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 Amendment and Arguments
The amendment filed 06/11/2026 has been entered and fully considered. Applicant’s amendments have overcome prior art rejections identified in the previous office action; therefore the previous rejections are withdrawn.
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 16-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DENTON, WO 2024241042 in view of Elsasser, US-20190301846-A1.
Claim 16
DENTON teaches:
A vehicle 10 comprising:
a tractor 14;
a connection cable 12 configured to connect the tractor 14 to a trailer 16,
a processor (e.g., see citation1” The tractor-cable-line detection system 10 has a tractor-cab-mounted sensor apparatus 18, a processor and an alarm device.”); and
a memory device (e.g., see citation :” software trained by a machine-learning algorithm. The machine learning algorithm is configured to determine if the at least one cable line 12 is connected between the haulage tractor 14 and associated trailer 16 based on the optical feed.”), the memory device storing instructions that when executed by the processor configure the processor to (e.g., see citation :” software trained by a machine-learning algorithm. The machine learning algorithm is configured to determine if the at least one cable line 12 is connected between the haulage tractor 14 and associated trailer 16 based on the optical feed.”):
receive a signal corresponding to an output (from sensors about distance 12);
identify an length or distance of the connection cable 12 based upon the received signal (see e.g., citation “If the processor determines simultaneously that the at least one cable line 12 is connected and the distance measured by the distance sensor exceeds the expected distance, a warning output is produced by the processor and sent to the alarm device.”); and
in response to the length of the connection cable meeting a specific threshold condition, generate an alert or a warning corresponding the extent the length or distance on the connection cable (see e.g., citation “If the processor determines simultaneously that the at least one cable line 12 is connected and the distance measured by the distance sensor exceeds the expected distance, a warning output is produced by the processor and sent to the alarm device.”).
DENTON does not specifically teach: the connection cable including a sleeve over a core of the connection cable, the sleeve including a plurality of fibers of piezo polymer material;
an electrical circuit connected with two ends of the sleeve; voltage measured across the electrical circuit; identify an extent of stress or strain on the connection cable.
In the similar field of endeavor, Elsasser teaches connection cable (200,300,400) including a sleeve 206 over a core of the connection cable 200,300,400, the sleeve 206 including a plurality (¶0047: also this is broadly met by sleeve 206 including fiber piezo polymers 202) of fibers of piezo polymer material (202);
an electrical circuit 100,604 connected with two ends of the sleeve 2062; voltage measured across the electrical circuit (¶0038,0052,0053)3; identify an extent of stress or strain (¶0052,0053) on the connection cable (200,300,400). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Elsasser‘s processor for DENTON‘s processor and the modified DENTON‘s processor configure to: receive a signal corresponding to an output voltage measured across the modified DENTON’s electrical circuit; identify an extent of stress or strain on the modified DENTON’s connection cable based upon the received signal; and in response to the extent of stress or strain on the modified DENTON’s connection cable meeting a specific threshold condition, generate an alert or a warning corresponding the extent of stress or strain on the modified DENTON’s connection cable. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to monitoring the structural health of connectors in overhead transmission lines. Based on MPEP 2143 (F), courts have ruled that Known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art, and it is within the purview of a skilled artisan. See KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421,82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007).
Claim 17
DENTON in view of Elsasser teaches the vehicle of claim 16, DENTON teaches the vehicle in a reduced functionality mode (warning mode: e.g., Abstract) wherein the instructions that when executed by the processor further configure the processor to transition the vehicle in a reduced functionality mode in response to the extent of stress or strain on the connection cable meeting the specific threshold condition.
Claim 18
DENTON in view of Elsasser teaches the vehicle of claim 16, DENTON teaches a warning mode, therefore, DENTON combined with Wang teaches wherein the modified DENTON’s instructions that when executed by the modified DENTON’s processor further configure the modified DENTON’s processor to receive a signal (from 18) to transition the modified DENTON’s vehicle 10 in a reduced functionality mode (warning mode) upon transmitting the alert or warning (e.g., the processor being configured to produce a warning output if the at least one cable line is connected and a said increase in the expected distance is determined simultaneously/ the tractor-cable- line detection system can help prevent damage of the cable line or lines by alerting a user if the cable line or lines are connected whilst a mechanical connection is disconnected/ whilst still utilizing machine learning techniques to automatically alert when a problem is identified.) to an external receiver (138).
Claim 20
DENTON in view of Elsasser teaches the vehicle of claim 16, Wang teaches wherein the connection cable (20,30) is an electrical cable (e.g., ¶0004,0008) and the core comprises electrically conductive material (fig.4 steel core 400) for the same reason and motivation cited above.
Claim 19 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DENTON, WO 2024241042 in view of Elsasser, US-20190301846-A1 and Dinh, US 20200233438 A1.
Claim 19
DENTON in view of Elsasser teaches the vehicle of claim 16, wherein the connection cable is an air hose and the core is hollow carrying air, and wherein the instructions that when executed by the processor further configure the processor to disconnect supply of air in response to the extent of stress or strain on the connection cable meeting the specific threshold condition.
In the similar field of endeavor, Dinh in figs 1-4 teaches: wherein the connection cable 218 is an air hose (e.g.,¶0033 ) and the core is hollow carrying air (e.g., ¶0033), and wherein the instructions that when executed by the processor (200 e.g., ¶0036) further configure the processor (200) to disconnect supply of air (automatic shutdown e.g., ¶0036 ) in response to the (e.g., controller in response to the air connection is not made completely between the autonomous transport vehicle 105 and the cargo container 110 shutoff the air, e.g., ¶0036).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Dinh‘s air hose for DENTON ‘s vehicle wherein the modified DENTON’s connection cable is an air hose and the modified DENTON’s core is hollow carrying air, and wherein the modified DENTON’s instructions that when executed by the modified DENTON’s processor further configure the modified DENTON’s processor to disconnect supply of air in response to the extent of stress or strain on the modified DENTON’s connection cable meeting the specific threshold condition. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to have an automated facility by automated vehicles with minimal user interaction and interface (e.g., ¶0002,0003).
Allowable subject matter
Claims 1-15 are allowed.
The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 1: the prior art of record documents, individually or in combination, fail to anticipate or render obvious a system for detecting and reporting stress or strain in a connection cable connecting a tractor of an autonomous vehicle comprising the sleeve configured to function as a variable resistance element connected between measuring nodes of the output voltage within the electrical circuit, in conjunction with the remaining claim limitations.
Claims 2-7 are allowable due to at least their dependency on claim 1.
Regarding claim 8: the prior art of record documents, individually or in combination, fail to anticipate or render obvious a method of detecting and reporting stress or strain in a connection cable connecting a tractor of an autonomous vehicle with a trailer comprising the sleeve configured to function as a variable resistance element connected between measuring nodes of the output voltage within the electrical circuit, in conjunction with the remaining claim limitations.
Claims 9-15 are allowable due to at least their dependency on claim 8.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 Fatemeh E. Nia whose telephone number is (469)295-9187. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kristina DeHerrera can be reached at (303) 297-4237. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FATEMEH ESFANDIARI NIA/ Examiner, Art Unit 2855
1 See English translation by office
2 This broadly can be met by two ends of 202 which is also between two ends of sleeve.
3 second: (see e.g., ¶0003/0038 state that the piezoelectric fiber sensor is "configured to produce voltage readings that are proportional to the tensile loads experienced by the electronic cable in the axial direction over time.") measured across an electrical circuit ( e.g., ¶0038: "a piezoelectric fiber sensor 202 is configured to output voltage readings proportional to the amount of axial strain that is sensed when the electrical cable 200 is stretched or compressed in the axial direction."), the electrical circuit connected with a first end and a second end of the piezo polymer (300: this is inherently met by the system e.g.,¶0052,0053 the battery 602 of electronic cable 400 is configured to supply a current to the piezoelectric fiber sensor and the at least two flex sensors, such that voltage readings pertaining to the axial and bending strains that are experienced by the electronic cable, over a period of time, are obtained" — confirming 202 is actively current-driven by the battery, it implies 202 is being read more like a driven sensor , akin to how 204 is handled in fig.7and ¶0053 adds that "the microprocessor 604 is further configured to measure tensile and compression strain values of the electronic cable based on the output voltage readings of the piezoelectric fiber sensor" therefore, the microprocessor does the conversion from raw voltage to a strain value)
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