generated in the coil or an amplitude value of the voltage, outputting the calculated situation value via the coil included in the sensing unit, or that the information processing device is mounted on a single chip.
Anderson discloses the claimed coil-based measured-value acquisition, wherein:
“When a current is applied to the transmitter 12, the magnetic field generated by a coil of the transmitter 12 may induce a voltage into a coil of each of the at least one receiver 14. The induced voltage may be indicative of the mutual inductance between the two coils. Thus, the induced voltage across the coil of each of the at least one receiver 14 may be sensed and processed …” para [0018].
Thus, Anderson teaches a sensing unit including a coil and configured to acquire, as a measured value, a value of a voltage generated in the coil.
Burke discloses the newly recited integrated-coil output and single-chip limitations. Burke discloses: “The various embodiments and examples provided herein are generally directed to a CMOS-compatible radio frequency identification (‘RFID’) chip, thinned from the backside, with an integrated antenna, as a platform for biosensing. A transmit function is built into the RFID chip using CMOS-compatible circuitry so the chip can send information back out of the body. … Many different sensors can be integrated onto the chip.” para [0016].
Burke further discloses: “According to a preferred embodiment, a unified single-chip universal platform 50 is shown schematically in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 5, the on-chip antenna (‘OCA’) 52 can be designed and fabricated as an inductive coil with multiple loops on the chip … The chip 50 also includes a CMOS-compatible RFID circuitry 54. The circuitry 54 can be designed for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a radio-frequency signal, and other specialized functions. By combining the CMOS-compatible RFID circuitry 54 with the OCA 52, an integrated system is achieved.” para [0030].
Burke additionally discloses: “Such a platform enables the integration of various sensors 56 onto the chip 50. … The CMOS-compatible circuitry 54 can be integrated with or otherwise connected to custom sensors 56 … and can be adapted to work in conjunction with the sensors to receive and send information. For example, chemically-coated CMOS devices can sense local biochemical action and transmit that information outside the patient’s body.” para [0031].
Burke’s claim 10 further recites: “sensing a physical and/or chemical quantity through a plurality of sensors integrated in the CMOS-compatible circuitry; converting the physical and/or chemical quantity into a measurable signal; and transmitting the signal out of the body via the integrated antenna on the RFID chip.”
See Burke, claim 10.
Thus, Burke teaches a single-chip information processing device having an integrated inductive coil, circuitry for storing and processing sensed information, and transmission of sensed information outward via the integrated on-chip antenna.
Saitou discloses a condition-responsive sensor device that calculates and outputs information based on sensed data, but does not expressly disclose using an induced-voltage coil as the sensing unit, transmitting the resulting situation value through the coil included in that sensing unit, or integrating the information processing device on a single chip. Anderson teaches sensing and processing a voltage induced in a receiver coil. Burke teaches a single-chip sensor/RFID platform having an on-chip inductive coil and integrated processing/transmission circuitry configured to transmit sensed information outward via the on-chip antenna. Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to modify Saitou’s condition-responsive sensor device to employ Anderson’s induced-coil-voltage sensing arrangement and Burke’s integrated single-chip inductive-coil communication platform so that the coil-generated measured value is processed and, in response to satisfaction of Saitou’s threshold condition, the resulting situation value is transmitted outward through the integrated sensing-unit coil. Such a modification would provide a compact sensor device with reduced size and reduced component interconnections while integrating sensing, processing, and external communication functions, consistent with Burke’s express teaching that an on-chip antenna integrated on a single-chip radio provides reduced radio size. See Burke, paras [0029]-[0031] and [0035].
Per claim 2, Saitou teaches comprising a condition setting unit configured to receive the condition from the outside of the information processing device via the coil, (0035 teaches coil antenna receives radio waves of command signals transmitted from the body side module. The command signals received by the coil antenna are supplied to the semiconductor device. 0045 teaches the semiconductor device determines whether or not the tire side module 15 has received an initialize command as the command signal through he coil antenna. 0045-0046 teaches the CPU accesses the memory and initializes the data stored in the table).
Per claim 3, Saitou teaches comprising a measured value storage unit configured to store a history of the measured value, wherein the situation value calculation unit is configured to read the measured value from the measured value storage unit, and calculate the situation value based on the read measured value (0040 teaches memory 81 stores a table. The table indicates a relationship between temperature and initial tire pressure values. 0042 teaches a latest observed value 73 indicates the latest tire pressure value which is obtained by the tire pressure sensor 2. 0048 teaches when the latest observed value 73 measured at a previous time is stored, the microcomputer 8 updates the latest observed value 73. 0048 teaches the microcomputer reads out the initial value 72 corresponding to the specified temperature range 71 from table 70. 0049 teaches microcomputer calculates a variation value which indicates a difference between the obtained initial value and the current pressure value).
Per claim 5, Saitou teaches wherein the sensing unit is configured to measure a first measured value at a first cycle and measure a second measured value at a second cycle shorter than the first cycle, and the situation value calculation unit calculates the situation value based on the first and second measured values (0032 teaches the data signals may be transmitted at a specific time interval (since it’s a specified time, it can be longer cycle) or every time the change in the tire pressure or the time temperature goes over a specified value (event-driven so it’s shorter cycle). 0049 teaches the microcomputer calculates a variation value 74 which indicates a difference between the obtained initial value 72 and the current pressure value. The “variation value” corresponds to the claimed situation value, calculated based on measured value obtained by the sensing unit).
Per claim 6, Saitou teaches comprising: a situation value storage unit configured to store a history of the calculated situation value (0042, 0048-0049 teaches memory stores a table that includes history of sensed data wherein initial reading and updated readings are stored); and a reception unit configured to receive an external request (0035 teaches the antenna receives radio waves of command signals transmitted from the body-side module), wherein the output unit reads the situation value corresponding to a period designated in the request from the situation value storage unit, and outputs the read situation value (0049 teaches the variation data indicative of the current variation value 74 is transmitted to the body-side module. 0040 teaches the table 70 stores various temperature ranges and sets of tire pressure information).
Per claim 7, Saitou teaches wherein the situation value calculation unit calculates a second situation value based on the measured value acquired by the sensing unit and a first situation value stored in the situation value storage unit, and the output unit outputs the second situation value (0042 teaches initial value is stored and used for calculating the variation of the tire pressure. 0033 teaches sensor 2 outputs a signal voltage corresponding to the tire pressure. 0046 teaches the microcomputer receives the pressure data (AD converted value). 0049 teaches calculating a variation value using the stored initial value and the current measure value. 0049 teaches outputting a second situation value….the variation data indicative of the current variation value 74 is transmitted to the body-side module 22. So, the initial value corresponds to the first situation value and the variation value 74 corresponds to the second situation value).
Per claim 10, Saitou teaches a measured value storage unit configured to store a history of the measured value (0042 teaches latest observed value 73 indicates the latest tire pressure value. 0048 teaches when the latest observed value 73 is measured at a previous time is stored, the microcomputer updates the latest observed value 73); and a situation value calculation unit configured to read the measured value specified by the specifying information corresponding to the satisfied condition from the measured value storage unit (0047-0048 teaches selecting and reading a stored measured value based on a satisfied condition such as identified temperature range), and to calculate the situation value based on the read measured value wherein the specifying information, that specifies the measured value to be calculated, is associated with the condition (0049 teaches microcomputer calculates a variation value 74 which indicates a difference between the obtained initial value and the current pressure value. 0040 teaches storing condition related information such as thresholds and temperature ranges in memory wherein each condition is associated with specific measured values. Further see rejection of claim 1).
Per claim 12, Saitou teaches wherein the sensing unit is configured to receive a signal from the outside of the information processing device via the sensing unit (0035 and 0038 teaches receiving an external signal via coil antenna that is part of the devices sensing/communication structure and transmits the signal to microcomputer 8 for processing).
Per claim 13, is a method of claim 1, see rejection of claim 1.
Per claim 14, see rejection of claim 1 and further paragraph 0039 of Saitou that teaches computer program for causing information processing device to perform the function of claim 1/14.
Claim(s) 4 and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saitou et al (US 2006/0077048) in view of Anderson (US 2008/0238413) and Burke et al (US 2010/0171596) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Lai et al (US 2019/0327124).
Per claim 4, Saitou teaches wherein the situation value calculation unit calculates the situation value based on a first measured value [corresponding to a first period and a second measured value corresponding to a second period having a length different from a length of the first period] (0042 teaches an initial value is an initial tire pressure value and is used for calculating the variation of the pressure. 0042 further teaches a latest observed value 73 indicates the latest tire pressure value which is obtained by the tire pressure sensor. 0048 teaches when the latest observed value 73 measured at a previous time is stored, the microcomputer updates the latest observed value 73. So, Saitou teaches calculating a situation value based on multiple measured values obtained at different times. But, Saitou does not explicitly teach the measured values corresponding to a first period and a second measured value corresponding to a second period having a length different from a length of the first period.
In an analogous art, Lai teaches objected sensing and tracking (abstract). Lai further teaches in paragraph 0497 multiple time window/periods. 0430 teaches time series format/order/processing, the time quantities may be different from those described above. 0432 timestamps of CI may be irregular and may be corrected. So, these paragraphs explicitly support different temporal extends for windows/period lengths. 0497 teaches calculating a value using both time windows/periods based on measured values). Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Saitou’s calculation to use measured values corresponding to different-length periods, as taught by Lai in order to calculate a situation value that reflects both short-term and longer-term behavior of the sensed parameter. Such a modification merely applies a known temporal-windowing technique to Saitou’s existing sensor-data processing framework and represents a predictable use of prior-art elements according to their established functions.
Per claim 8, Saitou in view of Lai teaches comprising: a measured value storage unit configured to store a history of the measured value (0040-0042 teaches storing measured sensor values over time in memory. 0048 teaches updating those stored values with new sensed values); and a reception unit configured to receive a request from the outside of the information processing device via the coil, wherein the situation value calculation unit reads the measured value [corresponding to a period designated in the request from the measured value storage unit] (0035 teaches receiving external command signals via a coil antenna), and calculates the situation value based on the read measured value.
Saitou does not explicitly teach measured value corresponds to a period designated in the request from the measured value storage unit. Lai teaches measured value corresponds to a period designated in the request from the measured value storage unit (Lai teaches sensed data is grouped into time windows/periods and the amount of data and temporal length of the windows can differ and be time varying, paragraph 0497 and 0229. 0497 further teaches calculating a value using both time windows/periods based on measured values. Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Saitou such that, in response to an externally received request, the device reads measured values corresponding to a designated period and calculates a situation value based on those values, as taught by Lai, in order to flexibly provide situation information for different time periods. This is a predictable use of known time-window selection techniques applied to Saitou’s existing sensor data processing.
Per claim 9, Saitou in view of Lai teaches wherein the situation value calculation unit extracts the measured value at different cycles depending on a length of the period from the measured value storage unit, and calculates the situation value based on the extracted measured value (Saitou in paragraph 0040-0042, 0049 as mentioned above already teaches storing measured value in memory, calculating a situation value based on measured value. But, Saitou does not explicitly teach extracting measured values at different cycles depending on length of a designated period. However, Lai in paragraph 0029, 0430 and 0497 teaches the measured value/CI/TSCI are stored as time series, grouped into time windows/periods and processed using different temporal granularities depending on window/period. So therefore, teaches different windows/periods are used for calculation, implying extraction of measured values corresponding to those windows. Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to apply Lai’s period-dependent extraction approach to Saitou so that measured values are extracted at different cycles depending on the length of the period, thereby enabling appropriate handling of measured values for shorter and longer periods.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 11 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
In regards to claim 11, Saitou in view of Anderson in rejection of claim 1 teaches condition storage unit, measured value storage unit and a situation value calculation unit configured to calculate the situation value.
But, neither, Saitou, Anderson, nor any other prior art of record as a whole teaches a logic storage unit configured to store a logic for calculating the situation value based on the measured value, wherein the condition storage unit stores, in association with the condition, calculation target specifying information that specifies the measured value to be calculated and logic specifying information that specifies the logic, and the information processing device further comprises: a measured value storage unit configured to store a history of the measured value; and a situation value calculation unit configured to calculate the situation value by giving the measured value specified by the calculation target specifying information corresponding to the satisfied condition to the logic specified by the logic specifying information corresponding to the satisfied condition.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Gu et al (US 2021/0336775) paragraph 0032-0043
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 extension fee 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 OMEED ALIZADA whose telephone number is (571)270-5907. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:30 am until 5:30 pm.
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/OMEED ALIZADA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686
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