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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 07/13/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 10-19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's arguments for claim 21 filed 07/13/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding new claim 21, the Applicant states that the prior art made of record does not teach the limitations of claim 21, in particular the limitations directed to a housing positioned in communication with an electrical distribution system, the housing including a faceplate having a display and a cover having an opening, and a gas sensor unit mounted on the faceplate and in communication with an external environment outside of the housing via the opening. MPEP 2111 states that claims must be "given their broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the specification." As seen in the 103 rejection of claim 21 below, the combination of White and Trieste teaches the limitations of claim 21, including the limitations directed to a housing positioned in communication with an electrical distribution system, the housing including a faceplate having a display and a cover having an opening, and a gas sensor unit mounted on the faceplate and in communication with an external environment outside of the housing via the opening. Therefore, the 103 rejection of claim 21 is deemed proper.
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.
Claims 10-11 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over White in view of Matan et al. (US 20220043038; hereinafter “Matan”; cited in the IDS filed on 06/17/2024; previously relied upon by the Examiner) in further view of Longley (US 20190139392; cited in the IDS filed on 06/17/2024; previously relied upon by the Examiner) in further view of Prince (US 2005/0039515; previously relied upon by the Examiner) in further view of Huang et al. (US 20170115218; hereinafter “Huang”).
Regarding claim 10, White teaches a sensing system (Figure 2A) comprising:
an electricity meter (202; Figure 2A) including a memory unit (212; Figure 2A), one or more processors (205; Figure 2A), a communication unit (207 and 208; Figure 2A) configured to communicate over a network ([0020, 0037]), an electrical sensor unit (204; Figure 2A) configured to measure at least one parameter of an electrical distribution system (204; Figure 2A; [0027, 0031-0033]), and a gas sensor (218a; Figure 2A), wherein the gas sensor (218a) is in communication with the processor (205; See Figure 2A) and is configured to provide gas sensor data to the processor (205; [0016]).
White teaches the electric meter but does not expressly teach a plurality of electricity meters and a remote monitor in communication with the plurality of meters over the network, wherein at least one electricity meter of the plurality of electricity meters is configured to communicate the gas sensor data over the network to the remote monitor, wherein the remote monitor is configured to be accessed by a user device; wherein the remote monitor is configured to provide a graphical representation of data to the user device, the graphical representation including a color coded data.
However, Matan teaches it is known in the art to have a sensing system having a plurality of electricity meters ([0052]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have Matan’s plurality of electricity meters implemented in White’s sensing system in order to gather information of the community, such as air quality of the community, without requiring other equipment (See Matan [0052]).
The combination of White and Matan teaches plurality of meters but does not expressly teach a remote monitor in communication with the plurality of meters over the network, wherein at least one electricity meter of the plurality of electricity meters is configured to communicate the gas sensor data over the network to the remote monitor, wherein the remote monitor is configured to be accessed by a user device; wherein the remote monitor is configured to provide a graphical representation of data to the user device, the graphical representation including color coded data.
However, Longley teaches a remote monitor (204; Figure 13B, 14A-14C) in communication with the plurality of meters (206; Figures 13B, 14A-14C) over the network ([0101-0102]), wherein at least one meter of the plurality of meters (206) is configured to communicate the gas sensor data (Figure 14C demonstrates the gas data from the plurality of meters 206 presented by the remote monitor 204; [0101-0102, 0116]) over the network ([0101-0102]) to the remote monitor (204), wherein the remote monitor (204) is configured to be accessed by a user device ([0106, 0114-0115, and 0121]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have Longley’s remote monitor being in communication with White and Matan’s plurality of electric meters in order to display the gas data from different areas in a simultaneous manner (See Longley [0114-0115, 0121, 0142]).
The combination of White, Matan and Longley teaches the remote monitor but does not expressly teach wherein the remote monitor is configured to provide a graphical representation of data to the user device, the graphical representation including color coded data.
However, Prince teaches that is known in the art to use a monitor ([0005, 0036-0037, 0041]; Figures 16-18) in order provide a graphical representation of data to the user device ([0005, 0036-0037, 0041]), the graphical representation including a data ([0005, 0036-0037, 0041]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have Prince’s graphical representation, including a map, to present White, Matan and Longley’s gas data in order to visually present traveling direction of the gas, thus presenting geographically where the gas is being displaced.
The combination of White, Matan, Longley and Prince teaches the graphical representation but does not expressly teach the graphical representation including color coded data.
However, Huang teaches that is known in the art for graphical representation to included color coded data ([0044]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have Huang’s color coded data implemented in White, Matan, Longley and Prince’s graphical representation in order for a user to view different levels of sensed gas concentration, this aids the user in interpreting gas concentration data (See Huang [0044]).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang teaches wherein at least one electricity meter (202; Figure 2A: White) of the plurality of electricity meters ([0052]: Matan) includes a power source ([0016]: White) configured to provide power to the associated one or more processors ([0016]: White) and the gas sensor ([0016]: White).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang teaches wherein one or more electricity meters of the plurality of electricity meters ([0052]: Matan and 206; Figures 13B, 14A-14C: Longley) are configured to alert the remote monitor (204: Longley) when a predetermined alarm condition is met ([0114-0015]: Longley).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang teaches wherein the one or more processors (205; Figure 2A: White) of the plurality of electricity meters ([0052]: Matan and 206; Figures 13B, 14A-14C: Longley) is configured to implement a neural network to analyze the gas sensor data ([0023-0024, 0034]; claim 1: White and [0106 and 0108-0116]: Longley) to determine if the alarm condition is met ([0023-0024, 0034]; claim 1: White and [0106 and 0108-0116]: Longley).
Regarding claim 18, the combination of White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang teaches wherein one or more electricity meters (202; Figure 2A: White) of the plurality of electricity meters (202; Figure 2A: White and [0052]: Matan) is configured to record gas detection events into an event log stored in the memory of the electricity meter ([0142]: Longley).
Regarding claim 19, the combination of White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang teaches wherein the remote monitor (204; Figure 13B, 14A-14C: Longley) is configured to retrieve the gas sensor date (Figure 14c; [0116]: Longley) from the plurality of electricity meters (206: Longley and [0052]: Matan).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang in further view of Tautenhahn et al. (US 20220270464; hereinafter "Tautenhahn"; cited in the IDS filed on 06/17/2024; previously relied upon by the Examiner).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang teaches the one or more processors of at least one electricity meter of the plurality of electricity meters and the gas data but does not expressly teach wherein the one or more processors are configured to process the gas data to reduce the dimensionality of the data.
However, Tautenhahn teaches the one or more processors ([0060, 0062, 0105]) are configured to process the gas data to reduce the dimensionality of the data ([0060, 0062, 0105]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have Tautenhahn's data processing implemented on White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang's gas data since it would increase the data processing rate of the gas data (See Tautenhahn [0062]).
Claims 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang in further view of Londergan et al. (US 20140238100; hereinafter "Londergan"; cited in the IDS filed on 06/17/2024; previously relied upon by the Examiner).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang teaches the remote monitor, the network and the plurality of electricity meters but does not expressly teach transmitting one or more gas detection modules to the meter.
However, Londergan teaches the remote monitor (616; [0120]) transmitting one or more gas detection modules ([0120]) to the meter (605; [0120]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to having Londergan's one or more gas detection modules being transmitted to White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang's electricity meter in order to correct the gas data and provided adequate gas sensor data (See Londergan [0120]).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of White, Matan, Longley, Prince, Huang and Londergan teaches wherein the gas detection module includes a heater profile (616/622; [0120]: Londergan).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang teaches the remote monitor and the plurality of electricity meters but does not expressly teach selectively activate and/or deactivate a gas detection module stored in the meter.
However, Londergan teaches selectively activate and/or deactivate a gas detection module stored in the meter (616; [0120]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have Londergan's activation and/or deactivation of a gas detection module implemented on White, Matan, Longley, Prince and Huang's system in order to correct the gas data and provided adequate gas sensor data (See Londergan [0120]).
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over White (US 20220283245; cited in the IDS filed on 06/17/2024; previously relied upon by the Examiner) in view of Trieste, Jr. (US 20200182918; previously relied upon by the Examiner; hereinafter “Trieste”).
Regarding claim 21, White teaches an electrical metering device (Figure 2A) comprising:
a housing (202; Figure 2A) positioned in communication with an electrical distribution system (utility company; [0020, 0029-0032]), the housing (202) including a display ([0027]);
an electrical sensor unit (204; Figure 2A; [0027, 0031-0033]) configured to measure at least one parameter of the electrical distribution system ([0027, 0031-0033]) to obtain electrical system data ([0027, 0031-0033]);
a gas sensor unit (218a; Figure 2A) configured to obtain gas data ([0009, 0015-0017, 0021, 0026-0027]);
one or more processors (205; Figure 2A; [0027]) in communication with the electrical sensor unit (204; [0032]) and the gas sensor unit (218a; [0016]);
a memory unit (212; Figure 2A) in communication with the one or more processors (205; Figure 2A); and
a communication unit (207 and 208; Figure 2A; [0028, 0036]) configured to send and receive data ([0028, 0036]) over a network ([0020, 0037]).
White teaches the housing and the gas sensor unit but does not expressly teach the housing including a faceplate having the display and a cover having an opening; and the gas sensor unit mounted on the faceplate and in communication with an external environment outside of the housing via the opening and configured to obtain gas data related to the outdoor air quality of the external environment.
However, Trieste teaches the housing (56 and 20; Figures 2-3) including a faceplate (56 and 38; Figure 1) having the display (Figures 1-4 demonstrates the display being located on element 56) and a cover (40; Figures 2-3) having an opening (64; Figure 2; [0018]); and the gas sensor unit (22; Figures 2-3; [0018]) mounted on the faceplate (sensor unit 22 is mounted on the faceplate 56 and 38) and in communication with an external environment ([0018]) outside of the housing (56 and 20) via the opening (64; [0018]) and configured to obtain gas data ([0018]) related to the outdoor air quality of the external environment ([0018]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have Trieste’s faceplate and cover having an opening implemented along with White’s housing and obtain gas data related to outdoor air quality in order to determine the presence of combustible and/or harmful gases near the electric metering assembly, this increases the overall safety of the system (See Trieste Jr. [0003, 0018]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The reasons for allowance of claims 1-9 have been addressed in the Final rejection mailed on 05/13/2026.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY W MEGNA FUENTES whose telephone number is (571)272-6456. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8AM-4PM.
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/ANTHONY W MEGNA FUENTES/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/LAURA MARTIN SWEENEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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