CTNF 18/598,977 CTNF 76219 DETAILED ACTION The following is a first action on the merits of application serial no. 18/598977 filed 3/7/2024. Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Priority 02-26 AIA Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: - Claim 1 recites the limitation “a pressure sensing unit operatively connected to the first wireless transmission unit and starting driving with the wake up signal received from the first wireless transmission unit”. The term “starting” should be changed to “starts” to correct grammar of limitation . Appropriate correction is required. 07-30-03-h AIA Claim Interpretation 07-30-03 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f): (f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph: An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: -“a power generation unit (generic placeholder) mounted on a wheel of the vehicle and generating power in response to operation of a brake pedal in the vehicle (function) …” in claim 1. -“a first wireless transmission unit (generic placeholder) operatively connected to the power generation unit and driven by the power produced by the power generation unit and transmitting a wake up signal (function) …” in claim 1. -“a pressure sensing unit (generic placeholder) operatively connected to the first wireless transmission unit and starting driving (function) with the wake up signal received from the first wireless transmission unit…” in claim 1. -“an air pressure control unit (generic placeholder) operatively connected to the pressure sensing unit and receiving information (function) detected by the pressure sensing unit…” in claim 1. -“a power storage unit (generic placeholder) operatively connected to the power generation unit and storing the power (function) produced by the power generation unit…” in claim 2. -“a power amplification unit (generic placeholder) operatively connected to the power generation unit, amplifying the power (function) produced by the power generation unit and applying the power to a wireless transmission unit operatively connected to the power amplification unit…” in claim 4. -“a tire pressure detecting operation in which a pressure sensing unit (generic placeholder) starts to detect tire pressure (function) with the received wake up signal…” in claim 13. -“an abnormality determination operation in which an air pressure control unit (generic placeholder) is configured to determine (function) whether the tire pressure is abnormal with information detected by the pressure sensing unit…..” in claim 13. Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof. If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-3, 5-8 and 13-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shih 20020134150 in view of KR 101503378 (with machine translation) . As to claim 1, Shih discloses an apparatus for detecting tire pressure for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a power generation unit (11) mounted on a wheel (4) of the vehicle and generating power; a first wireless transmission unit (12) operatively connected to the power generation unit and driven by the power produced by the power generation unit and transmitting a wake up signal; a pressure sensing unit (13) operatively connected to the first wireless transmission unit and starting driving with the wake up signal received from the first wireless transmission unit ([0015]); and an air pressure control unit (via 23 to 43) operatively connected to the pressure sensing unit and receiving information detected by the pressure sensing unit ([0016], [0018]). However, although Shih discloses the generation unit being coupled to a brake pad (42), it doesn’t disclose the generation unit generating power in response to operation of a brake pedal in the vehicle . KR discloses an apparatus for detecting tire pressure for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a power generation unit (200) mounted on a wheel (as shown in Figure 2) of the vehicle and shows that it is well known in the art to generate power in response to operation of a brake pedal in the vehicle (via the detected brake operation, page 2, line 46 to page 3, line 11). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the generation unit in Shih generate power in response to brake pedal operation in view of KR to increase energy efficiency by converting kinetic energy into stored electrical energy (via regenerative braking) which further increases operating efficiency of vehicle. As to claim 2, Shih in view of KR discloses further including a power storage unit (230 in KR) operatively connected to the power generation unit and storing the power produced by the power generation unit. As to claim 3, Shih discloses wherein the pressure sensing unit utilizes the power produced by the power generation unit ([0015]-[0016]). As to claim 5, Shih discloses wherein the information includes tire pressure information ([0016]), and wherein the apparatus further includes a display unit (24) operatively connected to the air pressure control unit and displaying the tire pressure information received from the air pressure control unit. As to claim 6, Shih discloses wherein the air pressure control unit is configured to determine whether the tire pressure is abnormal, with the received tire pressure information ([0003], lines 9-11 disclose that checking for normal tire pressure is well known in the art). As to claim 7, Shih discloses wherein upon concluding that the tire pressure is abnormal, the air pressure control unit is configured to transmit tire pressure abnormality information to the display unit, and the display unit displays the tire pressure abnormality information through a speaker or a display ([0003], lines 9-11 disclose that checking for normal tire pressure is well known in the art, [0016], last three lines describes tire pressure information being displayed). As to claim 8, Shih in view of KR discloses further including a second wireless transmission unit transmitting the information from the pressure sensing unit to the air pressure control unit (KR shows that it is well known in the art to use a first and second transmission unit (240 or 300) wirelessly between a pressure sensing unit (TPMS) and an air pressure control unit (tire air pressure maintaining device). As to claim 13, Shih discloses a method for detecting tire pressure for a vehicle, the method comprising: a power generation operation (via 11) in which power is produced; a first wireless transmission operation (via 12) in which a wake up signal is transmitted using the power produced in the power generation operation; a tire pressure detecting operation (via 13) in which a pressure sensing unit starts to detect tire pressure with the received wake up signal ([0015]); and an abnormality determination operation in which an air pressure control unit (via 23 to 43) is configured to determine whether the tire pressure is abnormal with information detected by the pressure sensing unit ([0003], lines 9-11 disclose that checking for normal tire pressure is well known in the art, [0016]). However, although Shih discloses the generation unit being coupled to a brake pad (42), it doesn’t disclose the generation unit generating power in response to operation of a brake pedal in the vehicle. KR discloses an apparatus for detecting tire pressure for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a power generation unit (200) mounted on a wheel (as shown in Figure 2) of the vehicle and shows that it is well known in the art to generate power in response to operation of a brake pedal in the vehicle (via the detected brake operation, page 2, line 46 to page 3, line 11). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the generation unit in Shih generate power in response to brake pedal operation in view of KR to increase energy efficiency by converting kinetic energy into stored electrical energy (via regenerative braking) which further increases operating efficiency of vehicle. As to claim 14, Shih in view of KR discloses further including: a power detecting operation of detecting that the power is applied to the vehicle, before the power generation operation (KR shows that it is well known in the art to detect brake operation signal before control of generation operation, page 2, line 46 to page 3, line 11), wherein the power generation operation is performed after detecting that the power is applied to the vehicle in the power detecting operation. As to claim 15, Shih in view of KR discloses wherein the information includes tire pressure information ([0016] in Shih), and wherein the method further includes a second wireless transmission operation of transmitting the tire pressure information detected in the tire pressure detecting operation to the air pressure control unit (KR shows that it is well known in the art to use a first and second transmission unit (240 or 300) wirelessly between a pressure sensing unit (TPMS) and an air pressure control unit (tire air pressure maintaining device). As to claim 16, Shih discloses wherein in the abnormality determination operation, whether the tire pressure is abnormal is determined with the received tire pressure information ([0003], lines 9-11 disclose that checking for normal tire pressure is well known in the art). As to claim 17, Shih discloses wherein upon concluding that the tire pressure is abnormal in the abnormality determination operation, the method further includes a display operation of displaying tire pressure abnormality information through a speaker or a display ([0003], lines 9-11 disclose that checking for normal tire pressure is well known in the art, [0016], last three lines describes tire pressure information being displayed). As to claim 18, Shih discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recording a program for executing the method for detecting tire pressure for a vehicle, of claim 13 on a computer (via 23) . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shih in view of KR as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of CN 107521294 (with machine translation). Shih in view of KR discloses a wireless transmission unit (22 in Shih), but doesn’t disclose the unit operatively connected to a power amplification unit . CN discloses an apparatus for detecting tire pressure for a vehicle and shows that it is well known in the art to have a power amplification unit (page 2, lines 29-31) operatively connected to a power generation unit (generating device), amplifying the power produced by the power generation unit and applying the power to a wireless transmission unit (wireless electric energy transmission device) operatively connected to the power amplification unit. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Shih in view of KR with an amplification unit further in view of CN to increase signal strength and enhance signal transmission during wireless operation of tire pressure monitoring . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 9-12 are 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. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record doesn’t disclose or render obvious a motivation to provide for: - (as to claim 9 in combination with claim 1 exactly as written)…... wherein the power generation unit includes: a piston provided inside a caliper mounted on the wheel and applying a pressure to a brake pad of the brake pedal; and a piezoelectric element engaged to the piston and producing the power due to movement of the piston. -(as to claim 12 in combination with claim 1 exactly as written)….. wherein the power generation unit includes: a piston provided inside a caliper mounted on the wheel and applying a pressure to a brake pad of the brake pedal; and a magnet and a coil, wherein one of the magnet and the coil is engaged to movement of the piston, and the other of the magnet and the coil is provided in the caliper and produces the power through mutual electromagnetic induction due to the movement of the piston . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. -KR 1020220092007 discloses a tire monitoring apparatus and shows that it is well known in the art to have a power generation unit (10) generating power in response to operation of a brake pedal (61) in a vehicle which provides power for wireless control of monitoring and air pressure control (via 180). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TISHA D LEWIS whose telephone number is (571)272-7093. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 8:30am to 5:00pm. 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, Anna M Momper can be reached at 571-270-5788. 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. Tdl /TISHA D LEWIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3619 May 29, 2026 Application/Control Number: 18/598,977 Page 2 Art Unit: 3619 Application/Control Number: 18/598,977 Page 3 Art Unit: 3619 Application/Control Number: 18/598,977 Page 4 Art Unit: 3619 Application/Control Number: 18/598,977 Page 5 Art Unit: 3619 Application/Control Number: 18/598,977 Page 6 Art Unit: 3619 Application/Control Number: 18/598,977 Page 7 Art Unit: 3619 Application/Control Number: 18/598,977 Page 8 Art Unit: 3619 Application/Control Number: 18/598,977 Page 9 Art Unit: 3619 Application/Control Number: 18/598,977 Page 10 Art Unit: 3619 Application/Control Number: 18/598,977 Page 11 Art Unit: 3619 Application/Control Number: 18/598,977 Page 12 Art Unit: 3619 Application/Control Number: 18/598,977 Page 13 Art Unit: 3619
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