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 .
Remarks
Regarding the amendment, dated 09/26/2025, the examiner acknowledges the amendments to claims 1, 7 and 8. Claims 1-14 are pending.
The examiner acknowledges the corrections to the Specification and Drawings. Thus, the examiner withdraws the objections to the Specification and Drawings set forth in the Office Action mailed 06/27/2025.
Regarding the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) rejection of claim(s) 1-10 and 14 as being anticipated by Baudoin (EP 1030183), the applicant amended independent claim 1 to include the limitation from claim 7 “wherein the magnetic sensor and processing unit are provided in a single sensor package”. The applicant argues that “one skilled in the art would understand that Baudoin teaches distinct magnetic sensing components spread apart on a substrate, communicating with a separate data processing circuit, and fails to provide any disclosure that would lead to a magnetic sensor and a processing unit provided in a single sensor package, as required in amended claim 1.” The examiner has considered applicant’s argument’s in light of the amended claims and withdraws the rejection. However, the examiner maintain the added limitation would have been obvious in view of Bilbao (US 2020/0191835) (previously made of record and not relied upon).
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) 1-10 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baudoin (EP 1030183) in view of Bilbao (US 2020/0191835).
Regarding claim 1, Baudoin discloses “a magnetic sensor (Fig. 5, ref.# 2) configured to provide a first signal representative of a magnetic field parameter in a first direction and configured to provide at least a second signal representative of a magnetic field parameter in a second direction different from the first direction (Fig. 8; page 3 of translation, lines 5-16: “the vectors representing the magnetic field generated”) the magnetic field being induced by the first and the second currents (page 3 of translation, line 9), a processing unit (Fig. 7) programmed for deriving a first output signal and a second output signal based on weighted combinations (page 2 of translation, lines 9 & 13: weighted) of the first signal and the at least second signal from the magnetic sensor, wherein the weights of the weighted combination are chosen such that the first output signal is indicative of the first current and the second output signal is indicative of the second current (page 2 of translation, lines 9-15).”
Baudoin does not teach “wherein the magnetic sensor and processing unit are provided in a single sensor package”. However, integrating a magnetic sensor and a processing unit into a single sensor package was well known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention as taught by Bilbao (See paragraph 0145; Figures 1(a), 1(b), 6). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Baudoin “wherein the magnetic sensor and processing unit are provided in a single sensor package” in order to simplify manufacturing and reduce the overall size of the apparatus.
Regarding claim 2, Baudoin discloses “wherein the processing unit (Fig. 7) is programmed with constants such that the output signal indicative of the current in one conductor is proportional to one component of the magnetic field or one gradient of the magnetic field.” (page 2 of translation, lines 9-10)
Regarding claim 3, Baudoin discloses “sensing a further third current through a third conductor different from the first and second conductors (Fig. 5: ref.# 10, 11, 12), being configured to provide a third output signal representative of the third current (page 2 of translation, line 41: I3), and wherein the processing unit (Fig. 7) is programmed for deriving the third current based on a weighted combination of the first, second and third signals (page 2 of translation, line 57: I3=b31Us1+b32Ustwo+b33Us3+…+ b3jUsj).”
Regarding claim 4, Baudoin discloses “wherein the magnetic sensor is further configured to provide a third signal representative of a magnetic field parameter in a third direction different from the first and the second directions.” (Fig. 5, ref.# 2; page 3 of translation, lines 4-10)
Regarding claim 5, Baudoin discloses “wherein the magnetic sensor comprises at least two magnetic sensing elements.”(Fig. 5, ref.# 2)
Regarding claim 6, Baudoin discloses “wherein the magnetic sensor is adapted to measure the magnetic field substantially at the same location.” (Fig. 5, ref.# 2; page 3 of translation, lines 36-37: geometrical positions)
Regarding claim 7, Baudoin discloses “wherein the single sensor package comprising contacts for outputting processed signals from the processing unit.” (Figs. 1(a) and 7)
Regarding claim 8, Baudoin discloses “wherein a first and at least second conductors (Fig. 5, ref.# 10, 11) are also provided in the sensor package (Fig. 5, ref.# 31), wherein the current sensor (Fig. 5, ref.# 2) is at a fixed position relative to the conductors (Fig. 5, ref.# 10, 11, 12), optionally overlapping the conductors and wherein the sensor package further comprises contacts (Fig. 6: inherent to have contacts for providing current) for providing the currents to be measured through the conductors of the sensor package.”
Regarding claim 9, Baudoin discloses “at least a first and a second conductors (Fig. 5, ref.# 10, 11), wherein the current sensor (Fig. 5, ref.# 2) is positioned so as to measure the overlapped magnetic field induced by the conductors, optionally wherein the current sensor at least partially overlaps at least one of the conductors.”
Regarding claim 10, Baudoin discloses “wherein the first conductor and second conductor are positioned so that a limited region can be defined wherein the magnetic field parameter in one direction has a null contribution from the first conductor (page 3 of translation, lines 1-3), and the magnetic field parameter in the other direction has a null contribution from the second conductor (page 3 of translation, liens 1-3), wherein the current sensor is positioned in said region, the current sensor being sensitive in both directions (Fig. 8: vectors).”
Regarding claim 12, Baudoin discloses all the structure set forth in the claims including that conductors are disposed in a small spacing from each other (page 4 of translation, lines 7-8. However, Baudoin does not specifically teach “wherein each conductor is separated by a distance from the magnetic sensor of the current sensor, and wherein the spacing between at least two of the conductors less than 5 times the distance between any of the conductors and the magnetic sensor.” However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Baudoin such that wherein each conductor is separated by a distance from the magnetic sensor of the current sensor, and wherein the spacing between at least two of the conductors less than 5 times the distance between any of the conductors and the magnetic sensor, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 14, Baudoin discloses “a third conductor (Fig. 5, ref.# 12) for flowing current, wherein the current sensor (Fig. 5, ref.# 2) is further arranged to detect the current through the third conductor, at least a portion of the third conductor being arranged parallel to any one of the first (Fig. 1, ref.# 10) or second conductor (Fig. 5, ref.# 11).”
Claim(s) 11 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baudoin (EP 1030183) and Bilbao (US 2020/0191835) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Brusius (WO 2019072421).
Regarding claims 11 and 13, Baudoin discloses all the structure set froth int eh claims except (Claim 11) “wherein the first conductor extends so that the current flows in a first direction and the second conductor extends so that the current flows in a second direction different from the first, optionally being perpendicular direction” and (Claim 13) “wherein a first conductor extends in a first direction and the second conductor extends parallel to the first conductor in a different plane, wherein the second conductor is a bus bar including a portion extending longitudinally, the portion being delimited by a first cutout on one side of the bus bar and a second cutout on an opposite side of the bus bar so the current through that portion travels perpendicularly to the first conductor, and wherein the current sensor receives the magnetic field from the first conductor and from the portion delimited by cutouts in the second conductor.”
However, using a current sensor for sensing a current flowing in a 1st conductor and a 2nd conductor wherein the current flows in different directions in the two conductors (including 90 deg. Difference) and wherein the 1st and 2nd conductors are extend parallel in different planes was well known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention as taught by Brusius (See Figures 1 and 3; translation: page 4, 1st paragraph, 5th paragraph). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Baudoin such that ) wherein the first conductor extends so that the current flows in a first direction and the second conductor extends so that the current flows in a second direction different from the first, optionally being perpendicular direction and wherein a first conductor extends in a first direction and the second conductor extends parallel to the first conductor in a different plane, wherein the second conductor is a bus bar including a portion extending longitudinally, the portion being delimited by a first cutout on one side of the bus bar and a second cutout on an opposite side of the bus bar so the current through that portion travels perpendicularly to the first conductor, and wherein the current sensor receives the magnetic field from the first conductor and from the portion delimited by cutouts in the second conductor in order to lower measurement errors with the current sensor in the higher frequency range as taught by Brusius (See translation: page 4, 1st paragraph; page 5, 2nd paragraph)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RODNEY FULLER whose telephone number is (571)272-2118. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday.
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, Stephanie Bloss can be reached at 571-272-3555. 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.
/RODNEY E FULLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
January 6, 2026