Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/524,580

MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING A PEOPLE CONVEYOR SYSTEM

Non-Final OA §101§102
Filed
Nov 30, 2023
Priority
Jun 04, 2021 — continuation of PCTEP2021064996
Examiner
GLASS, ERICK DAVID
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
KONE Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
89%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 89% — above average
89%
Career Allowance Rate
634 granted / 709 resolved
+29.4% vs TC avg
Moderate +7% lift
Without
With
+7.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
28 currently pending
Career history
731
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.0%
-39.0% vs TC avg
§103
62.0%
+22.0% vs TC avg
§102
34.2%
-5.8% vs TC avg
§112
1.4%
-38.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 709 resolved cases

Office Action

§101 §102
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 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows: Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title. Claims 1-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to abstract idea without significantly more. The claims (1,11) recite(s) a monitoring system, that obtains connection data, assign itself a sink node role if the obtained connection data indicates a connection to a gateway device or otherwise provide the obtained connection data to the gateway device, assign an operation role to the node device based on the obtained connection data, wherein the assigned role is: a sensor node role, if the data indicates a connection to people or a router node, if data indicates that not connected to any peripheral device. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because obtaining data, using obtained connection data to indicate assigning a sink node or assigning a sensor or router node, can be done by any general computer system. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the monitoring system with wireless mesh network with sink node, sensor node and router nodes, using assigning connection data to determine path/connection are just merely mathematical relationship. Prior Art below is applied as best understood by examiner at time of examination. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being taught by Sarjanen (PGPUB 2013/0153339). With respect to claim 1, Sarjanen teaches a monitoring system for monitoring a people conveyor system, wherein the monitoring system comprises a wireless mesh network comprising a plurality of node devices and one or more peripheral devices of the people conveyor system, wherein a node device joining to the wireless mesh network is configured to: obtain connection data representing a connection of the node device to a peripheral device of the people conveyor system (paragraph 0028), and assign itself a sink node role, if the obtained connection data indicates a connection to a gateway device, wherein the gateway device is arranged to the people conveyor system (paragraph 0025), or otherwise provide the obtained connection data to the gateway device, wherein the gateway device is configured to: assign an operation role to the node device based on the obtained connection data, wherein the assigned role is: a sensor node role, if the obtained connection data indicates a connection to a people conveyor related sensor device, wherein the people conveyor related sensor device is configured to obtain sensor data representing condition of the people conveyor system; or a router node role, if the obtained connection data indicates that the node device is not connected to any peripheral device of the people conveyor system. With respect to claim 11, Sarjanen teaches a method for monitoring a people conveyor system, wherein the method comprises: obtaining connection data representing a connection of a node device joining to a wireless mesh network to a peripheral device of the people conveyor system (paragraph 0028), and assigning an operation role based on the obtained connection data, wherein the assigned role is: a sink node role, if the obtained connection data indicates a connection to a gateway device, wherein the gateway device is arranged (paragraph 0025) to the people conveyor system; a sensor node role, if the obtained connection data indicates a connection to a people conveyor related sensor device, wherein the people conveyor related sensor device is configured to obtain sensor data representing condition of the people conveyor system; or a router node role, if the obtained connection data indicates that the node device is not connected to any peripheral device of the people conveyor system. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERICK DAVID GLASS whose telephone number is (571)272-8395. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri_8-5pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached at 571-272-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ERICK D GLASS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 30, 2023
Application Filed
Jun 10, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §101, §102 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
89%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+7.0%)
2y 4m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 709 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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